Unions Opening Up Learning

Unions Opening Up Learning for All

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Foreword

Trade unions have a long and proud history of challenging discrimination. They have worked to ensure that workers receive fair treatment and equality of opportunity at work and in wider society.

As the examples in this booklet show, this is as true for union learning as it is for other areas of trade union work.

Trade unions, the TUC and unionlearn contribute to equality at work by making learning accessible, relevant and flexible for learners. They also make sure that learning agreements with employers cover those with few or no qualifications rather than just those with higher level skills.

Opening up opportunities for learning to lower paid and hard-to-reach groups of workers benefits both individuals and their employers. These employers often refer to the benefits their businesses gain, including improved morale, productivity, and customer relations; better safety awareness; and reductions in sickness absence.

This booklet provides 10 examples of how union learning helps build equality at work in various ways:

Union learning has helped migrant workers get on by running training in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). This builds workplace cohesion and assists migrant workers develop the skills they already have. It has also led to first-line supervisor and management training in some cases.

Union learning has raised awareness of mental health issues in the workplace. This has been achieved through events, briefings and training courses for union representatives and managers and by promoting workplace support systems to reduce ill health and sickness absence.

Union learning has given disabled workers the support, encouragement and resources they need to access union learning activities and achieve their full potential.

Union learning has provided support for women wanting to move into better- paid management positions. It offered training for women union learning representatives (ULRs) to gain higher levels of confidence and management qualifications through the union route. It also provided training opportunities for low-paid women at risk of redundancy in order to increase their employability.

Union learning ran workshops to support lowpaid black and Asian workers to move into management positions, and put on training weekends for activists to encourage new black and Asian union members and representatives to become more active in their trade unions and workplaces.

Union learning has ensured that ULRs and other union representatives involved in promoting and creating learning opportunities carry out their role with a clear understanding of what ‘equality’ means in practice. It also ensured that they

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understand how it applies to the workplace learning agenda through equality reps training as well as made equality a theme throughout the TUC Education programme.

Union learning has made sure that learning really is lifelong, by extending the trade union learning offer to retired members.

Union learning has opened up Skills for Life (SfL) learning opportunities for hard-to-reach workers in passenger transport by providing 24-hour access, and financial and tutorial support.

Union learning has provided accessible, affordable, on-site learning for part-time workers and shift workers in the retail sector.

Union learning has persuaded employers to take on apprentices from diverse backgrounds, and negotiated good terms and conditions for these young workers.

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These case studies are described in full in this booklet.

Learning can be life changing, so it is vital that everyone can access educational opportunities. The examples in this booklet show how unions and their representatives have helped to challenge unfair treatment and discrimination to make help make equality a reality. I hope it will inspire others to think about how they can open up learning and development opportunities in their own workplaces and communities.

Liz Smith Director, unionlearn

Jim Noble rece ives his certific ate of achievem of the CWU’s re ent as part tired members education prog ramme

Older people miss out on training, according to the charity Age Concern. While 41 per cent of the total population participated in some sort of learning in 2007, only 21 per cent of people aged 65 to 74 did so. And there are 11.3 million people over the state pension age (SPA) in the UK. To make matters worse the number of people aged 60 and over participating in further education dropped by more than a third (38 per cent) from 264,800 in 2005/06 to 163,700 in 2006/7. Trade unions have been campaigning for more funding and support for learning for older people. In March 2009 the Government published its White Paper, The Learning Revolution, which set out plans for more support for older people. Unions will continue putting on pressure until a greater percentage of older people are offered the chance to learn.

Communicatio n Workers’ Unio n

Retired memb ers

Through its vibrant and active retired members’ organisation, the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) ensures that learning is genuinely lifelong.

