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45-Day Plan To Increase Union Membership: A Step-by-Step Guide
A strategic, step-by-step 45-day labor union membership plan.
Includes ready-to-use templates, messaging, and workflows to help you recruit and convert new members.
Why traditional methods aren’t working
Union membership rates have continued to fall. In the U.S., the labor union membership rate dropped to 9.9% in 2024, indicating that traditional labor union organizing methods are no longer keeping pace with what today’s workforce needs.
This decline is part of a broader global trend: OECD data shows that labor union membership has halved since 1985, dropping from around 30% to 15% today.
It’s not that the demand for labor union membership is low — many workers want to join a union. Rather, the problem is that the way unions recruit is still largely offline, while people today expect to find opportunities and community online. This shift is slowly happening.Â
This playbook helps you bridge that gap — by using modern outreach tools, automating follow-up, and meeting people where they already are: on their phones.
What’s in this guide?
Digital infrastructure & setup
How to build your union’s online presence so workers can find, engage, and join your labor union organizing in just a few clicks. Step-by-step tools and templates get you going fast.
Outreach & engagement campaigns
Launch targeted, multi-channel outreach to increase labor union membership through calls, texts, email, and social platforms. Includes content calendars, call/text scripts, and checklists for tracking your progress.
Conversion, onboarding & retention
Convert interested prospects into active members, onboard them seamlessly, and establish an ongoing engagement and analysis plan. Ready-to-use automation workflows and key metrics for continuous improvement.
