Trade Union OrganisationalCapacity Assessment Tool

Trade Union Partnerships Seminar 1

Trade union organisational capacity tool

What?

• A framework that can help us assess the state of our trade unions with respect to key capacities.

• A self-assessment tool.

• A simple and flexible tool.

• Analyses both hard and soft skills

2Trade Union Partnerships Seminar

Trade union organisational capacity tool

How?

3 Step Framework on the basis of a SWOT analysis:

• Step 1: Strengths & weaknesses

• Step 2: Opportunities & threats

• Step 3: Selecting priority areas and developing an action plan

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Step 1: Strengths & weaknesses3 areas of capacity

Key operating principlesDemocratic ownership|Transparency & accountability | Inclusiveness & equality | Autonomy | Coherence | Sustainability

Capacities to relate

Internal organisational capacities

Capacities to influence and deliver

External factors influencing the

strategic leverage of your union

Decent working

conditions

1

Trade union OC framework - TUOC

Key operating principlesDemocratic ownership|Transparancy & accountability | Inclusiveness & equality | Autonomy | Coherence | Sustainability

Resource mobilisation

Strategic planning & learning

Communication & networking

Structures & procedures

Capacities to relate

Internal organisational capacitiesCapacities to influence and deliver

Collectivebargaining

Influencing gov, business,

& society

Service delivery & legal support

5 external factors affecting the

strategic leverageof your union

Organising, & mobilizing

Education & training

Decent working

conditions

3 types of capacities

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Factors increasing union power

Factors decreasing union power

Po

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ns

Sufficiently strong ties with political players

XX Limited ties or too strong with political players

Labour friendly regulation

XX Hostile labour regulation

Substantial policy space for labour

XX Limited policy space for labour

Eco

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ate

/ p

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ket

Growing profitability XX Declining profitability

Economic upturn XX Economic downturn

Limited competition XX High competition

Formal economy XX Informal economy

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lab

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Workers with rare skills or using complex technology

XX Workers with substitutable skills

Limited supply of labour for the sector

XX Growing supply of labour for given sector

Oth

er

stak

eho

lder

s

Labour-friendly stance by business

XX Hostile stance by business

Limited union fragmentation

XX High union fragmentation

Soci

al

atti

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es

High public support for union work

XX Low public support for union work

Tradition of mass mobilisation

XX Difficult to do mass mobilisation

2 Step 2: Opportunities & Threats

Internal analysis

Taking into account:

• Current and prospective interests of membership

• Union leadership priorities / strategies

• Organisational identity & culture

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Step 3: Selecting priority areas and developing an action plan3

Factors affecting strategic leverage

Decent work conditions

Organisational capacity & identity

Example

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Factors affecting strategic leverage

Decent work conditions

Organisationalcapacity & identity

Trade Union Partnerships Seminar

Step 3: Selecting priority areas and developing an action planb) Making an action plan for the CD priority areas

• Listing the priority areas for capacity development

• Analysing what is required at different levels

• Human Resources Development: professional development of staff & managers as individuals or in team

• Organisational Development: changes in organisational procedures, practices, & culture

• Institutional Development: required changes in the operating environment

• Deciding on strategies, activities, & resources

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