Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Processing Information Compiling, coding, categorising, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

The Work

Trade Union officials give advice when members have a problem at work, and represent them in negotiations with their employer. They circulate information between employers and employees, deal with legal and safety matters, disputes and pay claims and represent members in difficulty, for example in cases of injury and unfair dismissal.  
 
Union members usually elect someone to speak on their behalf - this could be a shop steward or office representative. These representatives pass on their views to the management and to full-time union officials. Most unions have branches to support local organisations. In larger organisations, there may be a union branch on the premises, staffed by elected or recruited officers (depending on the union). Very large organisations may have full-time officials on the premises.  
 
Most full-time officials are field officers working in branch and district offices. They cover an industry or area, helping elected office or workplace representatives, and often taking part in negotiations themselves.  
 
Field officers organise, support and advise workplace representatives. Many will also supervise teams of clerical support staff. Other typical duties include attending and organising meetings, rallies and conferences.  
 
National officials work in head offices alongside specialists in trade union affairs, including accountants, lawyers, researchers, and press and information officers. Duties include recruiting members to the union, managing union funds, public relations, general administration and dealing with the media. Head office officials help to plan and put into practice union policy. The job involves dealing with people, analysing information and organising time effectively.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Negotiate collective bargaining agreements.
• Monitor company or workforce adherence to labor agreements.
• Present the position of the company or of labor during arbitration or other labor negotiations.
• Write letters related to labor relations activities, such as letters to amend collective bargaining agreements, letters of dispute or conciliation, or letters to seek clarification of contract terms.
• Draft contract proposals or counter-proposals for collective bargaining or other labor negotiations.
• Call or meet with union, company, government, or other interested parties to discuss labor relations matters, such as contract negotiations or grievances.
• Interpret contractual agreements for employers and employees engaged in collective bargaining or other labor relations processes.
• Assess the impact of union proposals on company or government operations.
• Investigate and evaluate union complaints or arguments to determine viability.
• Recommend collective bargaining strategies, goals, or objectives.

Further Information

• Trade Union Official - from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Many trade unions elect full-time field officers. It is likely that you will have worked as a part-time or 'lay' official before seeking election (or recruitment) to a full-time post. A sub-committee of a union's general council makes all other appointments after they have considered background, experience and training. Opportunities are limited if you have not been active in a union.  Unions normally expect applicants to have been members of the union for a minimum of two years (although this varies between unions). Some unions may appoint graduates and give them training.  

Training & Development Pathways

FET Centre Traineeship: Business Admin, Customer service, and Management in centres around Ireland NFQ Level 5-6 Search our FET Coursefinder

FET PLC Courses: Business Management, Commerce, Human Resources, Politics, Law, Community development, and Public relations at NFQ Levels 5 Search our FET PLC Coursefinder

Apprenticeship: Financial services, Sales, Recruitment Apprenticeships NFQ level 6-8 Search Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO Entry: Business management, Politics, Law, Commerce, Public relations, Human Resources at NFQ Levels 6-8 Search our CAO coursefinder

Postgraduate Study Options Business, Public relations, Industrial relations, Management at NFQ level 9

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €30k - €75k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Payscale/ Indeed/ Morgan McKinley/ ICTU/ Brightwater/ Clark/ Collins McNicholas/ Osborne

Last Updated: March, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

The annual average employment growth rate for this occupation was almost on a par with the national average, with employment growing by 3,600 persons between 2021 and 2022. Of the total employment permits issued in 2022, over half were for the ICT sector. The number of online job adverts (OVATE) declined by 5% in 2022, following strong growth the preceding year.

Although there was little evidence from employers that these roles were proving difficult-to-fill, the skills required for this occupation have shifted somewhat, with data from Spotlight on Skills indicating a strong demand for talent management/employee engagement skills, as companies increasingly focus on staff retention rather than recruitment in a tight labour market.

Demand for this occupation depends very much on hiring activity in the economy overall; slower growth and a reduced number of job-changers, particularly in sectors such as ICT, will likely dampen the demand for HR staff, and a return to the 2021 increase in employment (driven by post-pandemic re-hiring) is unlikely in the short-term.

Numbers employed in this occupation were too small to allow for any analysis.

• Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)

  • 31/32 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
  • (01) 889 7777
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• SIPTU (Services, Industrial, Professional, Technical Union)

  • Liberty Hall, Dublin 1
  • (01) 858 6300
  • Click Here