Don Cornell became a ULR at the age of 81 after an active life in the Portsmouth, West Sussex and Isle of Wight Branch, which started when he joined the union as a GPO Poling Engineer in 1963. He promotes learning to other union members, including those who have retired, and is the Retired Members Secretary for the branch. Don’s appointment followed a CWU initiative which began in York in 2008 when the union ran the first ULR course for retired members.

Andy Sorton, CWU Regional Project Worker in the North East, says that unions can make a real difference by looking at their own education programmes. “Our education programme is designed to ensure every member enjoys equality of opportunity and the CWU wanted to make certain everyone can join in and we do this by opening our courses to retired members”, he said. “Many retired people have grandchildren and many will take on some childcare responsibilities. They need to develop their skills in order to pass them on to the next generation.”

Lifelong learning helps to maintain good mental health and promotes a good quality of life. That’s why the union developed a ULR training course specifically for retired members, who are able with the union’s support to negotiate deals with providers that make learning affordable and accessible. “Our retired members put a lot into the union, and we want to make sure that we are giving something back to them,” says Andy.

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Lilya Brabbs, a ‘leader for lear ning’, working the GMB projec on t in Wiltshire

Migrant workers tend to find themselves trapped in low-skill, low-pay jobs with poor conditions, which do not fully utilise their previous training and experience. This was the finding in unionlearn’s 2008 research report, Migrant Workers in the Labour Market. Too often they are wrongly placed on the first rung of the labour market ladder, the report said. And even highly qualified migrant workers can find it difficult to find work because of a poor grasp of English.

A number of trade union initiatives have tried to tackle this situation. They have provided information, advice and guidance (IAG) opportunities targeted at migrant workers.

Unionlearn in the Midlands, with the help of funding from the regional development agency

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Unionlearn in the Midlan ds/ Community/GM B

Migrant worke rs

EMDA, ran a series of one-day workshops providing first line management and supervision training for skilled migrant workers across the East Midlands.

The aim was to help them identify first-line managers and technicians. The workshops counted towards an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Level 3 qualification.

Jurgita Pranculyte, project worker for unionlearn, explained some of the barriers migrant workers in the region face: “Their full potential is often not achieved for many reasons — be it confidence, gaps in work experience, difficulties in getting their home qualifications recognised or language issues.”

The project helped to address some of these problems. It provided support for taking higher-level English qualifications, and looked at achieving a leadership qualification. The project also assessed leadership potential, improved leadership skills, and by understanding the role of leaders, improved performance.

The union Community used Learning Works for All funding to provide evening and weekend ESOL classes for Polish migrant workers in Yeovil in Somerset. These classes helped integrate workers into their local communities, and aimed to help reduce levels of potential exploitation. As well as providing language support, the union also provided information about the role of trade unions and workers’ rights through leaflets, and through the courses themselves. Ewa Mahey, a bilingual Polish worker employed by the Workers’ Education Association (WEA), supported the learners.

The absence of trade union recognition in many of the workplaces using a migrant workforce was

overcome by working with Smartgroup, an employment agency, supplying workers to local companies. The company provided a training room in its premises and its bilingual administrative staff gave out leaflets about the English classes and helped to promote the training.

Where the union did have recognition and a good relationship with employers, such as at the leather processing company Pittards, union learning representatives (ULRs) briefed the Polish workers about the courses and encouraged the workers to take up the training on offer. As a result some 200 workers from a variety of companies benefited from the ESOL provision.

Unionlearn regional ESOL Project Worker Beverley Allen said: “It was a really successful project and met a glaring need. Key to its success was the involvement of bilingual workers, genuine partnership and good organisation. Everyone worked hard and progress was tracked at monthly action planning meetings.”

In Wiltshire and Swindon the GMB union built on previous work with mainly Polish migrant worker communities and employers such as Lyons Seafood and ULN UK Cheese Products Ltd. The union got migrant workers onto ESOL courses and built a support network for permanent and agency migrant workers through its Action for Equality Project.

