Branch Development Plans

As an integral part of UNISON it is important that the Labour Link and its campaigns and activities are incorporated into Branch Development Plans (BDPs). The role of the Branch Labour Link Officer (and other Labour Link members) is to ensure that the Labour Link is covered in the BDP process.

Labour Link should be included in the Branch Development Plan mapping exercise, where Branches map out the four key objectives of:

• Recruitment
• Organisation
• Members participation
• Effective representation and negotiation.

Similarly the Labour Link can then be incorporated into the plan identifying potential areas for development in each of the four organising objectives.

Mapping

Incorporating the Labour Link into BDP mapping is a straightforward exercise of simply indicating:

• Number of Labour Link members
• Levels of Labour Link organisation
• Levels of participation in the local Labour Link
• Ways in which the Branch uses the Labour Link to represent or negotiate for members. This could include making representation to an MP / MSP / councillor on pay or conditions, PFI, etc.

Planning

When a Branch is drawing up the Branch Development Plan, the Labour Link Officer should ensure that the Labour Link element is also integral to the recruiting and organising objectives.

Examples for developing Labour Link action points include:

Recruitment:

• Increasing the number of Labour Link members
• Using the Labour Link to recruit and organise new members into UNISON membership, (ie recruiting Labour Party members at local CLPs)

Organisation

• Developing greater organisation within the Labour Link
• Ensuring Labour Link organisation plays a key part in the Branch.

Members Participation

• Increasing Labour Link members' participation in the Labour Link
• Raising awareness amongst the total Branch membership of the Labour Link, its activities and organisation.

Effective Representation and Negotiation

• Using the Labour Link to enhance representation and negotiation. For example: keeping in contact with the local MSP / MP or councillors putting forward UNISON positions on issues impacting upon members, eg PFI, pay and conditions for social workers, nursery nurses etc; developing a dialogue with elected representatives; and providing them with information on UNISON campaigns and priorities.

Implementing and Monitoring

The Branch Development process involves the continual development, implementation and monitoring of Branch Development Plans. This means working out what is successful, and what is not, and developing effective and efficient ways of working.

If the Labour Link element of the branch is incorporated into the Branch Development Plan, and the Labour Link Branch engages effectively with the mainstream of the branch, it then follows that the Labour Link should benefit from the development, planning and monitoring processes.

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