Why choose Accord?

Find out a little more about why you should choose Accord as your union, and what we can offer you.

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Why you should choose Accord as your union

There are many reasons to be part of a union. You may hear a lot in the media about union strike ballots and industrial action, but less about the tireless effort to make our members working lives better.

At Accord, we're a recognised union partner and negotiate more than just pay and reward. From parental leave & pay, to the way issues are resolved, we're there protecting the livelihoods of our members.

Find out why you should choose Accord as your union in Lloyds Banking Group.

Why choose Accord as your union?

Have you ever been a member of a trade union? If no, why might you need one now? And why join Accord?

In this video, we cover some of the myths of union membership and explain why joining Accord will benefit you and your career.

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6 reasons to join Accord today

Have you heard about Accord? Perhaps you're thinking about joining a union, but want to know more.

In this video we'll give you 6 good reasons why you should join us, what we can do for you and how we protect our members.

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Our successes in 2022 (LBG)

Want to know what Accord does for its members? Accord has achieved many things that you may not know about.

Take a look at some of our achievements in Lloyds Banking Group in 2022.

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Like what you've heard?

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What our members say…

I'm an Accord member because knowing I have counsel and the listening ear of a rep, regardless how big or small my concern, gives me the backing I need when times are challenging.

I’ve had dealings with three different unions over the years and Accord have by far been the best for representation, knowledge and willingness to support you as an individual. I feel everyone should be a member of a union. You never know when you’re going to need them. And when you do, you need the best – and I believe Accord is.

Not only have I received amazing support from Accord, I was lucky enough to get the call to tell me that I'd won the top prize of £5,000 in the monthly lottery draw! I couldn't believe it. For the little price I pay for my union membership, the perks outweigh it massively. It's the first time I have ever won anything. I would highly recommend joining the draw to other members. You never know, it could be you next!

More about Accord

When you join Accord, you're joining more than just a union - you're joining an extended family with over 22,000 other members!

Accord has 400 trained workplace representatives who compliment our professional officers across the country who are there to help when things aren't going so well. Reps are the beating heart of the union, and often the first port of call offering advice, guidance, information and representation.

Accord is a grown-up, modern trade union that believes there’s a right way to achieve results - and that's through constructive relationships with employers and other unions. By keeping the lines of communication open, even when we disagree, we can find a way to make the situation better.

With so many members, Accord already has an important seat at the table. But we believe we can do better to influence employers and that's one of the reasons why it's important to join and strengthen our voice. The more members we have, the stronger we are when negotiating about the things that really matter to you.

Our members trust us with two main tasks:

Collective representation of members' views in negotiations with their employer. The most obvious of these negotiations occurs annually. Yes, we're talking about the annual pay & reward review.
Individual representation of members with workplace issues and formal procedures such as at grievance, health wellbeing & attendance, performance or disciplinary meetings.

There are many other benefits to Accord membership too - check out the benefits section on this page.

Membership is excellent value for money, starting from as little as £5.25 per month. Subscription is via monthly direct debit at the following rates:

£10.50

For members who work full time

£7.50

For members working full time, but who are agency staff or on a short-term contract. Or for retired members.

£7.50

For members who work part-time (16-34 hours per week)

£5.25

For members who work under 16 hours per week

£5.25

For members under the age 21

£5.25

For members who are ‘on call’

Accord is an independent union

Being independent means that Accord does not receive funds from employers which would come with restrictive ties on what we can do or say. We're funded through our membership subscription - nothing else. That's an important consideration for members when choosing a union, and it means that we can focus our efforts on supporting members without constraints.

Accord is not politically affiliated

We're not affiliated to any political party and we don't have a political levy. All our membership subscription fees are used by the union to represent our members' interests and provide them with membership benefits and services.

Accord is affiliated to the TUC, the Scottish TUC and the Wales TUC. Through our work with the TUC, we're involved in campaigns and negotiations with the government of the day on matters that affect workers within our recognised employers and beyond. Accord's General Secretary, Ged Nichols, has been elected to the TUC General Council for 20 years and was elected as TUC President for the 2019-2020 term.

Accord is a democratic organisation

Everything we do is centred around the interests of our members and our collective objectives.

Our aims are incorporated into the rules that govern us and explain how the funds we receive can be spent. A primary aim for the union is to protect, promote and represent the interests of our members.

To do this, we have agreed with employers the matters on which we consult and negotiate. Communication and the collation of feedback from members underpins this.

The union also seeks to promote equality in all our work. We actively oppose all forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination.

There are many ways that we can support you, and it's easy to get in touch with us:

For simple queries or if you haven't got much time, you can use the quick contact form at the bottom of any page on the website - or you can use the chat function on the right hand side of any page on the website to talk to someone straight away.
Web chat is available Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00. Outside of these hours, you can send messages to us through the web chat. We'll respond to your contact via email.
For more general or urgent queries, we operate a helpline Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00. Outside of these hours, we operate a 24hr emergency helpline for issues that can't wait until the next working day. Call 0118 934 1808.
Been invited to a meeting? Complete a representation request.
If you need support at work, you can find your local Accord officer on our website.
Looking for one of our workplace union reps? Get in touch with us an we'll let you know who your local rep is.
We've also got lots of useful support information on our guidance pages and we've answered some frequently asked questions on our help centre.