How a Local Union Strengthened Security, Productivity & Member Support With AIS Managed Services

Case Study — Labor & Trade Organizations

At A Glance

Labor unions face unique technology challenges: protecting sensitive member data, supporting staff who work both in the office and in the field, and ensuring operations stay efficient, transparent, and resilient. This regional construction trades union, a roughly 45-employee organization based in Indianapolis, partnered with AIS to modernize its IT environment and safeguard the systems that keep member services running. The union needed an IT partner that understood the operational rhythms of organized labor, where transparency, accountability, and protection of member information are paramount, and selected AIS to deliver a complete managed services solution.

The Challenge

Union leadership identified four critical technology gaps: outdated infrastructure, where legacy systems slowed down collaboration and made remote work difficult for field representatives; heightened cybersecurity risk, since union files included sensitive member records, grievances, financial data, and contract information requiring a robust cybersecurity framework; disconnected procurement and vendor management, with hardware, software, and telecom services managed inconsistently, leading to unnecessary costs and inefficiencies; and a need for strategic IT leadership, as the organization wanted technology decisions to support long-term goals for member engagement, operational transparency, and service delivery.

The Solution We Delivered

AIS delivered a comprehensive, union-focused approach tailored to their specific needs: managed IT services, rebuilding the union’s IT foundation with a helpdesk for office staff and field reps, proactive monitoring and patching, migration to a secure Microsoft 365 environment, and regular IT performance reviews; a cybersecurity program implementing a layered defense strategy including endpoint detection and response, multi-factor authentication and conditional access, penetration testing and phishing simulations, a customized incident response plan, and guidance on cyber-insurance requirements; procurement and vendor management, centralizing and streamlining purchasing and vendor oversight through hardware lifecycle standardization, negotiated contracts across internet, VoIP, and cloud services, and centralized software licensing; and strategic technology consulting, including advice on member-facing digital tools like SMS alerts and portals, technology input for grant funding applications, and long-term planning for infrastructure upgrades.

Results & Impact

These results strengthened the union’s ability to support members, deliver services reliably, and operate with confidence. AIS brought not only technical expertise but also an understanding of union culture, respect for the unique structures and governance of labor organizations, transparent reporting and budget-aligned planning, cybersecurity enhancements that didn’t disrupt daily workflows, and a people-focused approach that matched the union’s values. AIS has become a long-term, trusted advisor to leadership across IT, operations, and financial planning.

AIS has deep experience supporting unions, nonprofit associations, and mission-driven organizations that require, above all, trust, reliability, and security. Ready to strengthen your organization’s IT and security? Schedule a meeting with AIS today.