UnionsOpening Up

Learningfor All

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Trade unions have a long and proud history ofchallenging discrimination. They have worked toensure that workers receive fair treatment andequality of opportunity at work and in wider society.As the examples in this booklet show, this is as truefor union learning as it is for other areas of tradeunion work.

Trade unions, the TUC and unionlearn contribute toequality at work by making learning accessible,relevant and flexible for learners. They also makesure that learning agreements with employers coverthose with few or no qualifications rather than justthose with higher level skills.

Opening up opportunities for learning to lower paidand hard-to-reach groups of workers benefits bothindividuals and their employers. These employersoften refer to the benefits their businesses gain,including improved morale, productivity, andcustomer relations; better safety awareness; andreductions in sickness absence.

This booklet provides 10 examples of how unionlearning helps build equality at work in variousways:

Union learning has helped migrant workers geton by running training in English for Speakers ofOther Languages (ESOL). This builds workplacecohesion and assists migrant workers developthe skills they already have. It has also led tofirst-line supervisor and management training insome cases.Union learning has raised awareness of mentalhealth issues in the workplace. This has beenachieved through events, briefings and trainingcourses for union representatives and managersand by promoting workplace support systems toreduce ill health and sickness absence.Union learning has given disabled workers thesupport, encouragement and resources they needto access union learning activities and achievetheir full potential.Union learning has provided support for womenwanting to move into better- paid managementpositions. It offered training for women unionlearning representatives (ULRs) to gain higherlevels of confidence and managementqualifications through the union route. It alsoprovided training opportunities for low-paidwomen at risk of redundancy in order to increasetheir employability.Union learning ran workshops to support low-paid black and Asian workers to move intomanagement positions, and put on trainingweekends for activists to encourage new blackand Asian union members and representatives tobecome more active in their trade unions andworkplaces.Union learning has ensured that ULRs and otherunion representatives involved in promoting andcreating learning opportunities carry out theirrole with a clear understanding of what ‘equality’means in practice. It also ensured that they

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Foreword

understand how it applies to the workplacelearning agenda through equality reps training aswell as made equality a theme throughout theTUC Education programme.Union learning has made sure that learning reallyis lifelong, by extending the trade union learningoffer to retired members.Union learning has opened up Skills for Life (SfL)learning opportunities for hard-to-reach workersin passenger transport by providing 24-houraccess, and financial and tutorial support. Union learning has provided accessible,affordable, on-site learning for part-time workersand shift workers in the retail sector. Union learning has persuaded employers to takeon apprentices from diverse backgrounds, andnegotiated good terms and conditions for theseyoung workers.

These case studies are described in full in thisbooklet.

Learning can be life changing, so it is vital thateveryone can access educational opportunities. Theexamples in this booklet show how unions and theirrepresentatives have helped to challenge unfairtreatment and discrimination to make help makeequality a reality. I hope it will inspire others to thinkabout how they can open up learning anddevelopment opportunities in their own workplacesand communities.

Liz SmithDirector, unionlearn

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Older people miss out on training, according tothe charity Age Concern. While 41 per cent of thetotal population participated in some sort oflearning in 2007, only 21 per cent of people aged 65to 74 did so. And there are 11.3 million people overthe state pension age (SPA) in the UK.

To make matters worse the number of people aged60 and over participating in further educationdropped by more than a third (38 per cent) from264,800 in 2005/06 to 163,700 in 2006/7. Tradeunions have been campaigning for more fundingand support for learning for older people. In March2009 the Government published its White Paper,The Learning Revolution, which set out plans formore support for older people. Unions will continueputting on pressure until a greater percentage ofolder people are offered the chance to learn.

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 anactive life in the Portsmouth, West Sussex and Isleof Wight Branch, which started when he joined theunion as a GPO Poling Engineer in 1963. Hepromotes learning to other union members,including those who have retired, and is the RetiredMembers Secretary for the branch. Don’sappointment followed a CWU initiative which beganin York in 2008 when the union ran the first ULRcourse for retired members.

Andy Sorton, CWU Regional Project Worker in theNorth East, says that unions can make a realdifference by looking at their own educationprogrammes. “Our education programme isdesigned to ensure every member enjoys equality ofopportunity and the CWU wanted to make certaineveryone can join in and we do this by opening ourcourses to retired members”, he said. “Many retiredpeople have grandchildren and many will take onsome childcare responsibilities. They need todevelop their skills in order to pass them on to thenext generation.”

Lifelong learning helps to maintain good mentalhealth and promotes a good quality of life. That’swhy the union developed a ULR training coursespecifically for retired members, who are able withthe union’s support to negotiate deals withproviders that make learning affordable andaccessible. “Our retired members put a lot into theunion, and we want to make sure that we are givingsomething back to them,” says Andy.

