New membership system

Federation has recently implemented a new membership system. JOHN DIXON reports.

The system is the first of its type in Australia and will provide Federation with greater efficiencies in the processing of its membership records and subscriptions. The Stratum membership system was developed by APT Solutions in the United Kingdom (UK) and is used extensively by major UK trade unions and organisations. The National Union of Teachers, with more than 230,000 members, has been using the Stratum system for more than eight years.

The system has been customised to meet Federation's rules and procedures and future needs to bring the union's disparate databases into one central management system.

The membership system is the core financial management system of the union as Federation's subscriptions accounts for over 91 per cent of the union's income.

The Stratum system now connects welfare, communications room, trade union training, travel, Council and Conference databases and the distribution/mailing system.

The system will also allow Federation to start connecting the union's website and email systems and online campaign capabilities directly to the membership system. This will give members the opportunity to update their contact details at any time, day or night. It will also give Federation Representatives the ability to download their workplace lists at any time; to be able to check on the financial status of individuals at their workplace; and the potential to recruit non members without waiting for the annual workplace lists sent out centrally by Federation.

John Dixon is the Membership Officer/Organiser.

For further information

August 2003 contents