The project provided access to bespoke information, advice and guidance (IAG) services for Polish workers to increase their understanding of how to access training opportunities, and gain recognition of their home qualifications. The project also provided referral to Train 2 Gain to access vocational

qualifications. It also provided courses for union officers and representatives to raise awareness about the needs of migrant workers and how to support them effectively.

The project needed key players to sustain it. The GMB identified ‘Leaders for Learning’ within the migrant worker communities. These leaders took on the role of tutor or ULR in order to provide ongoing support once the Learning Works for All-funded project came to an end An evaluation of the project demonstrated the challenges the union faced. Some employers were reluctant to accommodate on-site ESOL provision during working time and to extend ESOL training to migrant agency workers. Other barriers included reluctance to give paid release for ESOL training.

This was sometimes because of disruption to work at peak times or because of lean production processes.

Nevertheless the project was successful and demonstrated what could be achieved. It resulted in eight new Polish migrant worker ULRs and the recruitment of other learning activists across the region. It also led to learning partnerships with manufacturing and distribution companies including Airsprung, ULN and Peter Black Cosmetics.

Airsprung and ULN both testified to the fact that providing sustained, on-site ESOL learning resulted in improved productivity, safety awareness, morale and reduced absenteeism.

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Unionlearn in th North West/PC e S

Mental health awareness

health problems. Also 60 union representatives attended a two-day awareness course, developed by the Trade Union Education Unit at Wirral Metropolitan College.

Mental health problems are the biggest causes of workplace absenteeism in the UK. Hundreds of thousands of people with mental health problems are excluded from the workplace because of the fear, uncertainty and discrimination that results from myths, stereotypes and ignorance. By working in partnership with employers, unions have succeeded in raising awareness about mental health issues and they have promoted workplace support systems with reduced sickness absence as a result.

In the North West, unionlearn worked with the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) to increase awareness of mental health issues amongst union representatives. They promoted good practice to employers, which included developing workplace support systems for those with problems and for those returning to work.

Some 120 union representatives attended joint briefings by unionlearn and the NHS Trust, which looked at how to represent members with mental

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Bob Birchall, Divisional Director of Interface Services at CWP, said: “The training we have carried out with unionlearn has allowed us to work with four major employers in the Chester area to improve the support they give to staff with mental health problems. They are bringing in consultant psychiatrists and fully-trained counsellors to help workers with stress, depression and anxiety. These conditions have taken over from musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs) as the major cause of work-related illness. The trade unions are also involved in driving forward improvements”.

In the Northern region the awareness-raising work carried out by John Corbett, a ULR with civil service union PCS, is a great example of how ULRs can make a difference in the workplace.

Combining his roles as a ULR and volunteer counsellor in mental health, John used his contacts and knowledge to run a series of events during Mental Health Week to raise awareness at his workplace.

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) National Insurance Contributions Office (NICO) in Newcastle-upon-Tyne employs more than 3,500 staff. At this workplace, a series of events held over three days highlighting various mental health issues reached a wide audience.

More than 800 self-help and information packs on some 25 different topics were distributed to employees at stalls set up in the on-site restaurants.

The packs covered topics including stress and anxiety, bereavement, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression and anger management.

John Corbett said: “There can be a stigma attached to mental health, which can add to the distress and isolation felt by people experiencing problems, so we took a low-key approach. If people just wanted to take leaflets they could do, but I was also on hand if they wanted to talk.”

More than 120 employees heard a presentation given by one of John’s professional contacts in the NHS. The presentation looked at how to recognise the early warning signs of conditions such as depression and anxiety and it also covered selfhelp. In addition, 40 union representatives and HR managers heard two presentations by an educational mental health project worker on the help and support that can be given to get people back to work. The talks were given in the day and evening to ensure maximum attendance.“The role of learning was also emphasised,” says John. “There is a close link to high-esteem created through learning and improving a person’s mental wellbeing.”

