Research Paper 1 - Union learning, union recruitment and organising

Union learning, union recruitment and organising Hannah Wood and Sian Moore Working Lives Research Institute Research paper 1 March 2007

This research paper was commissioned by the Trades Union Congress to inform its policy development on learning and organising. As such, it is not a statement of TUC policy.

The paper is being disseminated through the TUC’s unionlearn High Road project.

The project is part of a community programme called Equal, a European Social Fund initiative that tests and promotes new means of combating all forms of discrimination and inequality in the labour market.

The GB Equal Support Unit is managed by ECOTEC. Unionlearn is the TUC organisation that supports union-led strategies on learning and skills. It helps unions to open up learning and skills opportunities for their members and also to develop trade union education for their representatives and officers.

About the authors Dr Sian Moore is Senior Research Fellow and Hannah Wood is former Research Fellow at the Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University.

Contents Foreword

2

Abstract

3

Introduction

4

Aims

4

Research methods

4

Findings

5

Issues for unionlearn

15

Conclusions

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Appendix – Case studies

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Union learning, union recruitment and organising

Foreword This research paper presents the findings of a national union survey conducted by the Working Lives Research Institute on the dynamic between union learning and recruitment and organising. The paper is complemented by another piece of research commissioned by the TUC based on workplace case studies prepared by the Scottish Centre for Employment Research1 .

It is good to see evidence that unions are working to promote practical links between their learning and organising agendas. Many unions are doing this by creating learning organiser posts. There is, however, a feeling from learning officers that there still needs to be more integration of union learning into core union business. Almost all unions aim to integrate union learning representatives (ULRs) into local branch and workplace structures and there is a general recognition that recruitment is part of their role, but arrangements are mostly informal.

There is endorsement from learning officers of the role of unionlearn in promoting links between union learning and recruitment. The paper suggests a number of important issues to be addressed in respect to its role, which unionlearn will consider carefully when implementing its strategic plan.

Liz Smith Director, unionlearn

Organising to Learn/Learning to Organise: Three Case Studies on the Effects of Union-Led Workplace Learning. Findlay, P. Thompson, P. and Warhurst, C. Scottish Centre for Employment Research. Unionlearn Research Paper 2. 2007 1

Abstract This report explores the links being made within trade unions between union learning, membership recruitment and workplace organisation. It identifies whether and how unions are evaluating union learning activity in terms of recruitment and organising. It finds that unions are developing systems to collect information on the wider impact of union learning. Union learning officers believe that union learning has a positive impact on workplace recruitment and the generation of new activists.

There is evidence that unions are working to promote practical links between learning and organising agendas in terms of both full-time and lay officer structures, and through training.

Despite this, learning officers claim that the rate of progress on integrating union learning into core union business remains a concern.

Union learning, union recruitment and organising

Introduction Recent research has highlighted the potential of union learning activity for union renewal (Moore and Wood, 2005; Wallis et al, 2005), yet so far there is little concrete evidence of: (i) strategic attempts by unions to link union learning with recruitment and organising; (ii) the dynamic between union learning and organising within unions in terms of structures, training, communication and relationships at both officer and lay levels; and (iii) whether and how unions are evaluating union learning in terms of recruitment and organisation.

Aims This paper presents the findings of research conducted for the TUC by the Working Lives Research Institute (WLRI) on the dynamic between union learning and recruitment and organising.

The project aimed to: • explore links being made within trade unions (and at different levels of the union) between union learning, membership recruitment and workplace organisation; • discover whether unions are measuring or evaluating union learning activity in terms of recruitment and organising, and the means by which they are doing so; and to • identify models and practices that unions are using to integrate learning and recruitment and organising work.

Research methods The research is based upon a purposive sample of 15 trade unions: Amicus, BSU, Community, Connect, CWU, GMB, NASUWT, NUJ, NUT, PCS, Prospect, T&G, UCATT, Unison and Usdaw. The unions involved were proposed by the TUC. A letter from the general secretary of the TUC was sent to general secretaries asking them to nominate two officers to be interviewed, one involved in union learning and the other in organising activity. The research instrument was telephone interviews using separate, but complementary, semi-structured questionnaires for officers involved in union learning and those involved in organising. Interviews were carried out between April and July 2006. They took on average 30-45 minutes and were recorded and transcribed.

The unions in the sample are diverse in terms of their size; the smallest union (BSU) has around 3,000 members while the largest (Amicus and Unison) have upwards of one million members. The sample covers a broad range of occupational groups and sectors including manufacturing, transport, health, local government, the civil service, retail, distribution, communications, the finance sector and teaching.

Three unions in the sample are large, multi-sector unions (Amicus, GMB, T&G). Two are large public sector unions (PCS, Unison). Seven are smaller unions or have a specialist or professional/managerial membership (BSA, Community, Connect, NASUWT, NUJ, NUT, Prospect). The unions are also diverse in terms of their experiences of union learning. Although most unions in the sample have several years experience of involvement in Union Learning Fund (ULF) projects and activities (e.g. Amicus, CWU, T&G, Unison), one union (Connect) launched its first union learning project in Spring 2006.

The research is supplemented by relevant information from trade union publications and websites.

