How Automatic Emails Work in Union OS - Union.dev Insights & Updates
02May

How Automatic Emails Work in Union OS: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Smart Communication

02 May, 2025 | Return|

How Automatic Emails Work in Union OS: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Smart Communication

For unions, member communication is mission-critical — and constant. From dues updates and grievance notifications to job dispatches and password resets, every interaction matters. But when that communication is inconsistent, error-prone, or delayed, it’s not just an inconvenience — it’s a trust issue.

That’s why automatic emails in Union OS are more than just “autoresponders.” They’re smart, flexible, and deeply integrated tools that help your union stay clear, consistent, and professional — all without adding more work for your staff.

In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how automatic emails work in Union OS: what triggers them, how templates are managed, what safeguards are in place, and how admins stay in control.


Why Automation? Why Now?

Let’s start with the obvious question: Why automate union emails in the first place?

  • Time savings: Staff shouldn’t have to rewrite or re-send the same message 100 times.

  • Consistency: Every member deserves accurate, timely, and branded communications.

  • Transparency: When members stay informed, they stay engaged.

  • Accountability: Automated logs and delivery history prevent disputes and improve service.

Before Union OS, many unions were managing communication through:

  • Google Docs for templates

  • Manual copy/paste into email tools

  • Shared inboxes with no delivery tracking

  • Zero audit trail if something went wrong

With automation, these problems disappear.


The Building Blocks: How Automatic Emails Are Set Up

Every automated email in Union OS relies on four core components:

1. Trigger Events

A trigger is a system action that causes an email to be generated. Examples include:

  • Dues payment processed

  • Dues overdue (based on custom cadence)

  • New grievance filed

  • Grievance updated or closed

  • Job dispatch invite sent

  • Password reset requested

  • Employer remittance missed or mismatched

These are all event-based, not time-based — meaning the system reacts to what’s happening in real time.

2. Verified Email Templates

Each trigger is linked to a pre-approved, verified template that defines:

  • Subject line

  • Body content (with merge fields)

  • Embedded links to the Member or Employer Portal

  • Call-to-action (e.g., Pay Now, Track Grievance)

Templates can include dynamic merge fields like:

  • {{first_name}}

  • {{portal_link}}

  • {{grievance_id}}

  • {{amount_due}}

Admins manage templates inside the system and must verify them before they can be used — this prevents broken logic or embarrassing errors.

3. Recipient Logic

The system pulls in the correct recipient based on the context:

  • Member tied to the dues record, grievance, or dispatch

  • Admin responsible for approvals

  • Employer contact tied to remittance account

You never have to worry about sending to the wrong person — Union OS handles it all.

4. Admin Approval (Optional)

For many message types (like dues reminders or dispatch invites), the system will stage the message in the Scheduled Emails page for admin review.

Admins can:

  • Preview the message (with real data)

  • Send a test email to themselves

  • Edit the message body

  • Approve or reject the email

  • Approve all queued messages in bulk

Only urgent, security-related emails (like password resets) skip this step to ensure immediate delivery.


Behind the Scenes: What Actually Happens When a Trigger Fires

Let’s say a member’s dues payment is successfully processed. Here’s what happens under the hood:

  1. Trigger detected: System recognizes the completed dues payment event.

  2. Recipient identified: Union OS pulls the member’s contact info from the member profile.

  3. Template matched: The system finds the linked “Dues Processed” email template.

  4. Merge fields filled: Member’s name, payment date, and amount are added.

  5. Preview generated: The message appears in the Scheduled Emails page.

  6. Admin alerted: The comms lead sees a new item in their queue.

  7. Approval: Admin hits “Preview” then “Approve” — or “Approve All” for the day’s messages.

  8. Email sent: The system delivers the email and logs its status (sent, delivered, bounced).

  9. Member action: Member receives the email and clicks to view their dues history in the portal.

This entire process — from event to inbox — takes seconds.


Use Cases: What Kinds of Emails Can Be Automated?

Union OS supports a wide variety of automated email types, each linked to core union workflows. Here are some real-world examples.

📌 Dues Communications

  • Dues Processed: Sent when a payment is completed. Includes amount, date, and link to view dues history.

  • Dues Reminder: Sent at a custom cadence (e.g., every 10 days) if a member is overdue. Includes payment link and amount due.