Following these successful events the union branch carried out a stress survey. This identified mental health issues as fairly high in people’s list of concerns, and PCS ULRs attended a mental health awareness Level 1 course at Newcastle College during their trade union facility time.

John has received recognition for his work from unionlearn in the form of an Equality Award. The award noted: “The fact that everyone is now talking about the events John has organised is a major step forward in the battle to remove stigmas around mental health and disabilities in the workplace. And more managers are now implementing reasonable adjustments to allow the sufferer the chance to remain at work.”

NICO Director Ian McDonald commented: “Stress in the workplace is a significant problem across the civil service. I welcome any initiative which raises awareness of mental health problems and I am grateful to John for his support in what was a very successful campaign to publicise this important issue.”

“The training we have carried out with unionlearn has allowed us to work with four major employers in the Chester area to improve the support they give to staff with mental health problems” 7

British Sign La nguage classes are one of man learning opportu y nities availalbe to union membe rs

The Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) is committed to ensuring that all its members, and fire and rescue service staff, have equality of access to education and lifelong learning opportunities. The union wants to ensure that barriers to learning are removed from its network of learning centres. This requires that a national level commitment be put into practice locally.

Disabled workers do not enjoy the same access to promotion and training at work as other groups of workers. They are not only more likely to be in lowpaid jobs than other workers, but also face more barriers.

Despite these problems Wendy Calder was determined that neither her hearing impairment, nor the treatment she was undergoing for it, would stop her gaining skills and developing her career. Wendy is

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Fire Brigades’ Union

Disabled work ers

a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) operator in the Fire and Safety Department at the Fire and Rescue Headquarters in Northumberland. Through learning at the FBU’s Morpeth Learning Centre she has demonstrated to her employers that she is a highly motivated employee, and determined to succeed at work.

Wendy’s current job involves computer-produced design work, so she has a good level of IT skills but wanted to improve her maths and English. To this end she completed an initial assessment in September 2007. Following the assessment and with the support of specialist support staff, she progressed through entry level and Level 1 maths, passing her National Numeracy Test Level 1 in July 2008 with flying colours.

Skills for Life tutor at the centre, Lorna Taylor, explained how she devised a number of teaching strategies to support Wendy’s learning. “Wendy is a very bright woman, who did not achieve her full potential in the past because she did not receive the support she needed in mainstream school. She can lip read well, but relies on listening since an operation. It’s hard work and she is still practising listening carefully, and needs clear face-to-face instructions. In the learning centre we offer a learning environment which is free from distractions and with one-to-one support.”

And she explained how she will be able to help Wendy in the next phase of her learning. “Wendy will now need a different approach to help her Level 2 literacy, involving more kinaesthetic and tactile learning resources. I create or download learning materials and text-based material onto a disc for Wendy to take away with her as a prompt for the work online. Learndirect is ideal because it is online,

text-based and there are no speaking and listening units involved.”

Wendy is about to take the Level 2 numeracy test and following a cochlear implant, she has improved her speaking and listening skills. “Having a cochlear implant is very physically demanding, because the volume is gradually increased to help you adjust to hearing sounds you have never heard before”, says Lorna. “I am completely confident that Wendy can achieve her Level 2 in literacy.”

And according to Wendy: “Maths today, English tomorrow, who knows what next? The learning centre support staff encouraged me to progress with my learning. I thought maths and English was not for me. I was encouraged by the staff to try. I have.”

“Maths today, English tomorrow, who knows what next? The learning centre support staff encouraged me to progress with my learning. I thought maths and English was not for me. I was encouraged by the staff to try. I have” 9

Unionlearn in the Midlands/ Community

Women

Unionlearn in the Midlands has developed a Women Stepping Up To Management one-day programme. The programme is aimed at low-paid women workers, and it enables women to explore their management potential and consider the barriers that hold them back. The course leads to an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) unit at Level 3. Information, advice and guidance (IAG) sessions were offered to participants.