Findings The respondents

Institutional support for learning

Interviews have been conducted with union learning/ education officers in twelve unions: Amicus, BSU, Connect, CWU, NASUWT, NUJ, NUT, PCS, Prospect, T&G, Unison and Usdaw; and with eight officers involved in organising (in BSU, Connect, Community, GMB, NASUWT, Prospect, T&G and Usdaw). In three unions organising officers were at general secretary or assistant general secretary level. In most cases interviewees were nominated by general secretaries in response to the request from the TUC. Five unions nominated two officers for interview, one involved in union learning and one involved in organising (BSU, Connect, NASUWT, T&G, Usdaw). Three unions nominated a learning officer only (CWU, NUJ, UCATT).

One union (GMB) nominated an organising officer only, on the basis that there is no national union learning contact.

Unions have diverse arrangements for supporting and managing union learning activities. In larger unions this usually involves a small number of union staff who combine union learning with other responsibilities, such as representative education, along with a larger team of dedicated (usually externally funded) union learning project/field workers (some unions, including two large and one smaller professional union have regional learning organisers). In at least two public sector unions there is a commitment to making union learning posts permanent positions, financially supported by the union itself rather than by external funding. In smaller unions there tends to be one officer or project manager (funded by the Union Learning Fund) who has dedicated responsibility for union learning projects.

In unions where there was no response from the general secretary, officers were approached directly (this included Amicus, Unison, Prospect, NUT and PCS). In four cases this was through contacts with the WLRI Union Learning Network2, which, it was suggested, might have concrete examples of recruitment and organisation as a result of union learning activity.

In most unions where there was no response from the general secretary it was easier to arrange interviews with learning officers than with organising officers and one organising officer refused an interview on the basis that union learning was not part of her remit. This suggests that there are still unions where learning and organising are not seen as integrated areas of work.

Measuring the impact of union learning Union learning officers were asked about steps the union is taking to measure the impact of union learning, what measures are used, and how the information is collected and reported.

The focus of monitoring activity tends to be on learning outputs, i.e. numbers of ULRs trained and in post, the number of learning centres and access points developed, and the number of learners enrolled and completing courses. Ten out of twelve unions in the sample collect such information3. All unions with projects funded by the ULF or Learning and Skills Council (LSC) report information about progress against agreed targets and outcomes to the funding body. The information reported varies

The WLRI network was set up in 2004 as part of an EU-funded research project into the impact of union learning. It consists of national officers involved in union learning in five trade unions.

2

One small union is currently in the process of developing a monitoring and reporting system. In a general union, although information is probably collected at regional level for funding bodies, there are currently no mechanisms for collecting information centrally (all ULF/LSC projects are bid for and managed at regional level).

3

Union learning, union recruitment and organising

between unions and will depend on the aims and objectives of the project, but it often includes the number of ULRs recruited, trained and active (ten out of twelve unions); numbers of learning centres and learning access points established (five out of twelve unions mentioned this), and the number of learners enrolled and completing courses (eight out of twelve unions). In some cases this also includes information on learning agreements (four unions report that they collect information on learning agreements established with employers).

In addition to information required by the funding body, one public sector union also collects information about the profile of ULRs, in terms of gender, ethnicity and age. It also receives some information about learners accessing courses from the learning providers that the union has developed partnerships with (such as the Workers’ Education Association).

In at least five unions (three large and two mediumsized) information is collected from ULRs and/or learning providers by project workers or learning organisers. Information may then be reported to the union centrally through activity reports and learning team or project meetings, where it is collated and passed to the funding body. In smaller unions information tends to be collected by the union learning officer through meetings with ULRs and, in at least two cases, through ULR surveys. In one professional union information is collected through course evaluations and regular ULR surveys, but the union learning officer pointed out that the response from ULRs is often low and there are concerns about burdening ULRs with bureaucratic reporting procedures (this concern was also highlighted by two other union learning officers).

A number of unions were in the process of developing or improving their reporting systems. One large public sector union is developing systems that will enable the union to report information from ULRs about their activities. The information will be collected by project workers and online through a dedicated webpage.

One small union is also developing a website (‘online management information system’) which will enable

ULRs to communicate information about their activities to the union at national level. In one general union an organising officer stated that he is currently undertaking a review of the union’s learning initiatives and projects, which to date have been run and managed at regional level. This involves discussions with regional secretaries, regional education officers and regional learning project officers. It aims to assess the impacts, including organising outcomes, of union learning.

In terms of specifically measuring membership and recruitment outcomes, at least two unions (large and small) have developed membership forms that identify whether new members join as a result of contact with a ULR. It is recognised that this method may not capture all new members recruited as a result of union learning activities, but it will at least give some indication of the impact ULRs are having on membership.

One private sector union has developed a database that enables it to track the impact of learning initiatives on membership at workplace/site level.

This database covers most of the union’s medium and large workplaces, and provides information on membership recruited at particular sites, in particular time frames. The database also shows the training record of ULRs, safety reps and shop stewards.

Similarly, in a smaller professional union recruitment is monitored on an ongoing basis and is tracked against learning activities and initiatives at branch level. A large union is in the process of formalising the monitoring of recruitment through Union Learning.

