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Welcome to our Representatives

As one of our representatives you form  the beating heart of Advance Union, No other union in Santander can match this network of support.

What does a representative do?

Reps are the backbone of the trade union movement because they link workers, employers and unions.

Your role as a rep has a crucial role in supporting their members, and your responsibilities include:

  • Listening, supporting and advising members on workplace issues.
  • Recruiting members and helping them understand the full benefits of the union.
  • Raising issues with employers informally and in formal meetings where appropriate.
  • Acting as a link between the workplace,  the union and the employer.

Union reps are entitled to reasonable paid time off to perform their union duties.

What do workplace (local) representatives do?

Local representatives are essential because they are the backbone of their union. Without representation at the workplace level, there would be no one to act as the link between members through senior representatives with the employer and the union and no one to organise, represent and raise issues on behalf of people in the workplace.

Here’s a short list of some of the things union reps get involved in:

  • Recruiting members into the union and organising them around workplace issues, helping them understand the value of a union in the workplace.
  • Talking to members about workplace issues, advising them and keeping them informed of the latest developments
  • Raising issues in the area union meeting and further up the union hierarchy.
  • Many of our union reps will regularly talk to managers to resolve issues, and we have an agreed framework of formal meetings with Santander senior management for every business areas.
  • Workplace reps will signpost members with complex queries or when they need representation to the Advance Union office.
  • Reps always maintain confidentiality and will not share your name unless you agree to this.
  • Not all union reps will be involved directly in face-to-face negotiations over critical issues.
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Skills you will develop

Union representatives are exposed to many different opportunities to develop skills that they can use in their future careers, such as:

  • Becoming a strong communicator, listener and influencer.
  • Developing passion by feeling strongly about issues where they want to change things for the better
  • Developing an understanding of unions and how they operate.
  • Gaining an understanding of people’s policies and best practices.
  • Gaining an understanding of the framework of how we work with Santander.
  • Learn to be a good listener; take time to hear what members say
  • Understanding how to show empathy for a colleague’s situation
  • Learn how to ask questions to get to know more about a situation
  • Be open-minded, accept there may be two sides to every story, and that management may have a legitimate case
  • Be able to maintain confidentiality – our independence is our backbone
  • Show enthusiasm and remain positive
  • Know when to ask for help