A new strategy for Fórsa’s Services and Enterprises Division, which sets a course for the foreseeable future, has been endorsed. The strategy embeds strategic organising into the division, and draws on the union’s overall strategic plan for 2021-2025.

The strategy identifies the immediate objectives for the next 12 months, in line with the overall strategic plan.

This kicks off with phase 1 of the divisional strategy: organising to create a stronger, more powerful union that delivers for members.

It consists of four focus areas, each all aligned to the strategic plan:

• One pilot project that encompasses organising, the industrial agenda and communications into one strategy
• Accurate data for effective communications and measuring density
• A standard approach to how we organise, communicate, and deliver for members
• Support branch development, to strengthen, diversify and grow.

The head of the union’s Services and Enterprises Ddivision, Katie Morgan, said organising is top of the division’s agenda.

“The divisional executive committee held a strategic planning day in April where we had an opportunity to focus on embedding organising and Fórsa’s strategic plan into our divisional strategy. This provided an opportunity for the divisional executive committee and divisional staff to meet and exchange ideas in person for the first time in more than two years.

“The day included workshops by Fórsa’s strategic organising department and presentations from the union’s strategic change team and communications unit. Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan provided an overview of the current challenges nationally for the union and the wider trade union movement,” she said.

Katie and divisional cathaoirleach Niall Mullally said the strategic planning day provided a much-needed opportunity to re-energise as a group, and to refocus the work of the division after two long years of remote engagement and major uncertainties facing the sectors that the division represents.

“We’ve seen the benefits of blended and remote working, and we were able to continue working productively as a division throughout the pandemic period. But there’s a little added energy and focus, and some excitement, from being able to meet face to face again,” said Niall.

Katie said the divisional strategy will play a crucial role in embedding the strategic objectives of the union into the day-to-day work of the division.

“We work hard for our members, and we hope that this strategic approach at divisional level will help increase our density to better deliver for members and increase union power.

“We have established a strategy working group that has been assisting with the development of the strategy documents and we’ve been engaging branches on this. The strategy will be monitored regularly by the DEC and we hope to report some positive outcomes at our next conference,” she said.

“It was agreed that our initial focus will be on one pilot project that encompasses organising, the industrial agenda and communications into one strategy. We’re planning on running this pilot project in the Health and Safety Authority and look forward to engaging with our activists and members on this,” she says.

Katie said that some branches had already held their own branch strategy days, where they are aligning their branch objectives with the divisional strategy and, in turn, the strategic plan.

“The branches are seeing the potential positive outcomes that can be achieved by outlining a practical workplan that supports activists and delivers for members. A lot of what is mentioned in these plans are things that branches already do, but aspire to do them in a more structured way.

“We commend these branches for taking the initiative and creating their own strategies in line with the divisional strategy and the strategic objectives of the union. We encourage other branches who may be interested in developing their own branch strategy to talk to their official and we will support them with the process,” she said.