Become a rep, make a difference

Prospect reps are people like you – committed to helping colleagues and making the world of work a better place. There are lots of ways you can get involved in Prospect and help make a difference in your own organisation.

Why reps are important

Prospect's general secretary Mike Clancy explains why we value our reps, and why we want members to get involved:

Ele Wade: why I'm a Prospect rep

Every branch needs a team of people who can work together to represent members' concerns and influence their employer.

At the most basic level a rep might simply distribute union literature to a group of members in their workplace or update a noticeboard regularly. Other reps might handle personal cases or negotiate pay.

There are also specialist reps who promote particular issues of interest and importance to members – training and development, equal pay, health and safety, pensions, environmental matters and corporate social responsibility.

Most employers value the contribution of union reps. Paid time off work is available for certain kinds of union work, and you'll develop valuable skills and knowledge.

Prospect can give you all the training and support you need to get involved and be effective in a role that interests you.

Contact your branch to find out more about getting involved in Prospect.

"I was frustrated that management tried to make changes without consulting us; becoming a rep and helping to build an active branch was the only way to tackle this."

Reps' handbook

Our reps' handbook is an introduction to the role of a Prospect representative. It provides the basic information that reps need to make the most of their role within Prospect.

"Prospect helped me when I had a work-related problem. I thought maybe I could do the same for somebody else."