Young members

If you are a UNISON member and under 31 years of age you are automatically entitled to participate as a young member

Young members’ groups work to:

  • encourage recruitment, organisation and participation of young workers
  • provide a powerful voice for young members
  • give young members the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in the union.

As a young member in Greater London you are supported by a union that can assist you with support, training, advice and guidance.

Want to get involved?

In your workplace or branch

There are a number of ways for young members to get involved with UNISON at a workplace or branch level. Your branch’s young members officer will be able to help you get involved campaigns and put you in touch with other young members in your branch.

It might be that your branch doesn’t have a young members officer yet, in which case you should definitely think about putting yourself forward. It’s a great way to get involved with your branch as well as making sure the voices of young members are listened to.

Branch young members officer role description

Want to help support your colleagues with problems at work in your workplace? Volunteer UNISON workplace reps help to recruit and organise staff in their workplace, as well as providing advice and a point of contact for members that might need more support from the wider union. Reps are given extensive training and support from UNISON, and staff at employers that recognise UNISON are even given paid time off for their duties. You can find out more about the various workplace roles in UNISON by clicking on the button below.

Workplace roles

Across London

The Greater London young members’ forum brings together young members from across a wide variety of employers in Greater London and takes a lead in organising, running and supporting young member campaigns across the region.

Every member aged 30 and under is automatically a member of the young members’ forum – you don’t have to be a rep or activist in your own branch to come along and participate. Every year, the young members forum elects a regional young members committee that leads the activity and campaigns for the Forum that year, and who represent London young members across UNISON’s democratic structures. Members of the committee are UNISON Young members from across branches and service groups throughout London. The chair and vice chair of the regional young members committee are Kieran Paterson and Justine Canady.

Want to get involved? Contact Tahreen Dewan and Nathan Burns at glryoung@unison.co.uk

Nationally 

UNISON’s national young members forum is made up of two representatives from each region, plus the young members representative on UNISON’s national executive council (NEC).

The forum looks at issues affecting young members in UNISON, and how to go about improving recruitment and organisation of young members.

It makes sure young members concerns are raised at the highest level, and in all parts of the union.

Greater London is represented on the national young members forum by Kieran Paterson and Frances Osborne.

Once a year, UNISON also organises a national young members conference. At conference, young members discuss and debate issues affecting young workers across the union and pass policy on these issues. You can read our report from 2023 conference by clicking the button below.

Visit the National Young Members site

2023 national young members conference report