AEIOU is a great way to structure an organising conversation.

It might help to break down organising conversations into the following parts:

Building your union: The AEIOU method

It might help to break down organising conversations into the following parts:

Agitate: find out what they’re interested in and connect it to a union issue.

Educate: let them know about a current union campaign, what the company are doing, and what you want the union to achieve

Inoculate: let them know that the road could get bumpy. Frame it in a way that will fire them up!

Organise: Ask them to have this conversation with someone from their team or network. Set a date to catch up with them.

Unionise: If everyone takes on some of this work, the tasks are distributed and democratic, and everyone is given responsibility. You’re on your way to building a union.

Some people will have experience and family members who have been active in a union – others may never have had any experience and just know what they read about unions in the media. Unfortunately this can often lead them with a negative view of unions. Remember that good news rarely makes the headlines.

Face to face conversations are the best way of building support for your union, leaflets/posters may work but some people will not join unless they are actually asked to.