Learning officers acknowledge, however, that there are difficulties with attempting to capture evidence of a direct causal relationship between union learning and increased membership: “It’s difficult because the learning initiatives we are involved in may take a while to feed through the system. It’s not necessarily just about enrolling people onto courses, it’s about raising awareness, professional development, things like that, so it’s much more difficult to measure the impact in that way.” (Learning officer, professional union)

“One of the things we are trying to tackle at the moment is how you track or identify how somebody joined the union. If they happen to fill in a different form from the one the ULR gave them, even though it might have been the learning rep talking to them that encouraged them to join, you’ve no way of knowing. And because there will be a number of reasons why somebody joins, this might just be the thing that tips the balance, so it’s a very difficult thing to monitor.” (Learning officer, public sector union) Although unions are evaluating union learning in its wider sense, it appears that concrete measures of recruitment and organising activity are more rare.

However, this is something that unions seem to want to address. At least seven union learning officers said that this information is important, but they also recognised it is problematic and not easy to capture.

At this stage such measures are seen in terms of the number of members recruited as the result of a union learning initiative rather than in terms of measures that might capture organising activity at workplace level – there was very little mention of how organisation as opposed to recruitment might be measured and the TUC might want to support the development of such organisational outcomes.

Perspectives on union learning and recruitment and organising This section focuses on officer perceptions of the relationship between union learning and recruitment and organising. Respondents were asked whether they considered there to be a relationship between union learning and workplace organisation, and were then asked to describe it. All 12 union learning officers interviewed said that there is a relationship, but there was some variation in emphasis. In the strongest articulation of the link one learning officer, whose job was to liaise with the National Organising Department, stated: “Lifelong learning is another method of organising workers. It is not something in its own right, but something to exploit.” (National learning organiser large union) In all cases learning officers recognised the potential of union learning for workplace recruitment, although organising officers were not so convinced.

In a number of cases learning officers expressed the view that union learning may alter workers’ perceptions of the role of the union as well as raise the profile of the union in the workplace and thus have a positive impact on membership: “It changes members’ perceptions of the union and the role the union will have in their personal and professional lives. We think it has a strong retention and probably recruitment impact as well.” (Union learning officer, professional union) In at least five unions (three large and two mediumsized, covering both the public and private sector) recruitment was described as being a planned, deliberate outcome of learning activity, but in two smaller professional unions membership growth was described as being a possible (although desirable) by-product: “It often does generate some people to join, but we don’t see it primarily as a way of recruiting people. It’s more as a start to generating activity Union learning, union recruitment and organising

and interest in the union.” (Organising officer, professional union)

members to take on a union role or take a more active interest in the union.

One officer stated that learning is unique as a union activity because it puts the union in regular contact with ordinary members:

Three learning officers stated that learning strengthens the union role in the workplace by promoting relationships with employers:

“One branch secretary said to me recently: ‘What other service that the union offers puts us in touch with ten per cent of our ordinary members – not active members – on a regular basis?’ He saw that regular contact in the learning centre as a learning rep, and I think that says a lot.” (Learning officer, medium size private sector union)

“Union learning constitutes another front of engagement with the employer, another level of engagement, and consequently it needs to be part of the organising agenda.” (Learning officer, medium size private sector union)

Most union learning officers perceived union learning as an issue or activity linked to union organising: “Union learning needs to become another tool in the toolbox of union organising.” (Learning officer, medium size private sector union) One way in which it contributes to organising is in terms of generating new activists. Eight learning officers highlighted this: “If we’re going to take the union and grow and get a new generation of people involved then learning is an excellent way to engage with them.”

(Learning officer, public sector union) “Workplace learning contributes strongly to organising in that it brings people into contact with the union – not just recruitment but getting people to become active.” (Learning officer, public sector union) Officers noted that union learning not only attracts new workplace activists through the ULR role, but that ULRs may also go on to take wider roles in the union.

In the words of one officer: “We want our learning reps to become stewards and grow because it’s a good way of getting new stewards.” (Learning officer, general union) Two union learning officers suggested that the presence of an active ULR can encourage other

The points discussed above suggest that union learning officers are linking union learning to recruitment activity and possibly also to an organising model of trade unionism where the focus is on promoting activity, organising around issues in the workplace, and raising demands. However, union learning was also associated with a servicing model (although this was not necessarily counterposed to recruitment and organising) and six union learning officers made the point that union learning is a positive membership service, although one organising officer qualified this by stating that it is not yet a universal benefit.

Interestingly, the research suggests that officers involved in organising may be more tentative than learning organisers about the relationship between union learning and organising, particularly in terms of recruitment. While one organiser was convinced that union learning widens the bargaining agenda, provides opportunities to engage with workers in new ways, and boosts the number of activists in the union, she was much more cautious about the impact on recruitment: “While you can use the learning agenda [as a recruitment tool] it’s not necessarily the first issue that will engage workers… I wouldn’t want union learning to be seen as a way to organise the unorganised. I think that has to be a range of things and the organising model is fundamental to that, although the learning agenda clearly links in.” (Organising officer, general union) Four out of seven officers involved in organising said they would like to see more evidence of the link between activity around learning and recruitment:

“There are examples of people claiming ones and twos and threes all over the place who’ve joined, but there’s no information that I’m aware of on major recruitment as a result of the learning rep initiative. It tends to be a couple of individuals here and there.”

