Trade Union Official

Also known as:

Union Official

Introduction

Trade union officials help and support people at work. They look after employees' interests, negotiating with management over issues like working hours, pay, unfair treatment of a group or individual, or a health and safety issue.

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Work Activities

Trade union officials give advice when members have a problem at work, and represent them both collectively and as individuals in negotiations with their employer or at tribunals.

Union members usually elect someone to speak on their behalf - this could be a shop steward or an office representative. These representatives pass on their views to the management and to full-time union officials. Most unions have branches to support local organisations. In larger organisations, there may be a union branch on the premises, staffed by elected or recruited officers (depending on the union). Very large organisations may have full-time officials on the premises.

Most full-time officials are field officers working in branch and district offices. They cover an industry or area, helping elected office or workplace representatives, and often taking part in negotiations themselves.

Field officers organise, support and advise workplace representatives. Some supervise teams of clerical support staff. Other typical duties include attending and organising meetings, rallies and conferences.

National officials work in head offices alongside specialists in trade union affairs, including accountants, lawyers, researchers, and press and information officers. Duties include recruiting members to the union, managing union funds, public relations, general administration and dealing with the media. Head office officials help to plan and put into practice union policy. The job involves dealing with people, analysing information and organising time effectively.

Officials are frequently on the move, keeping in touch with and co-ordinating volunteer representatives within the union branch.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a trade union official, you should have a thorough knowledge of industrial legislation and an understanding of management techniques. Good communication skills are very important. You should have strong powers of reasoning and analysis, and be capable of motivating, advising and training workplace officials.

A confident, outgoing nature is important. Good negotiating skills are required, in addition to administrative and organisational abilities. You should enjoy being involved in problem solving situations and assertive enough to take decisions and stick to them whether or not they are popular.

You should be passionate about wanting to help and support people at work, and be committed to protecting their interests. You should have an understanding of the important part that unions play and have played in making our working lives fair, safe and properly rewarded. You should also keep up-to-date with current employment issues, for example, legislation to prevent discrimination in employment on the grounds of age.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate. Trade union officials earn in the range of £18,500 - £21,000 a year, rising to £23,000 - £26,000. Higher earners make around £35,000 a year.

They usually work office hours, Monday to Friday. However, during negotiations, late night and weekend work may be required.

There are relatively few paid officials in trade unions. Most officials start out as volunteer members, before applying for a full-time post. Some 'white collar' unions recruit outside the membership.

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Adult Opportunities

It is now illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many trade union officers and branch secretaries have a background in union and/or political membership, and activity including work as an unpaid shop steward or safety representative.

A range of training courses is offered through the TUC (Trades Union Congress) on a day-release, residential or short intensive basis. The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has a Skills and Lifelong Learning Team which supports trade unions in Scotland to encourage and help workers take up opportunities to develop their learning and skills.

Distance learning is available from some individual unions, such as from the UNISON Open College.

Financial support for training is provided either by the TUC, individual unions or the General Federation of Trades Unions Educational Trust (GFTU). The GFTU provides grants for full-time and Open University students studying Employment Law, Industrial Relations and related subjects, who are trade union members.

• 16% of people who work in occupations such as trade union official have flexible hours.
• 8% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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