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With increasing costs for families, profits soaring at big corporations, and public services struggling after years of cuts, it all adds up to one thing:

Workers need wins.

So it’s no surprise that a “summer of strikes” has given new visibility to the collective power of workers. And with high-profile negotiations dominating headlines, this Labour Day more people are paying attention to bargaining efforts across a wide range of sectors.

From actors and writers in Hollywood and beyond, to workers at ports, grocery stores, liquor stores, transit services, automakers and more across Canada, working people are demanding change. And here’s a few things you’ve probably noticed.

Effective spokespeople are as important as ever. SAG-AFTRA’s Fran Drescher is getting lots of deserved attention for taking on the powerful studios, making a powerful and compelling case, and bringing the public on side.

But it’s not just Hollywood where effective communicators make a difference. Across Canada we’re seeing lots of examples of great leadership—and confident, clear communications.

Wages can be worth talking about. For a long time, many labour communicators have assumed that talking about pay is tough. But there’s lot of evidence that that’s changing.

With inflation at its highest in decades and cost-of-living top-of-mind for millions of families, more people than ever understand that wages need to increase.

In 2022, CUPE education workers in Ontario delivered a highly-effective message:

“$39,000 is not enough, for education workers or anyone.”

And in Manitoba, MGEU has launched a great campaign—Catch Up, Keep Up—to mobilize members in the fight for wages that increase with the cost of living.

It’s clear. When workers talk about the impact of below-inflation offers, people today intuitively understand that that just won’t cut it.

It’s about connecting with where people are at. The most effective bargaining messages are uniquely relevant to the moment, giving them the power to reach and resonate with your audience.

For instance, this summer, we’ve heard grocery store workers saying

“I can’t afford to shop at the grocery store where I work.”

People know it’s true—everyone’s seen the cost of groceries skyrocket—and in just one sentence it explains exactly why grocery store workers need better wages now.

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So how do we put all of this into action to keep momentum for workers going?

1. Know your audience, do some research

People’s attitudes, perceptions, and opinions don’t stand still. We’re all constantly being influenced and impacted by the pressures around us (like the anxiety of the cost-of-living, the price of housing, and the sense that few people’s wages are keeping up with prices). Public opinion shifts, and the last thing you want is to miss an opportunity to connect with people’s top-of-mind concerns.
Building an effective communications strategy for bargaining means knowing where both your rank-and-file members and the public are at. We all make assumptions. But it’s crucial to test your assumptions.

2. Frame the conversation.

Making your best case for better wages and better working conditions requires a clear message that connects with your members and the public; shows the contrast between what the employer wants and what you’re working to achieve; and paints the picture of how wins for your members will help to make life better for working people.

You might want to focus on one powerful fact that shows exactly what the problem is. For instance, CUPE 561 members in the Fraser Valley focused their message on the fact that transit workers are making 32 percent less than workers doing the same job in neighbouring communities.

They repeated that fact, over and over, in advertising and earned media—making the case that workers simply couldn’t afford to keep going without higher wages. And after 124 days on strike, members won a six-year collective agreement that narrows the wage gap and introduces a pension plan for these dedicated workers.

3. Equip your team to deliver your message.

Once you have a message backed up by solid research, your communications strategy should always involve training your team in how best to use and share the message. Consider training sessions for your key spokespeople, communications staff, and local presidents to ensure that everyone has the tools they need to communicate with confidence.

And if you’re planning to launch an advertising campaign – from a smaller-scale social campaign to a large multi-platform campaign—don’t forget that there’s lots of ways to get earned media and also ensure that your members can share the campaign and extend its reach.

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Of course, bargaining will always throw unexpected curveballs at your negotiating team, but a strong and effective communications strategy will serve you well. It’s about keeping your focus on what connects your members and the public—and how a win for your members is a win for all workers.

Back-to-school should be the best time of year. As parents, we have big hopes for our kids. And teachers are doing everything they can to help students thrive.

But as students return to class this year, a new campaign from the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation is putting a spotlight on the biggest problem facing public schools—and delivering a message that’s hard to miss.

Cuts to education in Saskatchewan are getting in the way of learning. And putting too many obstacles in the way of our kids’ success.

From big cities to rural communities, more and more students are feeling the impacts of government cuts to education.

Once a leader in the funding of public schools, Saskatchewan now funds public education worse than seven out of 10 provinces. And the result is clear.

Crowded classrooms. Fewer teachers. And less time for the one-on-one attention that every student needs.

The STF has built a proud reputation as the leading voice for great public education in Saskatchewan. And its new fall campaign is part of its ongoing commitment to speak up for what kids need—and advocate for the best learning conditions for every student.