(Organising officer, general union)

“ULRs are coming under pressure from the funding regime to individualise rather than collectivise, and that is the tension we have. So I don’t know whether they currently make much of a contribution [to organising], but potentially they could.” (Organising officer, medium size union)

Another organiser appeared to recognise the potential, but felt it was too early to judge:

Possibly because of wider scepticism within the union, six learning officers interviewed perceived that there is still work to be done to integrate union learning and organising agendas. As one officer put it:

“If the union learning reps project takes off the ground then the effect will be for people to have a different perception of the union in their own workplace. That should have a positive effect on organising and recruitment.” (Organising officer, medium size private and public sector union) One organising officer pointed out that the potential link between union learning, organising and recruitment is not automatic and needs to be consciously worked at: “If we leave learning reps working on their own, then there’s a tendency for them to just do their role in a very narrow focus… We’ve got to actually go out there and work at making the organising link with lifelong learning, but where we do we are very successful at achieving membership growth on the back of learning programmes.” (Organising officer, medium size private sector union)

“I don’t think there has been a full understanding of what the learning agenda offers in terms of building workplace organisation. They have tended to run on parallel lines and need to be more interlinked. Learning needs to come in from the cold… It’s not as peripheral as it once was but is still not seen as a core union issue. Until the decision makers and the opinion formers accept it as a core issue we won’t get the benefits that learning could bring.” (Learning officer, private and public sector union) Another officer reflected a widely held sentiment among learning officers: “[Union learning] needs to be an activity like any other that feeds into the core job.” (Learning officer, professional union)

Interviews with organising officers also reflect the perception of a possible tension within union learning between promoting individual employability and the wider collective role of trade unions within the workplace (also suggested in previous research, for example Moore and Wood, 2005): “The problem with learning is that it’s such an individual thing and workplace organisation tends to flow from collective workplace issues. There are some circumstances where learning issues can be collective, for example, language issues in a large group that need help, but the problem with it is that it tends to be individually focussed and I think the jury’s still out.” (Organising officer, general union) Union learning, union recruitment and organising

The relationship between union learning and recruitment and organising This section focuses on evidence of the practical links that unions are making between learning and organising work. It looks at the existence of structural or organisational relationships within unions between the two activities and examples of activities that bring union learning and organising issues together.

Seven out of ten union learning officers stated that close working relationships are developing between union education/learning departments and organising departments at national level: “We work together with the organising department at national level… what we also do is where we are having an organising campaign… we provide the training for new stewards and activists thrown up by that campaign and it always includes lifelong learning. We do liaise a lot, but there’s no need for us to set up a separate activity. We don’t need anything to be set up because we work together now.” (Learning officer, general union) Five union learning officers also mentioned that union learning project workers and/or learning organisers are expected to work closely with organisers on a day-to-day basis at regional level. Two learning officers reported that union learning organisers and/or project workers report to regional secretaries and are part of the regional team. However, three learning officers highlighted that although it may be ideal for learning officers to be integrated into regional teams and to work closely with organisers, the extent to which this happens in practice can vary. In the words of two officers: “I encourage regional learning organisers to go along to full-time officer team briefings and talk about the learning agenda. Some have a standing invitation, others have had to be a bit more pushy.” (Learning officer, private and public sector union)

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“What I would like to see happen is for our regional organisers to see negotiating and organising around learning as part of their day-to-day activity, as they would about… any other workplace issue.

At the moment it’s still seen as something a bit specialist – a bit kind of: ‘Oh, we have people over there who deal with that’. The challenge for us is to well and truly mainstream this agenda so that people see it as part of their day-to-day work just like any other organising or negotiating issue.”

(Learning officer, public sector union) Interviews suggest that in smaller unions channels of communication between officers involved in learning and officers involved in organising may be less complex and easier to establish, possibly because there is a smaller full-time staff.

The fact that some unions (generally larger unions) are creating ‘learning organiser’ posts at regional and national level suggests that unions are moving towards formal and strategic recognition of the links between learning and organising. In at least one union, learning organisers (previously known as learning project workers or field workers) are now part of the organising team.

In terms of lay structures, almost all unions report that the aim is for ULRs to be fully integrated into local branch and workplace structures. However, it is recognised that this does not always happen in practice. In a large private sector union, for example, the ULR role is formally recognised in the rulebook and ULRs are entitled to attend equality and women’s conferences, but they are not entitled to be delegates at industrial conferences. In a medium sized private sector union, ULRs are seen as part of a team including workplace representatives/stewards and health and safety representatives and the union has developed a strategy that aims to promote this approach within all its branches.

Dissemination

The ULR role in recruitment

The majority of unions have established information systems targeted at ULRs. In ten out of twelve unions, information is disseminated to ULRs through ULR networks and mailing lists. Ten unions produce newsletters and publications aimed at ULRs and information is also reported to other activists and the wider membership through union magazines and websites. In one large union a national newsletter disseminates best practice in terms of where union learning has been effective in building the union: case studies demonstrate the value of union learning and bring together learning and organising.

