Harnessing the power of social media to promote the work of trade unions

Information about trade union movements in Albania, what they do, and the role they play in protecting the rights of workers, has been sorely lacking in both online and offline media spaces in the country.

To address this lack of knowledge among citizens and encourage trade union membership the "Friedrich Ebert" Foundation in cooperation with the German trade union ver.di, organised a workshop on "The work of the trade union with the help of social media" at Hotel Rogner in Tirana.

Under the guidance of trainer Stefanie Schulze, union representatives were given tips on how to recruit members through effective communication on social networks. The workshop participants were welcomed by the Director of FES, Ms. Stine Klapper, and the representative of the union ver.di, Mr. Ado Wilhelm.

The workshop addressed the following questions:

• What do you want to achieve as a union?
• What do we still have to change?
• What are hashtags and how can we use them?
• What role does the social networking algorithm play?

Union members and representatives left the activity with practical tips and knowledge on how to increase membership and promote the importance of workers' rights and proper working conditions by using social media platforms.