A Member's Voice Is Heard - the message that reminded me why this election matters!

During this campaign, I have heard from many members who feel frustrated, disconnected and let down. But every so often, a message comes in that stops me in my tracks. It cuts through the noise of an election and brings me back to what this is really about: people, their experiences, and whether they still feel their union is there for them when they need it most.

We know that at the last General Council election, 95% of the membership disengaged. That should trouble every one of us. Behind that figure are real people: members who have stopped believing their voice matters, members who no longer feel listened to, and members who have quietly drifted away because they no longer see themselves reflected in the union that is meant to stand beside them. Some stop voting. Some stop engaging. Some reach the point of wondering whether they should walk away altogether.

The e-mail below is one of those messages. With the member's permission, I am sharing it (anonymised) because it speaks with a honesty and rawness that I could never improve by rewriting it. Before taking the time to read my election address and look through my website, this member had reached the point of considering leaving NIPSA altogether. That should give all of us pause. Their words deserve to be heard exactly as they were written, because this is not an abstract debate about structures or slogans. It is about how a member felt, and about the difference it made when they felt, even briefly, that someone was finally listening.

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Hi Dáire,

I received the information on the NIPSA General Secretary election today.

To be honest, after a year of feeling unsupported and unheard within our union following serious workplace issues , I wasn’t intending to engage with the election at all. My experience has been one of feeling that concerns were not properly heard or acknowledged, and I have been disappointed by what I can only describe as a lack of meaningful support, contact, or engagement from my union representative throughout that process.

In fact, I had reached the point where I was considering leaving the union altogether and moving to another union.

However, I decided today that I would at least take the time to read through the election addresses before making any final decisions. I’m really glad that I read yours first. Your message resonated with me and felt genuine, reflecting many of the concerns that members like myself have been experiencing.

Had I read your opponent’s address first, if I’m honest, I would probably have switched off completely. It felt very much like the same rhetoric we’ve heard for years, without addressing the real frustrations and disconnect that many members are feeling.

After reading your election address, I also took some time to look through your website. What stood out to me was your focus on accountability, transparency, strengthening workplace representation, and ensuring members are properly supported and heard. Those may seem like simple principles, but they are exactly the areas where I feel the union has fallen short for me over the past year.

What particularly resonated with me was your recognition that members need more than statements and promises — they need visible action, communication, and representation when it matters most. Reading through your proposed priorities and the changes you want to make gave me a sense that you understand the gap that currently exists between many members and the union, and that there is a genuine desire to rebuild trust and confidence among the membership.

Your address and manifesto gave me pause and made me reconsider my intention to disengage from the union altogether. For that reason, I wanted to take the time to contact you directly and let you know that your message stood out and, for the first time in quite a while, made me feel that someone within NIPSA is listening to the concerns of ordinary members.

I wish you every success in the election. We need real change.

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When I read that email, I felt it very deeply. I felt sadness, because no member should ever be left so unsupported that they begin to lose faith in their own union. I felt anger too, because members should not have to fight to be heard by the very organisation that exists to support them. But above all, I felt a renewed sense of purpose. This is why I put myself forward. I did not stand to offer more of the same. I stood because I believe members deserve better than silence, distance or a sense that they are on their own when things go wrong.

When I replied, I wanted the member to know that I was genuinely moved by what they had shared with me. I wanted them to know that their experience mattered and that their honesty had landed with me. I told them that accountability, transparency and strong workplace representation should not be aspirations; they should be the everyday reality of union membership. I told them that members must be listened to, kept informed, and supported when it matters most. I believe that deeply. For me, that is not campaign language. It is the basic standard members should be able to expect from their union without question.

This member’s voice matters because it will not be the only one. For every member who takes the time to write, there will be many others carrying the same disappointment in silence. That is what stays with me. It is not only the words that were written, but the thought of all the members who feel the same frustration or disillusionment and never say it out loud. If we are serious about rebuilding trust, we have to begin by listening — properly listening — to what members are telling us. We have to recognise the depth of disengagement and the damage it causes. And then we have to respond not with polished phrases, but with visible action, honest communication, stronger representation and a union culture that makes members feel valued again.

Every Member's Voice Matters

If You Are Disengaged - Now Is The Time To Re-engage.

Your Vote Matters - Make It Count!