SHOP stewards in SIPTU are being told to "keep a watch" for new members, although "take a watch" might be more appropriate.
In a special promotional offer, the State's largest union is offering customised watches worth £240 and a designer polo shirt to every steward who recruits 10 members.
A display advertisement in the union newspaper, NewsLine, states: "Shop stewards, keep a watch for ten new Union members and you really will have time on your hands!"
The successful steward will receive a special presentation package of ladies' and gents' customised SIPTU watches with a retail value of £120 each and a shirt with the SIPTU 2000 motif.
The offer is open to the end of July but there is a proviso that new members must remain in the union for at least three months before the package is awarded. It is also intended only for stewards who recruit members in workplaces where the union is already organised, although this is not specified in the advertisement.
The promotion is the result of a marketing and recruitment study SIPTU completed six months ago.
A spokesman said the union would use "all modern marketing techniques to increase numbers in the future". It has looked at union recruitment policies in other countries, especially the US.
Although SIPTU is by far the State's largest trade union, its membership has remained static at 197,502 in recent years. One reason is that while the union has expanded into new workplaces, membership in older sectors has declined.
The union believes the shrinkage is due to shop stewards failing to press new employees for subscriptions. In the days before automatic check off, they would collect the weekly subs and receive a small commission. Now it's a presentation watch and designer shirt.