This website has been set up as one of 12 pilot sites within UNISON’s Virtual Branches project.

 

This aim of the project is to find how effective the use of virtual branch  websites can be in improving communication and consultation at the local level.

Virtual Branches are more than just websites; they are intended to be organising tools for branches and groups within UNISON.

This project is looking at how the sites can be used to the advantage of the membership.

 

Features of your Virtual Branch

 

Some of the content on your site is restricted to members only, via a log in. We feel that as  the site is a facility provided as a result of UNISON membership,  non members should not be able to gain from it without first joining.

 

Virtual Branches can be used to send email  to members. The emails can be sent to all members or even to groups of members. The emails will normally be used to alert the membership to new content,  consultations or discussions on the site.

 

Virtual Branches allow members to communicate.  By responding to our online polls can consultations, or using or query forms, members can give valuable feedback to the branch.

 

Using your Virtual Branch

 

When you visit the site, and read the content, we do not know if you are one of our members. The statistics we get mean your visit only be seen as part of the general web statistics for the site. We can make a rough guess of how many members visit but that’s all.

 

When you log in to the site,  that helps us a great deal as we are able to report how many members are using the site. Your willingness to log in is seen as you  actively participating in the branch.  The number of member who log in over time, is a measure of how  well often the branch and members are in contact; and it shows that our members are actively seeking information.

 

When you visit the forums area, and certainly when you post a comment,  you are contributing to the success of the project and helping to show that the branch has improved communications. This is also true  when you respond to any of our consultations.

 

 

Our website will of course continue beyond the pilot project, but if we can show  this site to be successful, there is more chance that other members in other branches will be able  to obtain a site like this.

 

When we send an email from the site, we hope you will remember that responding to consultations, logging in and posting forum comments, you will be helping your branch and helping other UNISON members.

 

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