A survey of charity workers calling the TUC’s “Know your rights” hotline found that the main reason for not joining a union was that they work for a charity and didn’t think they could.
This is not the case. Everybody at work in the UK has the right to join a trade union, and it is actually illegal for an employer to dismiss or disadvantage anybody, based on whether or not they are a trade union member.
Union membership in the Voluntary and Community Sector stands at around 115,000, around 20%, which is lower than the public sector and around the same as the private sector.
The main unions for the sector are UNISON, Unite and the GMB. You can use our online unionfinder to see if there is already a union recognised where you work.
Working in partnership, unions can help under-funded and over-stretched voluntary sector personnel departments to attract and keep a high quality workforce through improved conditions, staff participation and communication and training opportunities.
