Running a workplace campaign

Trade unions are based on a simple principle: we are stronger together than we are alone.

A trade union campaign isn’t about a few individuals solving other people’s problems for them. It involves lots of different people coming together and using their collective strength to effect change.

Why do we campaign?

Running an effective campaign:

• makes positive changes on issues that members care about
• creates opportunities for members to get involved
• shows that collective action is a powerful way to make change
• builds a sense of collectivism
• makes the CSP visible and relevant in the workplace

How to run a workplace campaign

Where do I start?

First, find out who your members are. Gather information on who is and isn’t a member, where they work, whether they’re part or full-time, and if the membership reflects workforce diversity.

Next, identify the issues members care about through meetings, surveys, casework analysis, or, most effectively, individual conversations. 

These will help build relationships and reveal how strongly people feel about specific issues.

The following questions may help you identify what members care about:

• What three things would you change about the workplace, if you could?
• What frustrates your ability to provide high-quality physiotherapy?

Make a note of your responses so you can identify recurring patterns.

Find out more about mapping with the TUC and our virtual learning environment

Workplace reps can access a list of current members by contacting their SNO or emailing our enquiries team.

Choose your campaign

Now that you have identified the issues that are affecting members, you need to decide which issue to campaign on. When choosing a campaign, you need to consider whether the issue is:

1. Widely and deeply felt – the issue needs to be widely cared about by members, and they need to care about it deeply enough to do something about it.
2. Winnable – this involves considering what resources and capacity you have to achieve your goals. How difficult will it be to get the decision maker to change their mind?
3. Visible – will this campaign offer opportunities for members to get involved? Will it raise awareness about what CSP members can achieve collectively?

What is the goal of the campaign?

Once you have decided which issue to campaign on you need to determine what you want to achieve. Think about:

• What do you want?
• How will this involve members and potential members?
• How will members benefit from the campaign?

Keep it simple – too many objectives in one campaign can become confusing and dilute your effectiveness.

Can you link your workplace action with one of the CSP’s national campaigns?

You can’t run a campaign on your own. Running a campaign requires a team. Who is on your core campaign team? Who could you convince to be part of your team?

Think about how you can get others involved. For example, who could help create posters or banners? Would someone help you run a stall or give out leaflets? You should also keep members updated and encourage them to get involved through regular communication.

Who needs to be involved?

Build a team

Can you build alliances with people beyond the CSP who will support your campaign?

• Other health unions
• Patients
• Community organisations
• Faith groups
• Who else?

Build alliances

Every campaign has a target; someone you need to persuade to reach your goal. The target is the person(s) with the power to fix your issue. You’ll need to identify and research your target.

Who do you need to persuade?

For the target, what’s the price of saying yes?

What would make them change their mind?

How could you influence them?

Communicate your cause

Make sure you can describe your campaign’s purpose clearly and concisely. Can you explain why it is important in sixty seconds or less?

In creating your narrative, think about the emotional arc of your story:

• How are people currently being affected? Think about workers, their families, and how the issue may affect patients.
• Does this narrative help create empathy and support?

Do your research

Think about supporting information and existing data sets that could help back up your campaign.

This could include:

• NHS staff survey and national equivalents
• WRES and WDES data
• Freedom of Information requests
• Companies House

What are your tactics?

You need to decide what tactics you will use in your campaign and how you will involve members in these tactics. 

What would help you build members’ involvement, raise visibility and persuade the target?

Start small. Think of something that’s easy and fun to do. Then, if the decision maker says no, you can build on your first action to increase participation and apply greater pressure.

You shouldn’t use all your ideas at once. Keep your best ideas for later in the campaign so you can build up momentum. Tactics you could use include:

• Posters
• Leafletting
• Petitions and photo petitions
• Videos of members explaining the issue and how it affects them
• Lunchtime stalls
• Lunchtime demo
• Workshops and seminars
• Social media campaign
• Media coverage (local newspaper, radio stations)
• Lobbying political figures, including your local councillor and MP
• Grievance
• Industrial action

Setting goals and timelines

Decide what needs to be done and when it needs to be completed.

• Start with the long-term goals: what is the final desired outcome? Then consider the medium and short-term goals that will help you achieve it.
• How are you measuring success, e.g., how many people do you need to sign a petition or attend a meeting for it to be effective?
• Are there other measures of success outside of winning the campaign? I.e. building the confidence and skills of members, or raising the profile of the CSP?

Evaluating your campaign

You should regularly evaluate the progress of your campaign. Is it working? Do you need to change tactics? Do you need additional support?

At the end of the campaign, consider whether you:

• achieved your goals
• recruited and involved more members
• raised the profile of the CSP

You should also:

• Communicate to your members how the campaign went and what you're planning on doing next
• Share your experiences with others by completing the Workplace Wins