The New Union Project is a proposal to combine the strength of over 80,000 members in three unions representing members in the public service as well as the commercial sector and state agencies.

The Civil, Public and Services Union (CPSU), IMPACT and the Public Service Executive Union (PSEU) have been engaged in talks about the creation of a new union throughout 2016. The talks were backed by delegates from all three unions who supported conference motions this year to continue the process.

The proposal to form a new, single, union from three existing unions will be put to the members of all three in a ballot in 2017, once talks about details have been completed.

Talks between the unions have focused on the development of a rulebook, creating the legal and administrative framework for a new union.

Part of the process of creating a new union involves giving it a name.

The unions involved have decided to open up a competition to members of all three unions to suggest a name for the proposed new union. A prize of a Microsoft Surface Pro 4 tablet will be awarded for the best suggestion. Suggestions should be forwarded to newunionprojectirl@gmail.com by Monday 28th November 2016.

This will give members an opportunity to get involved in the New Union project, to get creative and develop suggestions for a name that forges a unique identity for the new union, but which also captures elements of the individual identities and profiles of each of the three unions involved.

Notwithstanding the outcome of the competition, the final decision on a new name will be made jointly by the executives of the three unions.

Union profiles

• The CPSU represents almost 12,000 members, mainly in the Civil Service and a small number of Agencies and Semi State and Private companies. The core membership of the CPSU is the Clerical Officer grade, the Staff Officer grade and a range of related departmental grades.
• IMPACTrepresents close to 60,000 members in hundreds of occupations in health, local government, education, the civil service, voluntary and community organisations as well as commercial and non-commercial state organisations and private companies in aviation and telecommunications. The IMPACT membership profile is professional, technical and support staff in the civil service, administrative, professional, technical and manual grades in local government, administrative, therapist, professional, technical and care staff in health, administrative and schools based staff in education and pilots and cabin crew in aviation.
• The PSEU represents 10,000 members in the executive, junior and middle management grades in all government departments and some commercial and non-commercial state agencies.