The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union is a dynamic, campaigning Union working throughout the food preparation, processing and delivery industry. Their role is to protect the terms and conditions of their members. They also safeguard their futures with a Credit Union, Learning and Legal Services.
I inherited their work from a retiring colleague and was immediately put on my mettle to maintain the highest standards while keeping costs firmly under control.
On one level, I manage a range of office and stationery supplies – purely print and logistics.
My real input, however, is as a ‘creative editor’ across a range of items, ensuring a consistent message and identity in everything that the Union produces – from information leaflets and posters, banners and recruitment materials.
The signature project, however is the Foodworker, the Union’s quarterly newsletter.
My role is to collect and collate articles (from a wide variety of sources) and put them into the Union style. These are sometimes informative (H&S, legal rights at work each quarter), sometimes campaigning (Cool It! – maximum temperatures in the workplace, Fast Food Rights) and some straight reporting and comment (dispute progress, membership long service awards and so on).
Once the content is in style, I create the artwork, and commission the print – and manage distribution from the Union’s spreadsheet.
It’s now coming up 5 years working with the Union – and I’m happy to say they are delighted with the quality of the work they receive. They’re also paying less than ever for their materials.