Futures Network

A place for union insights and innovation

The ATUI holds Futures Network meetings throughout the year, bringing unionists together to share knowledge on best practice in organising, campaigning, and growth and adopt better ways of supporting union members and workers.

All affiliates are encouraged to nominate officials or staff members with responsibility for new projects and innovation to attend these meetings on their union’s behalf.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

Details on topics and presenters to come throughout the year.

All meetings are in AEST/AEDT.

February 2026

5 February | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

March 2026

5 March | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

April 2026

2 April | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

May 2026

7 May | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

June 2026

4 June | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

July 2026

2 July | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

August 2026

6 August| 1:00pm to 2:30pm

October 2026

1 October | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

November 2026

5 November | 1:00pm to 2:30pm

PAST MEETINGS

Recordings and resources from past Futures Network meetings can be found in the ATUI Library.

AI Meets Union Joins: Fast-Tracking Paper Form Processing

21 August

Paper membership forms remain a powerful tool for union growth and recruitment. But we all know the challenges of hours spent on data entry instead of organising, and the urgency of quickly digitising member details to keep their information safe.

In this Futures Network session, we hear from two unions who are using AI technology to bridge the gap between handwritten join forms and digital membership systems.

Breaking New Ground in Bargaining – how unions are using new bargaining streams to grow

24 July

There’s been some significant milestones this year with the new bargaining laws and streams, including:

• The first single-interest agreement in the community sector
• The first supported bargaining authorisation that was opposed by employers
• The first single-interest agreement finalised in the public sector

At this Futures Network meeting our speakers share how these new streams are reshaping what’s possible in bargaining.

Presenters:

Patrick Stephenson – Senior Industrial Officer, HACSU Victoria
James McWhinney – Lead Organiser, HACSU Victoria
Tim Sullivan – Organiser, ASU Services and Authorities Victoria Branch
Keely Tobin – Senior Industrial Officer, ACTU

How can unions and organisers use LinkedIn to connect with workers and grow their union?

19 June

Just imagine if there was a social network where you could search based on where people worked.

There IS, it’s LinkedIn, it’s been around since 2003, at this Futures Network meeting we heard from Communications/Digital people as well as field organisers about how they’ve dabbled in using LinkedIn to organise and as another channel for their messages aimed at their professional community.

Presenters:

Stephanie Lim – Communications and Marketing Manager, FSU
Gavin Scott – Digital Organiser, FSU
Ella Waters – Campaigns & Political Engagement Manager, ASU SA&NT Branch
Tamarah Rowlands – Director (WA), Professionals Australia
Phill Lappin – Digital Communication Officer, MEAA

Union Growth

6 February

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, from 2022 to 2024, union membership in Australia grew by 12.3 percent: that’s the biggest increase in both density and numbers in over a decade! Something for organisers, delegates, officials and staff to be proud of, as unions continue to build power for working people.

At the first Futures Network meeting in 2025, we looked more deeply at this data and important things to note from it, and Professor David Peetz provided some deeper analysis (pre-recorded presentation). We also heard from two unions that experienced significant growth over this period; what they’ve tried and what they’ve learnt.

Chaired by Natalie Lang, Director, Education and Capacity Building, ACTU

Presenters:

Professor Emeritus David Peetz – Laurie Carmichael Distinguished Research Fellow at the Carmichael Centre, Centre for Future Work, Australia Institute

Mick Weise – National Organising and Training Director, Mining and Energy Union – Organising in the mining sector alongside same job, same pay laws

Robbie Moore – State Secretary, HACSU Tasmania – Recruitment, retention and blitz organising

Industrial support: systems to help unions win for members and grow

29 May

A union’s ability to efficiently handle industrial inquiries, while identifying organising opportunities to build power, is crucial for a union’s effectiveness, member retention and for growth.  This can can involve CRMs, case management systems, delegates and Member Service Centres.

Many unions have trialled new processes and have developed and honed systems and workflows to manage industrial inquiries, grievances and disputes.  We heard from Health Services Union (WA), United Workers Union, CPSU (PSU) and other unions on how they have:

• Built an effective Member Service Centre
• Trialled a new approach to new members with pre-existing issues
• Established a national industrial reporting system that can tally what they union has won