Participants on the Women Step ping up to Management co urse in the Mid lands

Despite more than 30 years of equal pay legislation the gender pay gap persists. The gap stubbornly remains at 17 per cent for full-time women workers, while part-time women workers experience a massive pay gap of 37 per cent compared to their full-time male counterparts. That’s why trade unionists are working hard to tackle low pay among their women members, while at the same time they are also providing support for women who are losing their jobs in the current recession. According to the TUC’s January 2009 recession report Women and the Recession, the redundancy rate for women has increased to almost double the rate of that for male workers (although the number of redundancies among men is still higher). Recent unionlearn initiatives have provided support for women, including ULRs, who want to move into management positions where they can improve their pay. Unions have also assisted lowpaid women at risk of redundancy by helping them access training.

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Project worker Irene Murray said: “We planned one workshop with 15 places, but we were oversubscribed within a day and ran a further three courses.” The trainers were women, which Irene felt encouraged a high number of young Asian women to participate.

Feedback was very positive, with one participant commenting: “The course has helped me to support and train others so I’m not the only one with the information . . . it’s motivated me to get out of factory work. It has definitely prompted me.”

There is clear evidence that women ULRs ensure that women workers access training and learning opportunities. For example, Gail Mason, a ULR with the union Community at the hosiery makers Shadowline in Leicester, asked her fellow workers what training they would like, and they plumped for IT. “Their main concern was cost,” Gail explains. “The women were all on the national minimum wage and could not afford to pay very much. But they were longstanding union members so the local Unite branch provided a training room as there was no suitable space at work. The course was planned around the women’s working patterns and 20 women participated.

“Many of these women had not been in a classroom for years, but feedback from the course was extremely positive and some went on to enrol on evening training courses at local colleges”, says Gail.

Unfortunately, redundancies hit the workforce before any further training could take place, but Gail says that it gave the women the confidence to carry on learning and think about working outside the hosiery industry.

“The course has helped me to support and train others so I’m not the only one with the information . . . it’s motivated me to get out of factory work. It has definitely prompted me” 11

Unionlearn in the Midlan ds/ Unionlearn in the South West and Wales

Black and Asi an workers

requested places, and workshops ran in four cities in the East Midlands. The workshops were part of the Unions Brokering Management Skills Project, funded by the Regional Development Agency EMDA.

Participants on the Black and M inority Ethnic W into Managem orkers ent course in th e East Midland s

More than 30 years on from the Race Relations Act 1976, barriers preventing black and Asian workers securing well-paid jobs and promotion remain. Another persistent sign of discrimination is the pay gap which stands as high as 26 per cent for some groups of black and Asian workers relative to their white counterparts.

Unionlearn helps workers overcome disadvantage through workshops to support low paid black and Asian workers move into management positions. It also provides activists’ training to encourage new black and Asian union members and representatives to get involved in their unions.

Unionlearn in the Midlands is trying to assist black and Asian workers who want to be first-line managers or supervisors through a one-day programme called Black and Minority Ethnic Workers into Management. Within two weeks of advertising the training, more than 100 people had

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During the training, participants identified barriers in systems and attitudes to further progression. For example, how part-timers’ progress into management can be hampered by stereotyped expectations about their capabilities; and how the emphasis on networking in pubs is unattractive to those who don’t drink alcohol. Strategies and tactics for challenging attitudes and overcoming barriers were tried out.

One participant said: “Today has helped me identify management skills I already have, and how to seek new skills. I’ve recognised skills I have as a trade union rep and a mother – challenging the behaviour of my teenagers and budgeting, for example!”

Paresh Patel, regional organiser for Unite, gave a presentation on the role of the trade unions. And a careers advisor gave a briefing on career planning and offered a one-to-one information, advice and guidance (IAG) session.

Unionlearn project worker Irene Murray said: “Everyone leading the workshops was black or from a minority ethnic community – we felt this was essential. We consulted with the TUC’s black workers’ network and other black and Asian workers and that helped us get the programme right.”