Overwhelmingly, union learning officers agree that ULRs should and do play a role in recruitment. In one large union it is the union’s policy (recognised in recent conference policy and communicated through the union’s ULR handbook and guide for full-time officers), that all learning activities should have an organising outcome:

In most cases, information on union learning activities is reported to the national executive committee and wider membership through annual conference reports (eight out of ten union learning officers said this was the case). Some unions (three private sector) reported that they are developing structures and committees at regional, branch and company, site or workplace level where union learning activities and issues are reported and discussed: “We are moving towards having committees, constituted under our existing regional structures, reporting to the regional secretary and relevant regional committee. That is how we feel we are really going to embed learning in the future.”

(Union learning officer, medium size private and public sector union) The interviews also reveal that unions are attempting to disseminate information about learning activity throughout the wider union and at different levels of the union. This includes briefing and dissemination events (at national and regional level) aimed at full-time officers, activists and ULRs (four unions cite examples of such events); training for full-time officers (three unions mentioned this); and regional seminars and conferences (three unions). In one private sector union all organisers receive a guide to union learning when they join.

“It is… a central role of all representatives to help build our workplace and community organisation, to recruit new members and hold onto these through first class representation, services and benefits. Learning and skills and the role of the ULR should very much be seen as part of these objectives.” (Learning Reps Handbook, 2006) One medium sized private sector union passed a motion at its 2006 conference formally recognising that recruitment and organising are part of the ULR role. A public sector union also gives such recognition. In the remaining nine unions it appears that recruitment is not formally recognised (in terms of policy) as a ULR function. Nevertheless, three union learning officers stated that this aspect of the role is understood by officials and activists involved in the learning agenda. A further four state that it is reflected in practice. Two organising officers raised concerns about this aspect of the ULR role: “They are a different sort of animal from the people we have as reps in the broader sense of the word. And the fact that we are attracting a different group of people is incredibly healthy and encouraging. For example, a higher number of women and a higher number of ethnic minorities are coming forward as ULRs, which is superb. It is because they are coming in as ULRs that they are attracted. If we added things on then I think we may cut off that supply. We need to address the issue of development as ULRs first, keep in touch with them, and then at the appropriate point start to develop them in areas such as recruitment.”

(Organising officer, professional union)

Union learning, union recruitment and organising

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Another organiser suggested that ULRs should only be involved in recruitment if it is part of the wider branch organising strategy: “[There may be a problem] if it’s just ad hoc based on education without any reference to why people should become union members. But [it’s best done] in a joined-up way with the branch… because I do think what [ULRs] are offering is something relevant to working people.”

(Organising officer, general union) Although there seems to be a general recognition of the importance of recruitment and organising in the ULR role, especially among learning officers, in practice it is not generally part of ULR training. In two exceptions – one largely private and one largely public sector – ULR training includes a focus on organising, i.e. how to recruit, how to communicate with members and how to communicate with branches. In the public sector union ULRs are also encouraged to attend introductory courses for new representatives where these issues are covered in more detail.

In two unions – one public and one private sector – organising was described as being ‘implicit’ in ULR training materials and course discussions, but there were plans to develop this to make it more explicit.

At least three other unions (one large and two small) have plans to develop their ULR training to include more emphasis on recruitment and organising and another small union has run organising courses for ULRs in the past.

At the same time, union learning is being incorporated into courses for other union activists in six unions. Unions also run conferences and seminars on union learning issues at regional and national level aimed at branch officers and activists, as well as ULRs. Officers from two large private sector unions mentioned that union learning is currently incorporated into full-time officer training and seven out of twelve union learning officers stated that they would like to see this developed further in their union.

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Union learning and non-members In terms of building the union in the workplace, one issue is whether non-members get access to union learning. The links between union learning and nonmembers appear to be fairly complex. In one large private sector union learning is offered to the entire workforce. Non-members will be asked to join the union, but the starting point is always that all workers have the chance to take part in courses arranged by the union. Two private sector unions and one with both private and public sector members, have no formal position on this – ULRs will decide on the right approach to take in their workplace: “We don’t have a hard and fast policy. The reason is that in some cases, depending on local circumstances, it is a way of connecting with non-members and bringing them into the union. It [depends on] the overall recruitment and organising strategy of the branch.” (Learning officer, medium size public and private sector union) One small professional union draws a distinction between the union’s learning programmes and the ULR role. Its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme and ICT skills courses are open to all workers, whether they are members or not. The ULR role is more problematic and it is recognised that there may be a difference between the union’s formal position – that the ULR represents and provides a service to members – and what may be happening in practice.

“There are places where local authorities are brokering local deals where ULRs will represent all members of all unions in schools… What we say nationally is that you represent members in your union… the people who have elected you, not members in other unions, even though pragmatically that may be happening on the ground.” (Learning officer, professional union) Another professional union promotes union learning to non-members through general information and

taster sessions, with the specific aim of encouraging recruitment. This is not defined as a formal policy, but is described as a ‘pragmatic decision’ that is consistent with the union’s approach to other services, such as pensions and finance.

In a large public sector union, programmes that are funded by the union are available to members only.

