Organising and Servicing Models

Differentiating between the organising and servicing models or frameworks to union work can help us think about and decide how we can create the kind of union we want.

In a servicing model, workers expect a service that is provided by union leaders and staff. The “paid-for” service usually includes negotiating and enforcing contracts and the handling of personal grievances and disputes. The union is seen as an insurance policy and membership is usually defined by who pays membership fees. The union is more likely to respond and react to problems as they are brought forward by workers.

In an organising model, workers see themselves as the union. Leaders educate and mobilise workers. Workers, union leaders and staff together set goals and strategy and take collective action to solve problems. The union is more likely to proactively look for problems that can unite workers in action.

We could draw the following diagrams of the two models:

Organising Model: A big circle with the words Union and Members inside. Servicing model: One small circle for Union and one for Members. Connected by a line.

We can use the two models or frameworks to help us discuss and evaluate our union work, but in reality, the two approaches exist together and are used in combination, not separately. What we are looking for is the best balance between the two models in our union work.

Table "Organising and Servicing Models" with the quadrants Problem, Organising solution, Ideal balance of Organising and Servicing, Servicing solution

The discussion about servicing and organising models helps us analyse how we as union leaders and activists can increase the union’s associational power (the ability of workers to organise and act collectively).

Choose one of the following three scenarios and then develop two different approaches the union might take to resolve the situation – one approach should emphasise a servicing approach and the other an organising approach.

A manager is harassing employees. After complaining among themselves, workers are getting increasingly frustrated and angry.
A workplace has a number of new workers who are not members.
Supervisors frequently assign higher duties to workers and do not pay more for the higher duty work. The collective bargaining agreement is being undermined.

The three examples above are taken from actual situations. Each scenario involved a combination of servicing and organising.

In the first scenario with a manager harassing workers, the union staff representative first came to the worksite and explained why the managers behaviour was wrong and filed a grievance against her. The manager´s behaviour did not change once the union staff representative left. The workers then decided to pool a small amount of money weekly and awarded it as a prize to whoever told the worst story of what the manager had done that week. The workers shared stories every week and were able to better support each other. Some workers even hoped she would yell longer so they could win the prize money. The manager´s behaviour changed.

In the second scenario, at first the only new worker who joined was someone with a work-assignment issue. Later, when workers organised a lunch meeting to welcome the new workers and discuss the importance of the union, everyone joined.

In the third scenario, the workers developed a survey which documented the higher duty assignments. The survey results were given to the company along with a list showing the number of times different managers had committed the offence within the last month. The union filed a grievance on the same day they turned in the results of the survey.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Organising and Servicing Models

Once you have a shared understanding of the servicing and organising models, we can examine the advantages and disadvantages of each. This will help us think carefully about what kind of unions we want and how we want to do our union work. This helps keep us from falling into doing things a certain way simply because it is familiar or usual.

Review and prepare to discuss the following scenario or create your own.

A city has announced that they are considering proposals for contracting out garbage collection. City managers have been asked to prepare contracting out proposals for an upcoming local council meeting.

Scenario A: Servicing

A workplace delegate calls the union staff representative. The staff rep studies the language in the union contract and calls a labour management meeting to discuss the union’s opposition to the contracting out. The staff rep prepares a presentation for the council meeting. Prior to the meeting, they call a lawyer to see if there is any legal protection and a lobbyist to lobby the council for support.

Scenario B: Organising

The workplace delegates call a meeting of all workers. Research tasks on the possible costs and plans for contracting out are divided up. Plans are made for workers to contact the local media. Workers volunteer to speak at the upcoming council meeting and to help contact other workers, friends, family and members of other unions to attend.

Workers decide to talk to the residents on the garbage-collection route on two upcoming Saturdays. A petition of support is developed. Workers use the completed petitions to phone the residents and remind them to attend the council meeting.

The day before the council meeting, the workers and their supporters have a “phone in” to two of the council members who have spoken most strongly in favour of the contracting out proposal. At the council meeting, all garbage workers and their allies demonstrate their support with signs and buttons.

List approximately three advantages or disadvantages for each of the two models:

Template for an Organising and Servicing Model Table: Left Column: Solution A: Servicing, Solution B: Organising. Upper Row: Advantages and Disadvantages

Possible advantages to the servicing model
More expedient
Lower risk for the boss, the union and the workers
Fewer resources of the union may be used
More familiar
Works best when the union is powerful

Possible disadvantages to the servicing model
Union more likely to lose
Distances workers from the union
Workers might not know the union is involved

Possible advantages to the organising model
Builds collective solidarity
Fun
Members more likely to support the union even if there is no win
Strengthens the union for other fights
Easier to recruit union members and leaders

Possible disadvantages to the organising model
More risk for the workers, union and the boss
Need to have workers participate to be successful
Fear
May disrupt relationship with employer

The advantages and disadvantages to both approaches are worth noting. If you are to move the balance of your work towards more of an organising model, we need to be especially aware of two of the lists we have made – the advantages of the servicing model and the disadvantages of the organising model.

Examining these lists of advantages and disadvantages carefully will help prepare for the transition and remind us that we need to allocate the appropriate time and resources to additional organising since organising often requires more time and more resources.

What percentage of your union work time do you and other leaders spend talking person to person to workers who are not already involved in the union?