Trade union officials represent the interests of union members in discussions with employers. Health and safety, pay and conditions, equal opportunities and redundancy are just a few of the issues trade union officials deal with in their daily work. Also known as trade union officers, they are full-time employees of a trade union.

Officials who represent the union at a regional level will usually:

• recruit, train and support local officials and shop stewards
• deal with local disputes and case work
• advise on legal or health and safety issues
• work as a learning representative, promoting learning and education programmes to local members.

Trade union officials in the union's national office often deal with broader issues. These include:

• developing national policy
• research
• developing learning and education programmes for members
• dealing with the media
• negotiating with employers’ organisations, political parties and government.

Part-time union officials, also known as shop stewards or representatives, are elected by local trade union members. They pass on the views of the workforce to the management of their company, and have a legal right to conduct union business during working hours.

Hours and Environment

Union officials' basic working week is 35 hours long, but in practice they will often work more than 40 hours. This often includes early starts, evenings and weekends.  

Officials are usually office-based but spend time attending meetings and visiting employers' premises to meet members and union representatives or shop stewards. A driving licence is therefore usually required.

Skills and Interests

To be a trade union official you should:

• be politically aware and interested in employee welfare
• be self-confident and approachable
• have excellent communication, negotiation and listening skills
• enjoy meeting people, often in challenging situations
• be confident when speaking in public
• be able to motivate and manage support staff and local representatives
• have good research skills
• be patient and tactful
• enjoy solving problems.

Entry

You can enter trade union work either through local branch or regional office work, or by joining the staff at a union headquarters.

Branch or regional office staff have usually spent several years involved in unpaid union work, either as a local representative or shop steward. They have in-depth knowledge of the workings of the union at ground level.

Headquarters staff are usually qualified and experienced in their specialist area of work. These include:

• employment or general law
• economics
• trade union legislation or organisation
• media
• research
• education and training.

You could also enter head office straight from university with a relevant degree or postgraduate qualification. This is most common in research officer jobs. Relevant degree subjects could include social sciences, politics, economics or law.

Alternatively you may work your way up through the organisation from branch or regional office level to work at headquarters level.

For either route, you will be at an advantage if you have work or voluntary experience of advice work, politics, negotiations or campaigning.

Training

You will usually be trained on the job and also attend occasional short courses run by:

• your own union
• your Trade Union Congress (TUC) 
• commercial training organisations.

The TUC runs a structured training programme covering a range of subjects including advocacy skills, health and safety, industrial tribunals and employment law. The courses are accredited by the Open College Network (OCN).

The TUC has its own National Training Centre in London with other regional training centres around the UK. You can also study some courses through online learning.

See the TUC website (in Further Information) for details. If you manage support staff, you will usually be encouraged to gain the Institute of Leadership and Management's Introductory Certificate in First Line Management.

You could also get financial support to take other professional exams that may be relevant to your job, such as personnel or training qualifications.

For more details check the ENTO website (in Further Information).

Opportunities

Trade union officials may become regional secretaries of their union, managing other officials. National posts are often based in London.

As a trade union official you may be able to move into similar jobs in professional bodies, or to move into personnel work. Some move into politics as councillors or members of parliament.

Jobs are advertised in the local and national press, and on TUC and union websites (see Further Information section below).

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Full-time posts usually start at around £18,000 to £20,000 a year.
Experienced officials usually earn around £25,000 a year.
Trade union officials in senior management positions may earn £35,000 or more.

Further information

Northern Ireland Committee
3 Crescent Gardens
Belfast
BT7 1NS
Tel: 028 9024 7940
Congress House
Great Russell Street
London
WC1B 3LS
Tel: 020 7636 4030
333 Woodlands Road
Glasgow
G3 6NG
Tel: 0141 337 8100
Kimberley House
47 Vaughan Way
Leicester
LE1 4SG
Tel: 0116 251 7979