Last year saw the largest number of new members joining the FDA in its history – cementing its position as the fastest growing union in the UK. Tom Nathan hears from new members about what convinced them to join, and what issues are important to them.

The overall membership of the union grew by just under 15% during 2022, and over the last four years, the FDA’s civil service membership has grown by almost 50%.

The more public servants we represent, the greater our strength – through increased numbers and additional resource, your union can continue to improve our offer and support for members.

 

“A level of protection amid the uncertainty”

“I had been accepted onto the Fast Stream but hadn’t yet started the scheme when it was announced that the government of the time has decided to indefinitely pause the Fast Stream and cut one in five jobs across the service. With uncertainty over how my cohort – potentially the last – would be treated I saw the FDA standing up for civil servants and highlighting the benefits of the Fast Stream in the media. Once I started as a Fast Streamer in September 2022 I quickly joined the FDA, as I felt they offered a level of protection amid the uncertainty. Although the Fast Stream has since been reinstated, I value the FDA work to secure fairer pay for Fast Streamers.”

“I believe in standing up for workplace rights and strength in numbers”

“I joined the FDA at the end of 2021, just after I joined the civil service, after a local rep reached out to me and introduced themselves. I originally joined as I believe in standing up for workplace rights and strength in numbers. The more members in the union, the better they can stand up for our pay and conditions. During 2022 I felt the stakes were raised. The civil service was seemingly under attack and I was pleasantly surprised to see our General Secretary advocating on my behalf on TV. Since then, I have become increasingly involved in the union – undertaking rep training and getting involved with FDA Learn.”

“I am disabled and I knew I would need advocating or advice”

“I started in the civil service as a Fast Streamer in September 2021. A few months later I joined the FDA on the advice of a friend. I joined partly because of the online learning available, but mostly because I am disabled and I knew I would need advocating or advice along the road. Lastly, I heard about potential pay negotiations and wanted to make sure I would be able to vote should a ballot come my way.”

“I was impressed by FDA Learn’s development sessions”

“I joined having heard lots of positive recommendations from long established civil servants in Scottish Government. I am reasonably new to my role, having been in the private sector for 25 years and had no prior experience of belonging to, or the support offered by a union body and was interested in how it would work. I also was recommended to join a union to give support in times of personal need. I had enjoyed several development sessions from the FDA and decided that from the choices available I preferred to take this route. I’ve been impressed by the regular updates and sessions offered and look forward to more.”

“The FDA offers a tailored service and communal feel”

“I have been a member of a trade union in every job I’ve had since I was 16. I have always thought “why wouldn’t you be a member of a union?” Yes, it’s a small amount of money out of your salary every month and you may not have needed union assistance at work before, but it is reassuring to know the resources are there if you or your colleagues need them. Not only are the FDA the only recognised union to negotiate pay on Fast Streamers’ behalf, they are a union solely focused on public servants. The FDA offers a tailored service and communal feel.”

“The FDA is not only there for when things go seriously wrong, but also to help with the little things along your career path”

“I joined the union on my first day working in HMRC because I appreciate that collectively we can achieve more and make the workplace better for everyone. I found everyone in the union was really welcoming and within the first year I had become convenor of my branch and joined the ARC (Association of Revenue and Customs, FDA’s section for HMRC members) national committee. I know from experience that joining a big organisation like HMRC can be daunting, especially at a time when we might not be able to meet our colleagues face-to-face. With a million acronyms to get to the bottom of, huge organisation charts and a maze of intranet pages, joining a union might not be at the top of our new colleagues’ agendas! However, the FDA was there to help me along the way. They are not only there for when things go seriously wrong, but also to help with the little things along your career path. I felt that FDA represents and advocates for the values that are important to me – including strong protections for workers and making the civil service a more accessible and inclusive place to work. I found that FDA reps have been great at sticking up for our interests and making sure we are treated fairly.”

“The ethos at the FDA and its clear focus on public servants was the best fit for me”

“I have always believed in the importance of trade union membership and when I reached a certain point in my career as a life-long civil servant, I began to reassess what it was that I was looking for from my union. As part of my job I have had exposure to all of the major UK trade unions and after speaking to number of people across a range of these unions, it was obvious that the ethos at the FDA and its clear focus on public servants was the best fit for me. Within a few months of joining I had become a lay rep, because I wanted to make sure that FDA members felt adequately supported during a time of organisational change at ACAS and always had someone to speak to. “

“Together we succeed – unions are a prime example of that”

“I’ve been a union member throughout my career in the civil service. I firmly believe nobody achieves things on their own – it’s when we come together to share our skills and experiences that we succeed. For me, unions are a prime of example of that – people who might otherwise be in a disadvantaged position coming together to promote their common interests and generally look after each other. I have been very lucky in my career and haven’t faced discrimination. However, in my race lead role, I have seen many colleagues struggle with these issues and invaluable support they have received from their union. Just knowing that support of this kind is available if needed is a huge comfort to people.”