In any organisation, certain phrases and soundbites become woven into the fabric of everyday life. One such refrain in Fórsa is how important it is to recruit new members. Well, there’s cause for celebration as Fórsa’s membership figure has surged to 85,000 over the past year.

Fórsa has nearly doubled the number of new members to join in any comparative period in the past decade. Seán McElhinney, Fórsa’s Director of Membership, attributes the surge to various material factors such as the broader economic conditions, youth migration, housing and living costs, and workplace issues. He leans into simple everyday anecdotes to explain it.

“Brennan's bread is now €2 a loaf and 450 grams of Kerrygold butter is now over €4. So people are finding it harder to get by. And when it comes to fighting for better pay and fighting for a change in our society, it's the trade union movement, and Fórsa in particular are the ones fighting for it,” he said.

Seán paints a vivid picture of a union with a diverse membership base, that defies stereotypes of an aging male workforce. "Three quarters of all our members are female and a quarter are male," he reveals.

"Most of our members are under the age of 40. The median age of a formal member is 39, mirroring the median age of someone in Irish society, which I believe is about 38. So, we're reflective of society. We're particularly representative of women workers. And when we secure pay rises, we're changing things for the better in Ireland."

With a pay ballot now underway, Seán gives some details on Fórsa’s pioneering work in digitally mobilising its members to participate in union democracy.  During Covid, the union hosted the first ever online industrial action ballot inn Ireland for more than 69k workers with 58% turn out taking part.  

“But just two years later, we were able to improve our level of participation to more than two thirds of our whole membership. More than 67% of our members voted in the next online industrial ballot which was the Building Momentum ballot in 2022. This year, in 2024, we want to see that improve again.”

Behind the membership growth is a very committed team. Seán is quick to celebrate how their unwavering personal commitment to social justice and their work as engine drivers of Fórsa's mission to grow. Painstakingly, the team makes the effort to personally chat to every new member.  With nearly 11,000 joining last year, that’s a tireless task. 

“They understand the profound connection between their efforts and the transformative change sought by the organisation. The team see a very real link between the work that they do and that change. Positioned at the forefront of every new member's journey, they ensure a warm welcome and personalised guidance. This personal touch not only fosters a sense of belonging but also empowers members by clarifying their role within the union,” he says.

He sees opportunities, particularly in the ongoing pay ballot to further bolster membership and drive positive change. He encourages members and activists to engage with those in their circles and ask them to join the union. 

“It's about getting our activists and officers and reps involved in workplaces and our around our branches talking to people about the issue of pay, talking to people about their economic circumstances, and about the change that Fórsa can affect provided we have the power and to have the power we need the people and membership,” he says.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.