Our new social media course will be ready soon

We are delighted to inform you that since our formation in May 2012, Union Solidarity International (USi) has developed a social media and online campaigning platform involving tens of thousands of people around the world.  This has enabled us to raise funds through our affiliation strategy that is empowering workers to form a union in the brick kiln industries of India and to support a hugely important documentary in Greece highlighting human rights abuses.

As an affiliate to USi, we are endeavouring to return your support and the confidence that you have put in us to help our movement become more connected across the world.

As part of our efforts to give something back we are excited about imminently launching our social media and communications manual.  The manual will include the A, B and Cs of online campaigning so that we can empower members to fight for trade union rights and social justice.  It is our intention to host workshops in locations around the UK and Ireland but also to complement this with seminars online using the technology we have at our disposal particularly for those with logistical and time constraints to attend the venues.

What’s in our social media course?

For a sneak preview, have a look at what we will cover.

USi is determined to work with our supportive unions, nationally, regionally and locally to assist in harnessing the potential of social media and online communications to strengthen our message and campaigns.

Email Mary

Email Mary (mary.mclaughlan@unitetheunion.org) to register your interest in participating in our courses so that we can put in place the building blocks to roll out this initiative.

I hope that you will be excited about this development and give consideration to members within branches and regions who would be interested in participating in this initiative.

“Knowledge is ammunition in the battle of ideas.”

Winning the battle of ideas is essential at a time like this, and to do this union activists need to have the best possible training and access to relevant information.

USi will work with experienced union tutors and industrial relations departments at universities and further education institutions to develop bespoke courses which will be available to union activists around the world.

The courses will be delivered on a residential basis in the UK, and online through a Virtual Learning Environment using web conferencing software. As far as possible the online environment will emulate the classroom experience, giving union activists around the world the opportunity to interact with each other on a guided learning programme, and to attain accreditation from a UK institution.

Courses will have a practical outcome: for instance, an international solidarity course will pair union activists in different countries and require them to collaborate on a project.

Courses will include:

• Using new technology and social media to organise
• International trade union solidarity
• Economics, globalisation and trade unions
• …and much more