Unionlearn South West and the Wales TUC Race Committee ran a second black and Asian activists’ weekend school in 2008 which enabled participants to attend outside work time. The course encouraged

black and Asian activists to find out about unions and become involved. This has helped to build a network of black and Asian reps.

“It is great news for all black and Asian activists in Wales and the South West that the TUC in both regions has committed to this annual event, taking place as it does before the TUC Black Workers’ Conference. It gives us a chance to debate the issues coming up,” said Michael Auguste of Community.

Regional Education Officer Marie Hughes commented: “Giving members and new activists the chance to discuss things that matter to them has brought new activists in. Unionlearn and the TUC are pleased to have been able to support such important work over the last two years.”

“Today has helped me identify management skills I already have, and how to seek new skills. I’ve recognised skills I have as a trade union rep and a mother” 13

Equality reps/ disability/LGB T/ women

TUC Education programme

discrimination legislation, and improving equality policies and agreements. It also shows how to find out about and share good practice, develop tools and techniques for raising equality issues, develop equality networks and sharpen negotiating skills. (An initial evaluation of the first year of the equality reps project is available by request from Liz Rees lrees@tuc.org.uk).

Each year over 70,000 trade unionists enrol on trade union education courses organised by the TUC or its affiliated unions. There are now over 22,000 trained workplace union learning reps (ULRs).

The TUC Education programme ensures that all training for all union representatives provides a clear understanding of what equality means in the workplace. It includes specific training for equality representatives and Disability Champions.

Equality representatives encourage employers to make equality and diversity part of mainstream collective bargaining. They aim to ensure that every worker receives fair treatment, particularly those that are vulnerable. They also monitor policies and procedures and the impact they have on different groups of workers.

In January 2009 the TUC produced new training materials including Equality Reps: Winning in the Workplace – a three-day TUC Education Course. The course covers the role of the equality rep,

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Another important development in TUC Education has been training trade union representatives with an interest in disability issues.

As a result of this training and support there are now more than 1,000 Disability Champions. The Champions come from 39 different unions in small and large workplaces across the public and private sectors.

The Disability Champions training course covers negotiating ‘reasonable adjustments’ with employers under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which can include the provision of training.

This raises awareness of disability issues; of conducting access audits of buildings, documents, policies and procedures; and of liaising with external bodies. There is ongoing support in the form of an interactive website www.disabilitychampions.com with lots of information. The website contains regular newsletters with electronic updates.

The TUC Education workbook, Out at Work, supports the TUC’s campaign for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people at work and in society. The publication provides reps with information to assist LGBT

members to help ensure their interests are properly represented, and to involve them in the union.

Women make up over 50 per cent of union members and a growing proportion of union reps.

The TUC Education workbook, Working Women, is designed for use on TUC and union courses in branch meetings and the wider community. It provides information and resources that will help all reps understand and challenge issues that hold women back.

And according to the TUC National Trade Union Education Manager Liz Rees, “TUC Education invests in the development of their 250 tutors through a range of programmes that consider the issues and the most effective education methodology for developing equality-aware reps.”

The training and development of TUC tutors is key to effectively mainstreaming equality in the education programme for union reps and officers.

“TUC Education invests in the development of their 250 tutors through a range of programmes that consider the issues and the most effective education methodology for developing equality-aware reps” 15

Unions at Merseytravel

Skills for life

Their learning centres are linked to learndirect, allowing workers to access learning 24 hours a day.

“This has enabled staff to undertake courses at home and at times to suit their shifts,” explains Learning and Development Manager Liz Chandler.

“We use a positive approach to SfL – emphasizing brushing up and refreshing skills so people feel that it’s a positive step to get involved.”

The support for learning at Merseylearn is impressive.

