2. Research your workplace and your members' training needs.

The Employer and the Workplace Survey

You need to have an idea of where your employer is going so that you can put your members' needs into perspective.

• How is the employer doing overall?
• For the private sector:
  What is the situation of profit and loss over the last few years?
  For the public sector:
  How has the budget for your institution changed over the last few years?
• For the private sector:
  What about changes in the value of shares?
  For the public sector:
  What about changes in the importance government or the employer
  has assigned your workplace?
• Is the employer expanding, cutting back, or stable? For example, in the private sector, what is happening in terms of buying other industries, mergers, opening or closing lines or departments, contracting out, etc.?
• Who are the important competitors for your product or service?
• What are the employer's future plans?
• How does your workplace fit into the employer's overall pattern?
• What does the future look like for workers and unions with this employer?
• What about training? Do other employers or departments in the same sector or community offer training or basic skills programs?
• How do you think your employer would react to a proposal for a basic skills program?