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Migrant workers tend to find themselvestrapped in low-skill, low-pay jobs with poorconditions, which do not fully utilise their previoustraining and experience. This was the finding inunionlearn’s 2008 research report, Migrant Workersin the Labour Market. Too often they are wronglyplaced on the first rung of the labour market ladder,the report said. And even highly qualified migrantworkers can find it difficult to find work because of apoor grasp of English.

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

Unionlearn in the Midlands, with the help offunding from the regional development agency

EMDA, ran a series of one-day workshops providingfirst line management and supervision training forskilled migrant workers across the East Midlands.The aim was to help them identify first-linemanagers and technicians. The workshops countedtowards an Institute of Leadership and Management(ILM) Level 3 qualification.

Jurgita Pranculyte, project worker for unionlearn,explained some of the barriers migrant workers inthe region face: “Their full potential is often notachieved for many reasons — be it confidence, gapsin work experience, difficulties in getting their homequalifications recognised or language issues.”

The project helped to address some of theseproblems. It provided support for taking higher-levelEnglish qualifications, and looked at achieving aleadership qualification. The project also assessedleadership potential, improved leadership skills, andby understanding the role of leaders, improvedperformance.

The union Community used Learning Works for Allfunding to provide evening and weekend ESOLclasses for Polish migrant workers in Yeovil inSomerset. These classes helped integrate workersinto their local communities, and aimed to helpreduce levels of potential exploitation. As well asproviding language support, the union also providedinformation about the role of trade unions andworkers’ rights through leaflets, and through thecourses themselves. Ewa Mahey, a bilingual Polishworker employed by the Workers’ EducationAssociation (WEA), supported the learners.

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

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overcome by working with Smartgroup, anemployment agency, supplying workers to localcompanies. The company provided a training roomin its premises and its bilingual administrative staffgave out leaflets about the English classes andhelped to promote the training.

Where the union did have recognition and a goodrelationship with employers, such as at the leatherprocessing company Pittards, union learningrepresentatives (ULRs) briefed the Polish workersabout the courses and encouraged the workers totake up the training on offer. As a result some 200workers from a variety of companies benefited fromthe ESOL provision.

Unionlearn regional ESOL Project Worker BeverleyAllen said: “It was a really successful project andmet a glaring need. Key to its success was theinvolvement of bilingual workers, genuinepartnership and good organisation. Everyoneworked hard and progress was tracked at monthlyaction planning meetings.”

In Wiltshire and Swindon the GMB union built onprevious work with mainly Polish migrant workercommunities and employers such as Lyons Seafoodand ULN UK Cheese Products Ltd. The union gotmigrant workers onto ESOL courses and built asupport network for permanent and agency migrantworkers through its Action for Equality Project.

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

qualifications. It also provided courses for unionofficers and representatives to raise awarenessabout the needs of migrant workers and how tosupport them effectively.

The project needed key players to sustain it. TheGMB identified ‘Leaders for Learning’ within themigrant worker communities. These leaders took onthe role of tutor or ULR in order to provide ongoingsupport once the Learning Works for All-fundedproject came to an end

An evaluation of the project demonstrated thechallenges the union faced. Some employers werereluctant to accommodate on-site ESOL provisionduring working time and to extend ESOL training tomigrant agency workers. Other barriers includedreluctance to give paid release for ESOL training.This was sometimes because of disruption to workat peak times or because of lean productionprocesses.

Nevertheless the project was successful anddemonstrated what could be achieved. It resulted ineight new Polish migrant worker ULRs and therecruitment of other learning activists across theregion. It also led to learning partnerships withmanufacturing and distribution companies includingAirsprung, ULN and Peter Black Cosmetics.

Airsprung and ULN both testified to the fact thatproviding sustained, on-site ESOL learning resultedin improved productivity, safety awareness, moraleand reduced absenteeism.

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Mental health problems are the biggest causes ofworkplace absenteeism in the UK. Hundreds ofthousands of people with mental health problems areexcluded from the workplace because of the fear,uncertainty and discrimination that results frommyths, stereotypes and ignorance. By working inpartnership with employers, unions have succeededin raising awareness about mental health issues andthey have promoted workplace support systems withreduced sickness absence as a result.

In the North West, unionlearn worked with theCheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust (CWP) to increase awareness of mental healthissues amongst union representatives. Theypromoted good practice to employers, whichincluded developing workplace support systems forthose with problems and for those returning to work.

Some 120 union representatives attended jointbriefings by unionlearn and the NHS Trust, whichlooked at how to represent members with mental

health problems. Also 60 union representativesattended a two-day awareness course, developed bythe Trade Union Education Unit at WirralMetropolitan College.

