Public and Commercial Services Union

What are inductions?

Most employers have standard processes for inducting new staff. They are likely to include introductory sessions with representatives of the pension scheme and/or any other benefits and a guide to terms & conditions of employment.

Many employers also recognise that the union has an important role to play in this process and active trade union members are frequently given the opportunity to meet new staff who are then able to see that the union is a recognised part of their working life.

Why are they important?

A well-organised union ensures that all new workers are approached about joining as soon as they start work. Induction sessions provide a structured opportunity to talk to new staff about the union: attendees are less likely to be distracted than when approached in their workplace.

Who can be involved in delivering union inductions?

Any union member can take on this important role in consultation with their branch. If you think you may be interested or are unsure who is currently involved in delivering inductions in your workplace, contact your branch or PCS regional office.

What do I do if my employer doesn't currently offer the union the opportunity to be involved in induction sessions?

Talk to your local branch or PCS regional office about approaching management to negotiate this facility.

What should I include in my induction session?

Celebrate success

The goal of this opportunity is to recruit new members of staff to the union. It is therefore vitally important that the new staff member leaves the induction seeing the union as active, influential and inclusive and is aware of the obvious benefits of joining the union and getting involved.

A new staff member will often be unaware of how current terms & conditions have come about in your workplace - this is your opportunity to ensure the union gets the credit, not the employer.

Share details of PCS wins from both within your group and more widely - for example through effective government lobbying. This helps to show the many ways the union works for the benefit of all members and their families.

Focus on current issues and campaigns

Along with showing past union successes, you need to ensure the prospective member understands there is still work to be done and that the union needs them to ensure future achievements. Discuss current issues and campaigns at all levels of PCS from the workplace to the Group and nationally.

Be open and interactive

Try to give the new attendees the chance to ask questions or discuss their past union experiences or perceptions. You're more likely to recruit people to the union if you've taken the time to discuss any concerns they may have.

As this can be a challenging subject for any representative, preparing for the objections you think you might face will help you feel more comfortable. If you would like help with techniques for handling objections, contact your PCS regional organiser.

Follow up

As people arrive for your session, ask them to list their contact details (starting the sheet with your own details often makes people feel more comfortable as they can see someone else has done it first!). You probably won't sign up every new staff member on the spot and they may not all work in the same workplace.

It is important that workplace representatives and active members are made aware of new staff members, and given responsibility for talking to them a short while after their induction.

This is an opportunity to see how they're settling in and to ask if they have any questions about the union following their induction session. You're also continuing to promote the union as a group of helpful and interested colleagues and, of course, it's a further chance to collect a completed membership form! It's also a great way of getting more people involved in union activity.

Competition from another union/staff association?

It's important that we don't put down another union or ignore its existence. If you have an induction session, they probably will too. If there's a staff association or competitor union - explain the difference in the way the unions operate, focusing on PCS.

If you've discussed with them the independent, member-led structure of PCS, which is prepared to take up the issues of its members, then have some faith that the potential member will make the right decision based on what they learn from both unions.

Need further assistance?

Your PCS regional organiser is always available to provide guidance and assistance to anyone involved or interested in becoming involved in induction sessions. See the organising and learning contacts page for details.