Workplace initiatives delivered in partnership with employers and part-funded by employers are made available to the entire workforce. A private sector union’s approach is similar in that, where union learning is funded by the union, it is for members only. If it is in partnership with the employer, there are several positions that the union may take. They include members-only learning; learning available to all staff with course fees waived or reduced for members; learning where members are given priority; and learning where courses are offered to all staff but are clearly promoted as unionlearn initiatives. The local context will determine which position is adopted, although the union is clear that the preferred model is the ‘members only’ one.

Examples of recruitment through union learning Eleven out of twelve union learning officers said they were aware of concrete examples where the union has recruited new members through union learning activities. Five provided examples of branches or workplaces where this had happened, and three referred to examples reported in union publications.

Two referred to colleagues who would be able to provide examples. A number of these examples can be found in the Appendix.

Learning and organising and the TUC All learning officers interviewed agreed that the TUC should be promoting learning as an organising issue. Eight officers stated that the TUC performs a useful function in promoting the learning agenda, disseminating information across unions and facilitating the exchange of information and good practice through ULR networks. Three learning officers and four organisers stated that the TUC should continue to develop this work.

Three learning officers said that they would like to see more information and development material aimed specifically at professional, specialist and managerial unions: “I know the TUC has produced some case studies, and they are good, but they are not always closely relevant to our members.” (Learning officer, professional union) “We’ve had stop/start support for specialist unions.

We had some seminars and networking of unions providing professional development and other teaching organisations and that has certainly been very useful, but there’s no clear continuation of that programme… there has not been ongoing support for specialist unions, but the opportunity to network and share ideas is very important.”

(Learning officer, professional union) Union learning, union recruitment and organising

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Another three learning officers stated that they would like to see more evidence of the benefits of learning to unions as organisations and in terms of the organising agenda. One officer suggested that a guide or booklet could be produced on the benefits of learning to unions, along similar lines to the booklet recently produced on the benefits of learning to employers.

One learning officer noted that while the TUC can support unions in developing links between learning and organising, it should not dictate whether and how this should be done: “It’s down to unions themselves to decide how to organise and… link their campaigns with learning, or not as the case may be. The TUC can help and support, particularly through training, full-time officers and reps, but I think that is the limit of what it should do.” (Learning officer, medium size public and private sector union) It was also acknowledged by officers that the TUC cannot organise around learning on a union’s behalf and that this can only be done by activists on the ground. In the words of one officer: “Background information is good – it’s the kind of thing we need to be equipping our branch reps and our organisers [with] to feel confident to go in and talk to employers. Our role and the TUC’s role is to help reps do that, not to go in and do it for them.” (Learning officer, public sector union) Two learning officers stressed that the TUC should work more closely with unions at local/workplace level: “For me it’s crucial that whatever the TUC does, it does it in concert with the union involved in the workplace. That’s the only way we can sustain [learning] into the future and mainstream it.”

(Learning officer, public sector union) One officer felt that an important role for the TUC lies in encouraging unions to take ownership of the learning agenda:

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“The TUC has a role in ensuring that unions understand that at some point the learning agenda has to become our agenda. The Union Learning Fund has provided a nice safety net… but we need to get serious.” (Learning officer, medium private and public sector union) Six learning officers stated that the key area of work is integrating union learning in core union business: “Integrating the role of the learning rep more closely with the union agenda as a whole is crucial for the future development of the role… It’s about ensuring at all levels that this sort of integration takes place, within training and within unions’ democratic structures, so that ULRs continue to play a vital role and are supported and taken seriously.” (Learning officer, private and public sector union) In order to generalise learning throughout the union, training was highlighted as an area for further work by five union learning officers. One officer emphasised the need to develop the TUC representatives’ programme so that it covers learning issues and three officers felt that organiser training should be developed to provide more emphasis on learning. One officer suggested that the TUC could organise ad hoc courses, briefings and seminars specifically on learning and organising for senior union officers and workplace activists.

Two officers mentioned that ULR courses should be developed to include organising.

On the whole the organising officers were less likely to offer suggestions for the TUC. They are less likely to be critical of the work the TUC is doing in terms of the learning agenda, but the interviews suggest that organisers are less familiar with what this work involves. This could indicate that there is a role for the TUC in improving communications with organising officers on learning issues and promoting networks between learning and organising officers across affiliates.

Issues for unionlearn The interviews highlighted a number of areas of potential work for unionlearn, including:

• a review of ULR training to include a greater emphasis on recruitment and organising; • a review of full time officer (FTO), organiser and activist training to include a greater emphasis on learning; • collection/dissemination of evidence of the benefits of union learning to trade union recruitment and organisation, including on the impact of learning initiatives on membership, activism, union profile, branch and workplace activity, and union/employer relationships; • the development of measures which reflect recruitment and organising gains from union learning; • more practical examples of links being made between learning and organising agendas; • support for the development of a clearer understanding of how union learning forms part of an integrated industrial role for unions and the identification of models of integration; • a greater focus on union learning in terms of professional, specialist and managerial unions.

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Conclusions This research illustrates the positive measures unions are taking to integrate union learning with the wider union agenda, in particular recruitment and organisation.

