10 Skills of Organising - a response‏

Some thoughts about the recruitment process of UNISON area and local organisers arising from this debate:

1. The JD and person specification for both posts should be reviewed. It is presently aimed at a fictional good union organiser with good experience. I think they are few and far between. Instead we should be looking for people with good people skills. We might want to look for something like "awareness of social issues" or "empathy for public services" but we should drop the whole experience of trade union work. Training and support on the job can address that.

2. We need to completely change where and how we advertise. Not the Guardian but... Metro? Internet? Big Issue? & other places where young people look for jobs.

3. Assessment centres and appointments panels should include effective and proven organisers.

4. Then we introduce a training scheme with a systematic approach to organising and also stuff on representation and negotiations.

The status quo with organiser recruitment will leave us with status quo organising staff.

BA