Liz Chandler of Merseytravel an d Project Manag Merseylearn an er of d Roger Irvine, UN ISON Branch Secretary, at th e company’s he adquarters

Merseytravel co-ordinates public transport and acts in partnership with private bus and rail operators to provide public transport in Merseyside.

Through its unique project, Merseylearn, it works with its trade unions to put Skills for Life (SfL) at the heart of its business planning.

Merseylearn has received a series of accolades for its work. Most recently its work was recognised when it was nominated in January 2009 by the regional Local Government Steering Group for SfL to receive the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA’s) GO excellence award.

Working in partnership, management and unions set up the Joint Learning Forum (JLF) as the decisionmaking body for learning and skills issues. With the help of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) and other external funds, along with the company’s own investment, the ‘Merseylearn’ team were employed to support learners with basic skills needs, such as numeracy, literacy, communication skills and ICT.

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All staff are entitled to time off work for SfL learning, or are given time back for any SfL they complete in their own time.

All staff can access an interest free loan of up to £1,000 for a computer so they can learn from home. The scheme has lent £97,281 to date.

There is an annual awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements for all staff and a Merseylearner of the Year award.

A staff development charter contains a commitment to encourage all staff to undertake development to enhance their career prospects.

The intranet is available for all staff.

Backing up all these facilities is a network of 28 ULRs. Since 2004, this has helped 837 workers to access learning, 291 to achieve SfL qualifications, and more than 50 per cent of the workforce to achieve NVQs. In addition to providing learning opportunities for its own staff, it works as a skills broker for the wider transport sector. More than 1,000 Merseyside taxi drivers have now achieved the VRQ – a pre-Level 2 vocational qualification that includes health and safety, personal safety, body language, customer care and disability awareness.

In addition all staff at Merseyrail can access the SfL programme. John Dougherty, a ULR in the RMT union, commented: “Traditionally it is hard to reach railway workers because of shift patterns and lack of a regular work base. But Merseylearn works for us!”

Organisations in the supply chain are strongly urged to make the Skills Pledge, and the company is ready to speak out about the return on investment, revealing the following.

There is high retention: staff turnover has fallen to 4 per cent since the advent of SfL. There are better employment relations: there has been a 10 per cent drop in disciplinaries and grievances.

There is a reduction in absence equivalent to 2.5 days per year per member of staff as a result of improved morale.

There has been a 10 per cent increase in internal promotion.

There is improved customer satisfaction, with customer complaints falling by 50 per cent from 2002 to 2007.

None of this could have been achieved without an effective employer/union partnership.

“Traditionally it is hard to reach railway workers because of shift patterns and lack of a regular work base. But Merseylearn works for us!”

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2.

3.

4.

Brush Electrica l apprentices at the unionlearn Midlands appr enticeships even t in Leicester

At the beginning of 2009 Gordon Brown announced a scheme to create an extra 35,000 apprenticeships as part of a £140m Government scheme to generate new jobs. And in April the National Apprenticeships Scheme (NAS) started with support for employers and individuals, including a national job-matching service.

In order to promote the apprentices scheme Liz Smith, unionlearn Director, addressed an event in Leicester to celebrate the achievements of the unionlearn Midlands Trade Unions and Apprenticeship Project, funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). Liz Smith set out the five key areas for union negotiators.

1. Equality and diversity: ensuring that young women, black and minority ethnic (BME) and disabled workers, for example, have the opportunity to access apprenticeships across the

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5.

Unionlearn in the Midlands/ UCATT/Unite/ Community

Apprentices

economy. At present, for example, only 2 per cent of engineering apprentices are women and girls, and while BME people make up 9 per cent of the population, they make up only 6 per cent of apprentices.

Ensuring that apprentices have proper contracts and employed status.

Addressing low pay: 10 per cent of apprentices are currently paid less than £3 an hour and those on low pay are more likely to drop out.

Training and support: including proper induction, health and safety training and good mentoring are all essential.