Launching provincewide on digital, social, Connected TV, and broadcast channels, the new ads put a spotlight on the impacts that cuts are having on our kids.

With bold text that dominates almost every scene, the ads highlight the unmissable impact of cuts in classrooms. They’re causing big problems—and taking up way too much space, when students should be able to focus on learning.

The new video ads are also complemented by custom audio ads that listeners will hear on popular podcasts. Digital audio has become a great way to reach more parents, with podcast audiences growing and nearly half of younger Canadian adults reporting that they tune-in to podcasts each month.

Together, the new campaign is designed to raise public awareness of the impact that underfunding education is having on our kids. But most importantly, the campaign reminds parents that it really doesn’t have to be this way.

With proper funding for public education, Saskatchewan could make it so much easier for our kids to learn—and thrive.

The BC Teachers’ Federation has launched a new digital and social campaign to raise awareness of the teacher shortage inside BC’s schools. And the message is clear.

It’s time to fix it.

We all know that it takes a teacher to provide the supports and opportunities that students need. And school just isn’t school without a teacher for every class.

But today, there’s a shortage of teachers in BC. It’s being felt in communities across the province. And it’s impacting more students in more classrooms.

Without enough teachers, BC schools are pulling librarians, special education teachers, teachers for English Language Learners, and others out of their own duties to cover classrooms. That impacts everyone in the school, causing library closures and disruptions in supports for the most vulnerable learners.

A shortage of teachers should not be the new normal. That’s why the BCTF is working to raise public awareness—and call for change.

The new campaign features two signature ads, which use different creative approaches to show how the shortage is impacting both teachers and students.

Morning Announcements feels light-hearted, but it’s not far-fetched. Featuring kids’ facial expressions as they react to what the teacher shortage will mean for their school day, the ad focuses attention on how the shortage is impacting kids. It’s frustrating—and they can feel it.

Hallway Shuffle takes a different approach to show how BC’s teachers are being pulled in every direction—because there just aren’t enough of them. As one teacher moves back and forth between rooms, viewers see that teachers are doing their best, but no one can be in two places at once.

Launched in mid-April, the ads are being featured on digital and social channels throughout May.

By investing in students and the province’s public schools, BC can find the right solutions to solve the teacher shortage and ensure every student can focus on learning.

After all, it’s as true as ever.

Our kids and their teachers are worth investing in.

If you’re at the Canadian Labour Congress convention in Montréal, you’ll see something fresh from NUPGE.

It’s a new look, logo, and visual identity for the National Union of Public and General Employees. And our team is proud to help make it happen.

There’s so much we love about NUPGE. It’s a unique family of unions that serves as the national voice for its provincial components, representing 425,000 members who deliver public services of every kind.

It’s a leader in the fight to improve working conditions and protect public services for Canadians. And by uniting provincial unions, NUPGE speaks with a truly unique national perspective.

NUPGE’s previous logo was over 20 years old and felt a bit dated. The logo wasn’t capturing the real strengths of this “union of unions” or reflecting the warmth of an organization that brings people together.

To help change that, we set out on a collaborative branding process to strengthen and modernize NUPGE’s look. We listened and learned from NUPGE’s team, conducted extensive consultations and discovery sessions together, and worked in partnership to deliver the refreshed brand tools that the union needs.

Our goal? To help NUPGE look its best. We aimed to design a vibrant visual identity that better reflects a dynamic and growing national union. And we’re excited by the results.

See the new brand in action at nupge.ca, built by our friends at Metric Strategies.

The new logo exemplifies the sense of coming together—and working together—to build something stronger. Just like a hive or hub, NUPGE is a central resource for its components and members. And the new logo features fluid letters and colours, transforming from navy through green, to represent NUPGE’s role as a catalyst for change and to embody the union’s growing membership.

It’s a bold, contemporary wordmark. It embraces the national union’s connectiveness through letterforms, while the modern font speaks to NUPGE’s confidence and unique character. And the new colour palette is warm, welcoming, and friendly—just like the union itself.

Plus, the new tagline—Unions for Public Good—says it all. It instantly tells people that NUPGE brings unions together and works for the benefit of all Canadian workers.

This project has been a labour of love for our team. For years, we’ve worked with many of NUPGE’s provincial components to fight privatization and increase support for investments in public services. And we’re thrilled to be part of the effort to build a stronger national union.

We love building brands that speak volumes and help deliver a great message—on behalf of clients that are dedicated to making life better for people.

If you want to talk about refreshing the brand for your union or non-profit organization, give us a call. We’re always here to help!