A Little Clarity Before Getting Started
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about union websites, online stores, UnionWP plugins, private staff tools, costs, and how your information is handled.
Getting Started
Who Is Empower Union For?
I help unions of all sizes, from branches and chapters to national organizations, find practical digital tools that support their members and staff. Start with a small improvement, get more from an existing site, or build a new foundation.
Can You Work With Our Existing Website?
Yes. Work can begin with a review of what is working, what is getting in the way, and what is worth keeping. A full rebuild is not required to start that conversation.
What Do You Mean By Digital Infrastructure?
It’s the foundation behind your online work: your website, hosting, forms, publishing process, and the tools your staff use. The goal is easier access to information for members and simpler everyday work for staff.
Can Our Staff Update The Website?
Yes. An editing and publishing process can be set up around the people who will use it. Access, content review, and staff guidance are discussed and included in the agreed project scope.
Can You Help With More Than Website Pages?
Yes. Options include staff submission forms, review workflows, private staff tools, and online stores. UnionWP Commerce supports WooCommerce operations. Contract Comparison is available in the private staff workspace. Setup and custom workflows are scoped to your union’s needs.
Do You Only Work With Unions?
I’d be lying if I said I only work with unions. But unions are where I prefer to focus my work. When I’m not working with unions, I’m generally working on my own projects.
Will I Be Talking To A Real Person?
Yes. You’ll be talking directly with me, Ray Brown. With AI, automated messages, and unsolicited emails filling our inboxes, it can be hard to know who to trust. I’ve always preferred a person talking to another person. I like to keep things upfront, clear, and transparent. Before we talk about money, let’s understand what you actually need.
Costs & Ongoing Care
How Much Does It Cost?
Your union’s needs come first. The options, scope, and price are explained before work begins. For a general guide, the Pricing page shows starting prices.
Why Can’t I Pay Directly On The Website?
Because more than your money, I want to give you what you actually need and make sure your purchase helps you reach your goal. Let’s talk first.
Is Hosting Included?
Hosting is a separate monthly cost, quoted to your site’s requirements. It is not included in website builds, website care, or staff tools unless your quote explicitly includes it. Suitable existing hosting can be retained, or hosting can be arranged for your site.
What Does Ongoing Website Care Cover?
Website care includes updates, backups, uptime monitoring, and up to 30 minutes of small website changes each month. Staff tools access, hosting, paid licenses, and larger requests are identified separately in your quote. See the Pricing page for the website care starting price.
How Long Will A Project Take?
That depends on what you need, what content is ready, and how the review process will work. A realistic schedule is discussed once those details are clear. A focused improvement can also come before a larger website build.
What Happens On The Free Video Call?
You’ll talk directly with Ray Brown for 30 minutes. Share a little about your union, your website, and what you want to make easier. You don’t need technical terms or a finished plan. Ray will listen, ask questions, and help identify a useful next step. There’s no obligation to start a project.
UnionWP, UnionWP Pro & Commerce
What Is Free With UnionWP?
UnionWP is a free website plugin for QR code creation and profile sharing, including downloadable profile QR codes for business cards and flyers. No paid QR service is required, and you can use UnionWP without Pro. Custom setup is quoted separately. Explore UnionWP →
What Does UnionWP Pro Include?
UnionWP Pro adds form controls, staff messaging alerts, an email delivery dashboard, site insights, security, backup and uptime dashboards, and membership email monitoring.
SMS is planned and not yet available.
Contact for Pro pricing. Third-party paid plugins and services retain their own licenses and fees. Explore UnionWP Pro →
Why Does Pro Require UnionWP?
UnionWP is the required base plugin; Pro adds paid tools alongside its free features. Keep both plugins installed and active to use Pro. UnionWP cannot be deactivated while Pro is active. The free UnionWP plugin can be used on its own.
What Is UnionWP Commerce?
UnionWP Commerce is a separate plugin for WooCommerce stores. It brings together paid-order notifications, sales reports and CSV exports, a read-only shipping discrepancy review, staff requests, contact forms, and privacy controls. It does not require Pro. Explore UnionWP Commerce →
Can You Improve Our Existing Online Store?
Yes. Work can cover navigation, products and sizes, mobile filters, cart, checkout, and customer accounts. The scope includes checks to preserve existing store records and agreed settings. Commerce setup, storefront work, and support are quoted separately. Carrier prices, tax rules, and payment services remain subject to your store’s approved configuration.
How Are Custom Setup And Integrations Priced?
Custom setup and integrations are quoted separately, based on your union’s forms, workflows, and services. The scope and price are confirmed before work begins. Your quote will identify any ongoing maintenance, support, third-party licenses, and service costs. See UnionWP pricing →
Private Staff Tools
What Are Private Staff Tools?
They are practical tools in an approved-account workspace, built around your union’s work. Contract Comparison is the first tool: staff can compare current and proposed agreements, check PDF citations, and keep a review record. Additional tools will be scoped as they become available.
Can We Start with One Tool?
Yes. Your union can start with one useful tool and add others as its needs develop. Your quote will identify the tools included. It does not automatically include every future tool or custom feature.
How Are Setup and Ongoing Access Priced?
Staff tools are quoted to your union’s needs. The quote separates one-time implementation and onboarding from recurring access, maintenance, and the agreed level of support. Custom workflows and integrations are scoped separately. See Private Staff Tools pricing for the current offer.
Who Can Access the Staff Tools?
Only approved accounts can access the private workspace. Account access is agreed with your union before setup. The login and password-reset pages do not register new users or grant approval.
How Do Staff Sign In?
Approved staff can use an email address and password, or set up a passkey and use their device’s security prompt. Remembering a device for 30 days is an optional choice. Passkeys do not send fingerprint or facial data to the website.
Are Our Contracts Sent to an AI Provider?
No. AI analysis is disabled in the current Contract Comparison tool. PDFs, extracted text, and review notes are processed locally in the browser and are not uploaded through the comparison workflow. Read Security and Privacy for how the tool handles information.
How Do We Keep Reviews and Reports?
Save a review file to your device before closing the tool to keep the agreements and review notes together. Staff can reopen that file and export reports or spreadsheets. Saved files can contain confidential information, so your union controls where they are stored and who receives them.
What Kind of PDFs Can Staff Compare?
Use searchable PDFs. Scanned agreements may need text recognition before comparison. Staff should check the coverage checklist, unmatched sections, and original PDF citations. The tool helps organize review; staff still confirm the changes and what they mean.
A Real Conversation With Ray
Still Have A Question?
Send Ray a message or choose a time for a free introductory call. Share what your union needs and explore a practical place to start.