Union Connect helps unions stay on top of emerging technologies, advising them on how to create and implement robust communication strategies that complement and support union goals.

Union Connect typically works on a retainer basis with unions, starting with a minimum of a three-month engagement. The union receives a pre-determined number of consulting hours each month, which can also be applied to communications, email distribution, social networks, and communication redistribution.

We work with unions to address issues in four primary areas – Union Leadership, Membership, Communication Redistribution Strategy, Educational Seminars, Training and Implementation. Included below are examples of some of the unions work we have done.

Union Leadership. A major reason why digital strategies fail is not because of the lack of planning, but because of inexperience in how to lead in the uncertain environment of a changing technology landscape. When implementing new technologies, unions often undergo a fundamental transformation in the way they are organized and managed. Leaders need to be aware of the stresses they will encounter along the way and prepare accordingly.

•A large, local union invited Union Connect to speak with its executive board about how emerging social and mobile technologies enhance communications with their membership. We went through level of existing communications, detailing what was happening today and providing concrete recommendations on not only how membership awareness and communication needed to change, but also the stresses the local would face internally as membership became more engaged in social methodologies and communications.

•A small local with a majority of membership more then 2 hours away engaged Union Connect to help it redesign their website, email distribution and social networks by showing officers and staff the flexibility of new technology to be more responsive to its membership. This included recommendations on how leadership needed to share control over communications.

Union Vision. Many unions try to implemented new technologies as solutions that lack integration with union vision and goals. The result: wasted time and resources. Union Connect focuses first on the unions needs, the staff, membership being addressed, and then on the technology. The main goal is to be consistent and supportive of creating a universal system for all unions on a standard platform.

•A local asked Union Connect to review its current strategy and communication process. We provided specific advice on how communication should be reshaped and also highlighted breakdowns in communications, but also the overall strategy

•Another local sought guidance on how the communications landscape was changing – and how the local needed to shift its strategy and change its membership and staff to meet the challenges of a maturing social environment.

Union Vision. Emerging technologies are impacting unions in terms, such as cloud based computing, social CRM, collaboration tools, and mobile technologies. Union Connects focus on helping Union Leadership and locals define a strategy stems from research and practice.

Thinking and Implementation. Technology changes too quickly for any one to stay completely on top of. Union Connect leverages its extensive network and community to provide feedback on emerging technology, relationships with vendors and unions. Union Connect also looks at long term technology trends, providing advice on how unions can and should prepare for – and capitalize on – change.

•A union asked for recommendations on how to communication redistribution system, we used their specifications and requirements to provide detailed recommendations and feedback and created a system that worked for them.

•A union engaged Union Connect to help its executive board think about new strategic communication redistribution delivery options, addressing the question, “What’s next?”. We provided research on trends we were seeing, but also helped them move beyond a primarily ROI-based evaluation criteria.