The content of the banners not only reflects the changing nature of work but likewise changes in social values. The inclusion of scenes depicting the provision of funeral benefits and comfort for families in distress has been superseded by concerns for international peace, women's rights, 35 hour week, childcare, the multicultural nature of the workforce and with union-sponsored industry superannuation.

Women, formerly portrayed as grieving widows, suffering young girls or inspirational virginal figures of muse or faith now appear in active roles as workers in all areas. This reflects the social and economic emancipation of women and the assertion of their rightful participation in the workforce including an emphasis on non-traditional work. Some artists have chosen to make figures appear androgynous so as not to exclude women and many incorporate a variety of figures of different ethnic origins.

The artistic styles and techniques are naturally very different from those featured on the banners of last century.

Painting styles reflect the modern opportunities for incorporating photographic techniques in painting, silkscreen printing and collage methods of representation. The historic approach of keeping different techniques clearly separated has been transcended by a willingness to explore combinations of approaches which complement each other. For instance, a background may once have been woven or embroided with painted cameos featuring in the body of the banner but the two media would never have been overlaid. However, today Kay Lawrence and Elaine Gardner can produce a banner for the Women in Trade Unions Network in which embroidery is used to highlight details in the blue-printed central image.

Furthermore, today's audiences are used to reading more complex imagery allowing developments in both style and content. In the Australian Federated Union of Locomotion Enginemen's banner Ann Newmarch creates a notion of a banner within a banner (an illusion with an illusion). Such effects would not have been acceptable 100 years ago. In this example Newmarch produces a collage of different styles with the train "motions" (the term used for the wheels) forming a strong bold pattern which complements the realism of the figures and the engines above.

The use of colours too is more experimental than that of the past. Another innovation is that of using craft techniques to represent the skills of the union members, as in Daphne Stitt's banner for the Building Workers Industrial Union. Rather than relying on illusion Stitt uses the processes of dyeing and piecing to represent traditional building skills.

In conjunction with these innovations there remains a strong commitment to clarity and accuracy. A banner is a major investment and it is important that there is no ambiguity in its meaning. It is after all a symbol of unity, of all that is most active and positive of a union's role and concerns. As in years gone by a banner both reflects these concerns and acts as a tangible symbol of idealism.