The creation in some major unions of ‘learning organiser’ posts at regional and national level suggests that unions are moving towards a formal and strategic recognition of the links between learning and organising.

There is also progress in terms of training; ULR training increasingly reflects recruitment and organising, while in some unions, full-time officer, organiser and activist training is starting to include more emphasis on learning. This is something that learning officers are keen to develop, and there was a consensus that ULRs have a role to play in recruitment, although this is not generally reflected in formal policy.

The integration of ULRs into the union at workplace level has been identified in previous research as an issue (Wood et al, 2005). In terms of lay structures, almost all unions report that the aim is for ULRs to be fully incorporated into local branch and workplace structures. This is often informal policy, although in some unions the ULR role is recognised in the union rulebook and ULRs have rights to representation within union structures. However, there is variation between unions and learning officers reported that integration does not always happen in practice.

Learning officers have two perspectives of union learning, firstly as an issue to recruit and organise workers around and secondly as a service or benefit provided to members. Organising officers were more sceptical about the links between union learning and organising. A number perceived a possible tension within union learning between promoting individual employability and the wider collective role of unions in the workplace. In some cases organising officers wanted concrete evidence of the impact union learning had on organising and how it fits with the collective bargaining agenda.

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Unions are evaluating union learning in its wider sense, but this generally means measuring union learning in terms of the recruitment of members, although learning officers emphasised that it is not always possible to identify a causal relationship between the two. Measures of organising activity or bargaining are rare and this is something unions may wish to develop. One respondent stated that union learning is not yet a universal benefit for members and this raises the issue of how union learning can be used as an organising tool in workplaces where there is no union recognition or existing relationship with the employer.

Finally, there is endorsement among learning officers for the role of the TUC, and unionlearn in particular, in promoting the links between union learning and recruitment and organisation. In particular, officers see a role for the TUC in providing evidence of the benefits of union learning to unions; in encouraging unions to take ownership of the learning agenda; and in promoting the integration of union learning into core trade union business.

Appendix Case studies CWU – Royal Mail Delivery Office Stoke-on-Trent “There is widespread support throughout this branch for the learning centre initiative and a very good structure in place in terms of a lead ULR who is closely integrated into his branch.

The ULR has used learning activity not only to recruit learning reps, but also to recruit new IR reps as well. He has used the learning agenda to make contact with non-members, so he’s used it for the recruitment of members as well.

There is strong evidence that they have also got new activists in the branch as a result.

Quite often, if there hasn’t been a particular problem at a workplace, there won’t have been a union visit for a long time. The learning agenda is a way of making contact with existing members, potential members and potential activists.” (CWU, union education officer)

Amicus – Print company, Leeds “The union is seen by most people as something you pay for and don’t actually see much for. Even when you do your job as a rep and have successes on a political level it’s just seen as doing your job. But since we did the learning open day and started promoting learning opportunities here, people have seen they can go to the branch – it has really raised the profile of the union. It’s a more positive profile for the union.

When we had the learning open day, with the local college coming in, I covered all the work areas myself. I went round and spoke to people here that I’d never spoken to before. I made myself known and made people aware of the learning agenda, and they were really interested.

We’ve had a good response.

Before that it was a fairly unionised workplace anyway – not necessarily in the lower skilled areas – but with the advent of the learning

agenda, and with some of the other workplace issues we’ve had to deal with recently, we’ve actually seen people not in the union signing up.

Some of the other reps have done the ULR training now and I’m trying to encourage them to become ULRs but they haven’t been able to give that commitment yet. I’m hoping to get at least one other ULR in place here and to raise the profile of the role.” (Amicus, ULR and Father of the Chapel)

Amicus – Non-profit sector “There are a number of campaigns in the nonprofit sector at the moment and learning is one of them. The aim is to include learning as part of a wider package of union issues. It is difficult to provide concrete examples of outcomes in terms of numbers of members recruited because of the way the work is organised and shared with other officers and organisers.

The union recently conducted a national survey of members and reps in the non-profit sector to capture data around experiences of learning and training in the sector. The results show that access to learning and development is very restricted, as the nature of the sector means that organisations are often dependent on short-term funding so that other priorities push learning off the agenda. It is hoped that the survey will form the basis for a national campaign around learning in the sector.” (Learning organiser, Amicus)

Usdaw – Morrisons, Nottingham “When I do inductions I go through each of the services Usdaw has to offer, whether it’s representation at work, legal services or the financial benefits available. What I have noticed is that people become most animated and interested when I talk about learning and in

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particular the fantastic ‘Checkout Learning’ project which is taking place in Nottingham.

It seems that most people would like to learn and the accessible and affordable courses on offer allows Morrison’s staff that opportunity. Linking into ‘Checkout Learning’ and using it in the induction package makes me more confident in selling Usdaw. The other change is that I’m not just discussing negative items associated with work, but something positive that members want.” (Usdaw Shop Steward) The Checkout Learning project has been used to successfully recruit existing members of staff who were previously reluctant to join the union. In the words of one learner: “The offer of learning was the main reason I reconsidered and joined Usdaw. Learning is key to progression and Usdaw are helping me to do that. Not only is the course fun, but it is helping me in my job as it is easier to communicate with deaf or hard of hearing customers when they come into store.”