  • Payment Failure Alert: Sent if a dues transaction fails due to incorrect info or system error.

🧾 Grievance Lifecycle

  • Grievance Filed: Sent to the member with confirmation and grievance ID.

  • Grievance Stage Updated: Sent when a grievance moves to the next step.

  • Grievance Closed: Sent with a summary of the outcome and resolution details.

💼 Job Dispatches

  • Dispatch Invite: Sent to selected members with job details and link to accept or decline.

  • Dispatch Reminder: Optional reminder if no response within 24–48 hours.

  • Dispatch Failure: Admin alerted if a dispatch could not be sent.

🔐 Member Account Actions

  • Password Reset: Sent instantly when a member requests a reset link.

  • Email Verification: Sent when a new member joins or updates their email.

🏢 Employer Notifications

  • Overdue Remittance Alert: Sent to the employer contact if a submission is late.

  • AR/AP Discrepancy Notification: Details payment mismatch and links to portal breakdown.

  • Contract Expiry Reminder: Sent 30–90 days before a CBA expires.


Keeping Admins in the Loop: The Scheduled Emails Queue

One of the biggest concerns around automation is loss of control. Union OS fixes that with the Scheduled Emails queue — a centralized dashboard where admins can:

  • See all pending automated messages

  • Preview messages before they’re sent

  • Make last-minute edits to content

  • Test messages in their own inbox

  • Approve or reject individual or bulk messages

  • Track message status (pending, sent, failed)

This strikes the perfect balance: automation with human oversight.

You’re never flying blind — and you always have the final say.


What Happens When Something Goes Wrong?

No system is perfect — and we’ve built Union OS to handle exceptions gracefully.

❌ Missing Template

If an event fires and no verified template is found, the system:

  • Cancels the send

  • Logs the failure in the email log

  • Alerts the admin via in-app notification and email

  • Prompts for template upload or correction

📬 Email Delivery Failure

If an email bounces or fails to deliver:

  • The system retries (based on error type)

  • Logs the issue in the member or employer’s profile

  • Notifies the admin if intervention is needed

🛑 Admin Rejection

If an admin rejects a scheduled message:

  • The message is marked “Rejected” in logs

  • A reason can be added

  • The event is stored for audit purposes


Security, Compliance, and Deliverability

Your members trust you with sensitive data — and you trust us to communicate securely.

Union OS supports:

  • Verified domains (for SPF/DKIM configuration)

  • TLS encryption for all emails in transit

  • Role-based access controls (only the right staff can view or edit templates)

  • Activity logging for every automated send

  • Optional archiving of message history per CBA

We also work closely with deliverability partners to maximize inbox success and minimize spam flagging.


Why This Matters: Trust at Scale

The real value of automatic emails isn’t in the time saved — it’s in the trust built at scale.

  • Members feel like they’re being looked after, even if no one picks up the phone.

  • Staff can focus on strategy and representation, not repetitive admin work.

  • Employers get structured, professional updates with less back-and-forth.

And because everything is logged, transparent, and easy to trace, everyone feels more confident in the system.


What Makes Union OS Different?

You could cobble together email automation with Mailchimp, Google Sheets, and Zapier. But Union OS is different because it’s built for unions, not marketing teams.

That means:

  • Templates tied directly to dues, grievances, and dispatch workflows

  • Trigger logic based on your actual CBA rules and member data

  • Admin review options baked into the flow

  • Member and employer portal integration with deep linking

This isn’t just automation. It’s union-specific communication infrastructure.


What’s Next for Communication in Union OS?

We’re continuing to evolve the email system to include:

  • Multi-language templates based on member profile preferences

  • SMS automation for critical alerts and quick updates

  • Push notifications for the Union OS mobile app

  • Analytics dashboards for delivery, open, and engagement rates

Every improvement is aimed at making communication smoother, smarter, and more human.


Final Thoughts: Let the System Handle It

Good communication is no longer about remembering who to email — it’s about designing the right triggers, templates, and trust structures to keep your union running smoothly.

With automatic emails in Union OS:

  • You never forget a follow-up

  • You never miss a deadline

  • You always look professional

And most importantly, your members always know you’ve got their back.


Ready to see automatic email workflows in action? Book a demo →
Want to read how it supports grievance transparency? Check out our Grievance Workflow Guide →

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