Health and safety: young workers are more likely to have accidents at work than older workers and safety reps can ensure that risk assessments are properly carried out.

The apprentices’ project in the Midlands has worked with unions and employers to promote good quality apprenticeships and has delivered excellent results. Lincoln City Council has taken on three new apprentices as a result of an agreement with the unions. The Craft Development Scheme (CDS) gives unions the right to be involved in the selection and interviewing of new apprentices, and has negotiated their terms and conditions, covering their induction, health and safety, training, monitoring and appraisal.

Kevin Clarke, ULR with building union UCATT, believes that taking on three apprentices: “shows that the authority is committed to the future, committed to the area, and that it has staying power”. With an aging workforce, the apprentices will ensure that construction skills are passed on and retained within the local authority’s workforce.

At Brush Electrical Machines in Loughborough, which currently has 56 apprentices, the Unite convenor and senior safety reps are involved in inductions for new apprentices. The apprentices have the opportunity to go on a five-day educational/ recreational outward bound course.

The course is paid for by their union, with the company providing paid time off.

Nottingham-based Beamlight Automotive Seating has agreed to take on adult and youth apprentices.

It has signed an agreement with Community, which commits it to pay young apprentices the same rate as employees of the same age.

The project has also promoted protocols for joint working between training providers and unions, which include agreement for unions to visit programmes and talk to them about trade unions and rights at work. And the TUC Education Service has developed a three-day course to give union reps an understanding of the issues faced by apprentices.

“The apprentices’project in the Midlands has worked with unions and employers to promote good quality apprenticeships and has delivered excellent results�

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USDAW

Part-time and shift workers

promote the campaign asked workers if they would like to get more involved in the union.

Although it was clear that the level of spoken English was very high, those involved were keen to develop their literacy and IT skills. IT training is delivered on-site in the workers’ own time (from 6pm to 8pm), with the company providing a training room, and the tutor bringing in laptops.

Tesco’s Harrow store saw the st art of USDAW’s Chec k Out Learning campaign

Making learning accessible and affordable has been a winning strategy for retail and shop workers union, USDAW. The union’s retail sector campaign, Check Out Learning, has included 11 in-store promotions, recruited 130 new members, and identified 26 new reps, including 15 ULRs. More than 400 questionnaires used to assess learning needs were completed and learning is now taking place in eight stores.

The union’s campaign is targeting particular stores.

These are stores where the union has an agreement with the employer, where there are more than 250 workers, and where there are some reps in place.

The Check Out Learning Roadshow kicked off at Tesco’s Harrow store. The union provided posters, free gifts and taster courses and an opportunity to complete an initial learning assessment with college tutors and ULRs. The company gave paid time off for workers to attend the day and complete assessments. And the union team brought in to help

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Literacy lecturer Helen Holmes said: “It is really important that learning is provided on-site at a convenient time because people have so many other commitments. But the most important thing is that people enjoy it, and can put their learning to good use.”

USDAW ULR Kirti Shah has negotiated shift changes so that people can access training. Kirti said: “Since I became a shop steward and then a ULR, membership levels have increased from 40 per cent to around 55 per cent. This training is good and it has really opened up opportunities for people who have never used a computer before, and couldn’t have afforded a college course.”

Paul Wilson, former manager at the store, welcomed the initiative: “It’s great to give an opportunity for our staff to learn in an environment where they feel safe and supported and with others that they know.

Working with the union to set up this project was good for the store moral. It showed that the partnership with the union is not only there to represent staff but has much more to offer.

Published by unionlearn Congress House London WC1B 3LS Tel 020 7079 6920 Fax 020 7079 6921 www.unionlearn.org.uk June 2009 print: College Hill Press design: Kevin Brown at park44.com photos: Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk, p.4 and p.8; Rod Leon, p.12; John Harris/reportdigital.co.uk, p.14; Colin McPherson, p.16; Roy Peters, p.18