Bob Birchall, Divisional Director of Interface Servicesat CWP, said: “The training we have carried out withunionlearn has allowed us to work with four majoremployers in the Chester area to improve thesupport they give to staff with mental healthproblems. They are bringing in consultantpsychiatrists and fully-trained counsellors to helpworkers with stress, depression and anxiety. Theseconditions have taken over from musculo-skeletaldisorders (MSDs) as the major cause of work-relatedillness. The trade unions are also involved in drivingforward improvements”.

In the Northern region the awareness-raisingwork carried out by John Corbett, a ULR withcivil service union PCS, is a great example of howULRs can make a difference in the workplace.Combining his roles as a ULR and volunteercounsellor in mental health, John used his contactsand knowledge to run a series of events duringMental Health Week to raise awareness at hisworkplace.

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

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

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The packs covered topics including stress andanxiety, bereavement, obsessive compulsivedisorder (OCD), depression and anger management.

John Corbett said: “There can be a stigma attachedto mental health, which can add to the distress andisolation felt by people experiencing problems, sowe took a low-key approach. If people just wantedto take leaflets they could do, but I was also onhand if they wanted to talk.”

More than 120 employees heard a presentationgiven by one of John’s professional contacts in theNHS. The presentation looked at how to recognisethe early warning signs of conditions such asdepression and anxiety and it also covered self-help. In addition, 40 union representatives and HRmanagers heard two presentations by aneducational mental health project worker on thehelp and support that can be given to get peopleback to work. The talks were given in the day andevening to ensure maximum attendance.“The role oflearning was also emphasised,” says John. “There isa close link to high-esteem created through learningand improving a person’s mental wellbeing.”

Following these successful events the union branchcarried out a stress survey. This identified mentalhealth issues as fairly high in people’s list ofconcerns, and PCS ULRs attended a mental healthawareness Level 1 course at Newcastle Collegeduring their trade union facility time.

John has received recognition for his work fromunionlearn in the form of an Equality Award. Theaward noted: “The fact that everyone is now talkingabout the events John has organised is a major stepforward in the battle to remove stigmas aroundmental health and disabilities in the workplace. Andmore managers are now implementing reasonableadjustments to allow the sufferer the chance toremain at work.”

NICO Director Ian McDonald commented: “Stress inthe workplace is a significant problem across thecivil service. I welcome any initiative which raisesawareness of mental health problems and I amgrateful to John for his support in what was a verysuccessful campaign to publicise this importantissue.”

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“The training we havecarried out with unionlearnhas allowed us to workwith four major employersin the Chester area toimprove the support theygive to staff with mentalhealth problems”

The Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) is committed toensuring that all its members, and fire and rescueservice staff, have equality of access to educationand lifelong learning opportunities. The union wantsto ensure that barriers to learning are removed fromits network of learning centres. This requires that anational level commitment be put into practicelocally.

Disabled workers do not enjoy the same access topromotion and training at work as other groups ofworkers. They are not only more likely to be in low-paid jobs than other workers, but also face morebarriers.

Despite these problems Wendy Calder wasdetermined that neither her hearing impairment, northe treatment she was undergoing for it, would stopher gaining skills and developing her career. Wendy is

a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) operator in the Fireand Safety Department at the Fire and RescueHeadquarters in Northumberland. Through learning atthe FBU’s Morpeth Learning Centre she hasdemonstrated to her employers that she is a highlymotivated employee, and determined to succeed atwork.

Wendy’s current job involves computer-produceddesign work, so she has a good level of IT skills butwanted to improve her maths and English. To thisend she completed an initial assessment inSeptember 2007. Following the assessment and withthe support of specialist support staff, sheprogressed through entry level and Level 1 maths,passing her National Numeracy Test Level 1 in July2008 with flying colours.

Skills for Life tutor at the centre, Lorna Taylor,explained how she devised a number of teachingstrategies to support Wendy’s learning. “Wendy is avery bright woman, who did not achieve her fullpotential in the past because she did not receive thesupport she needed in mainstream school. She canlip read well, but relies on listening since anoperation. It’s hard work and she is still practisinglistening carefully, and needs clear face-to-faceinstructions. In the learning centre we offer alearning environment which is free from distractionsand with one-to-one support.”

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

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text-based and there are no speaking and listeningunits involved.”

Wendy is about to take the Level 2 numeracy test andfollowing a cochlear implant, she has improved herspeaking and listening skills. “Having a cochlearimplant is very physically demanding, because thevolume is gradually increased to help you adjust tohearing sounds you have never heard before”, saysLorna. “I am completely confident that Wendy canachieve her Level 2 in literacy.”

