Union staff are using AI to do their work. Union members using AI for self-representation. Employers are deploying AI in negotiations. As the landscape around us shifts rapidly, union leaders face a critical question: how do we respond to this technology? And how can we do it in ways which strengthen our union and mitigates the many risks of this complex technology?
Union leaders need more than basic AI literacy - they need strategic frameworks, governance approaches, and practical tools to guide their organisations through this transition.
This course has been developed specifically for union leadership teams who want to move beyond individual experimentation toward systematic, organisation-wide AI adoption. It combines strategic thinking with practical implementation, helping you develop policies, structures and workflows that work for your union.
This workshop goes beyond the typical AI training. It addresses the unique challenges facing union leaders: maintaining member trust, protecting sensitive case data, demonstrating continued impact in an AI-enabled world, and building organisational capacity for adaptation.
Contact us today if you're interested in running this course for your union's leadership team.
Course format
Flexible delivery options
Flexible delivery options
Online as two sessions, each lasting 2-3 hours. Usually these take place at the same time over two consecutive days, but this can be adapted based on your needs.
In-person as a half or full day workshop lasting 3-6 hours.
As an extended programme combining initial workshop with follow-up advisory sessions to support implementation.
The workshop uses presentations, case studies, facilitated discussion and interactive exercises. Participants work through real scenarios from their own union context and leave with prioritised actions for their organisation.
More information
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will:
Analyse AI's strategic impact on their union's value proposition, member services and competitive position.
Plan and design priorities for AI governance frameworks including policies, principles and approval processes appropriate for their organisation.
Discover structures and feedback loops that enable safe experimentation while building organisational learning.
Extend communication approaches to build psychological safety and bring staff along on the AI journey.
Identify priority actions and allocate responsibilities for their union's AI strategy.
Course content
The strategic impact of AI on unions
We examine how AI is reshaping the union landscape - from members using AI for self-representation to employers deploying it in negotiations. You’'ll map threats and opportunities specific to you union and develop a vision for AI that aligns with your mission and values.
AI as a technology — promise and perils
We build shared understanding of how AI actually works, explore the ecosystem of AI tools available, and work through the ethical questions unions must navigate: bias, copyright, reliability, data protection, environmental impact and tech company accountability.
Looking after people as AI changes work
We explore how AI changes professional identity and the nature of work itself. Participants assess the current state of AI adoption in you union, identify sources of AI anxiety among staff, and develop approaches that build psychological safety while encouraging responsible experimentation.
Managing AI in processes and workflows
We provide practical frameworks for AI governance: policies and principles that enable experimentation and safety, structures and feedback loops that build learning and agility, and workflow redesign approaches that deliver genuine results and impact.
Training lead: Nick Scott
Nick is the Director of the Centre for Responsible Union AI and brings over 20 years as a senior digital leader spanning non-profit, trade union and research organisations.
His passion is helping organisations navigate the complex and sometimes overwhelming or scary world of tech-enabled change in simple, engaging and strategic ways, guiding them through a clear journey to build their understanding of AI and how to unlock its value responsibly.
He has worked in-house or a consultant at national and international trade unions and non-profits including Unison, Médicins Sans Frontières, Oxfam Intermon, the International Science Council, Greenpeace Spain, Relate, Family For Every Child and more.
His work building a digital team at UNISON led to it being listed in the Digital Leaders 100 list in the UK, while at the ODI his digital strategy was awarded Digital Strategy of the Year at the European Digital Communications Awards.
"Nick's delivery and presentation was very engaging. The content was fascinating and helped me get a much better understanding of the subject. It was well organised with the ability to appeal to a variety of levels of understanding about AI."
Costs
The cost of a workshop range depends on whether it is held online or in-person, the length of the workshop, and the numbers attending.
Unions that provide financial support to Unions 21 get a 50% discount. These unions are: Accord, Aegis, AEP, AHCPS, ASLEF, BFAWU, BMA, Community, CSP, Equity, FDA, Fórsa, NAHT, Nautilus, NZPSA, NEU, NGSU, PDAU, Prospect, RCM, RCN, RCPod, SoR, TSSA, USDAW.
Please contact [email protected] if you want to find out more.
What participants leave with
Prioritised action plan - voted priorities specific to your union's context and needs
Policy assessment - gap analysis of your current AI governance against best practice
Strategic framework - vision for AI that connects to your union's mission and member value
Workshop report - detailed documentation of discussions, insights and agreed actions
Image credit: Image: Kathryn Conrad / https://betterimagesofai.org / https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