T&G – First Bus Union Learning has provided training for drivers in its Learning Centre in South Yorkshire. Induction training for all new staff is held in the learning centres, allowing workers to meet with union activists. The union has encouraged non-activists to become ULRs, so that only 30 per cent of ULRs also hold other union responsibilities, expanding T&G representation by 70 per cent.

Source – T&G Union Learning Representative Newsletter, September 2006

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Unison – ESOL “Unison ran a campaign among street cleaning staff, the majority of whom were French Algerian.

A prominent component of that campaign was the promotion of ESOL courses to be run jointly with the employer. The agreement was that the employer would give an hour’s paid release and the employee would provide an hour of their time, so all-in-all we provided two hours for an ESOL course per week.

The idea of having ESOL courses had been floated for a couple of years. I think the main catalyst for it coming together was when we employed a French interpreter who was able to translate what the organiser was saying to the staff. That really made a difference.

The impact [on the union] has been huge.

Membership levels have risen, we’ve got a couple of new active stewards, confidence is growing among the workforce and we are just about to enter into negotiations for a wage increase.

Most of the staff are Entry Level One which is very basic. Courses are due to finish at the end of this month and we are having an awards ceremony for learners in September while at the same time trying to convince the employer to invest more, continue the courses and put more resources into it. Another thing we want to address is that within the actual classes we need to have a union component so that we are offering them language and communication development, but also teaching them something about how a trade union works, how Unison works and how it benefits those who are involved.”

(Unison regional organiser)

Unison – London region

T&G – Betts, Colchester

“Learning is so tangible that people really do think: ‘If it wasn’t for the trade union I wouldn’t be getting the opportunity to have this learning and development’. They make a direct link and because they feel empowered they get enthused and become vocal and visible in the workplace.

Whether they become learning reps or not they start to generate a positive feeling about the union. I’m seeing more and more examples where learning literally changes peoples lives; where people cannot read or write. We get them on the first Communication at Work course and they are writing at the end of it.

Union Learning has been used to provide workers at Betts in Colchester, which manufactures toothpaste tubes, with access to learning opportunities. The project has increased T&G membership by five per cent throughout the factory, reaching 90 per cent on one shift. The local rep reports that it has increased morale in the workplace and improved the union’s relationship with management. Union learning has also been used to develop the skills of union reps and establish and produce a T&G newsletter, raising the union’s profile and promoting recruitment.

Unison’s strategy has been clear from the outset – ULRs must be linked into the branch; they must be part of the branch education team, so you’ll have the branch education officer and the lifelong learning co-ordinator. This means you’ve got support for the learning reps and it enables branches to start development plans that link learning and organising and start thinking about the whole collective approach. We’ve got a huge amount to do around that. We’ve got branches where it is working pretty well and others where you’ve got learner reps that aren’t tapped into the branch at all.” (Unison, learning organiser)

T&G – Arriva bus depot, Speke

Unison – Portsmouth Health “A lot of the case studies reported at the recent lifelong learning conference talk about how learning has helped to regenerate branches.

Portsmouth Health branch was one where they reported on how they had increased their membership by around 30 per cent through a learning campaign. It was just learning reps going out, talking to people about their learning need and then asking them if they were in a union before signing them up.” (Union learning officer)

Source – T&G Union Learning Representative Newsletter, September 2006

A learning centre was established at the Speke bus depot in Merseyside in February 2006, using a former training room. Courses were established through Knowsley and Liverpool Community College. The centre is used four evenings each week with between 50 and 100 of the 371 drivers on a course at any one time. One key success is the 40 Polish drivers studying English as a second language. The shop steward and ULR at the depot believes that the learning centre established at the bus depot has had a positive impact on the morale of workers and staff turnover as well as a ‘dramatically increased’ union retention. The union organiser says: “I could be working seven days a week for the union, but some members will say that the T&G does nothing for them. This T&G Learning Centre changes all that.”

(T&G region six learning organiser) The local Arriva manager is supportive of the T&G’s education provision and points to a substantial reduction of training costs due to the reduction in staff turnover.

Source – T&G Union Learning Representative Newsletter, September 2006

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T&G - Sainsbury’s, Hams Hall Learning is a key organising tool in the T&G’s ‘100% campaign’ at Sainsbury’s distribution centre at Hams Hall. Stewards negotiated paid release for 100 employees each year to attend courses run by the local college, giving employees opportunities to gain recognised qualifications, including the European Computer Driving License courses and an on-site ESOL programme. Over a year T&G membership increased by 500 and the number of stewards increased from eight to twelve, in addition to eight ULRs and six dedicated safety reps.

Source – T&G Union Learning Representative Newsletter, September 2006

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References Wallis, E., and Stuart, M., (2004) ‘Trade Unions, Partnership and the Learning Agenda: Evidence from a seven country European study’ in Trade Unions and Training: Issues and International Perspectives, Ed. Cooney R and Stuart, M, National Key Centre in Industrial Relations.

Wood, H. and Moore, S. (2005), The Union Learning Experience: National Surveys of Union Officers and ULRs, Working Lives Research Institute, www.workinglives.org.

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