And according to Wendy: “Maths today, Englishtomorrow, who knows what next? The learningcentre support staff encouraged me to progress withmy learning. I thought maths and English was notfor me. I was encouraged by the staff to try. I have.”

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“Maths today, Englishtomorrow, who knowswhat next? The learningcentre support staffencouraged me to progresswith my learning. I thoughtmaths and English was notfor me. I was encouragedby the staff to try. I have”

Despite more than 30 years of equal paylegislation the gender pay gap persists. The gapstubbornly remains at 17 per cent for full-timewomen workers, while part-time women workersexperience a massive pay gap of 37 per centcompared to their full-time male counterparts. That’swhy trade unionists are working hard to tackle lowpay among their women members, while at thesame time they are also providing support forwomen who are losing their jobs in the currentrecession. According to the TUC’s January 2009recession report Women and the Recession, theredundancy rate for women has increased to almostdouble the rate of that for male workers (althoughthe number of redundancies among men is stillhigher). Recent unionlearn initiatives have providedsupport for women, including ULRs, who want tomove into management positions where they canimprove their pay. Unions have also assisted low-paid women at risk of redundancy by helping themaccess training.

Unionlearn in the Midlands has developed aWomen Stepping Up To Management one-dayprogramme. The programme is aimed at low-paidwomen workers, and it enables women to exploretheir management potential and consider thebarriers that hold them back. The course leads to anInstitute of Leadership and Management (ILM) unitat Level 3. Information, advice and guidance (IAG)sessions were offered to participants.

Project worker Irene Murray said: “We planned oneworkshop with 15 places, but we wereoversubscribed within a day and ran a further threecourses.” The trainers were women, which Irene feltencouraged a high number of young Asian womento participate.

Feedback was very positive, with one participantcommenting: “The course has helped me to supportand train others so I’m not the only one with theinformation . . . it’s motivated me to get out offactory work. It has definitely prompted me.”

There is clear evidence that women ULRs ensurethat women workers access training and learningopportunities. For example, Gail Mason, a ULR withthe union Community at the hosiery makersShadowline in Leicester, asked her fellow workerswhat training they would like, and they plumped for IT.

“Their main concern was cost,” Gail explains. “Thewomen were all on the national minimum wage andcould not afford to pay very much. But they werelongstanding union members so the local Unitebranch provided a training room as there was nosuitable space at work. The course was plannedaround the women’s working patterns and 20women participated.

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Participants on the Women Stepping up toManagement course in the Midlands

“Many of these women had not been in aclassroom for years, but feedback from the coursewas extremely positive and some went on to enrolon evening training courses at local colleges”, saysGail.

Unfortunately, redundancies hit the workforce beforeany further training could take place, but Gail saysthat it gave the women the confidence to carry onlearning and think about working outside thehosiery industry.

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“The course has helped meto support and train othersso I’m not the only onewith the information . . .it’s motivated me to getout of factory work. It hasdefinitely prompted me”

More than 30 years on from the Race RelationsAct 1976, barriers preventing black and Asianworkers securing well-paid jobs and promotionremain. Another persistent sign of discrimination isthe pay gap which stands as high as 26 per cent forsome groups of black and Asian workers relative totheir white counterparts.

Unionlearn helps workers overcome disadvantagethrough workshops to support low paid black andAsian workers move into management positions. Italso provides activists’ training to encourage newblack and Asian union members and representativesto get involved in their unions.

Unionlearn in the Midlands is trying to assist blackand Asian workers who want to be first-linemanagers or supervisors through a one-dayprogramme called Black and Minority EthnicWorkers into Management. Within two weeks ofadvertising the training, more than 100 people had

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

During the training, participants identified barriers insystems and attitudes to further progression. Forexample, how part-timers’ progress intomanagement can be hampered by stereotypedexpectations about their capabilities; and how theemphasis on networking in pubs is unattractive tothose who don’t drink alcohol. Strategies and tacticsfor challenging attitudes and overcoming barrierswere tried out.

One participant said: “Today has helped me identifymanagement skills I already have, and how to seeknew skills. I’ve recognised skills I have as a tradeunion rep and a mother – challenging the behaviourof my teenagers and budgeting, for example!”

Paresh Patel, regional organiser for Unite, gave apresentation on the role of the trade unions. And acareers advisor gave a briefing on career planningand offered a one-to-one information, advice andguidance (IAG) session.

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

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

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Participants on the Black and Minority Ethnic Workersinto Management course in the East Midlands

black and Asian activists to find out about unionsand become involved. This has helped to build anetwork of black and Asian reps.

“It is great news for all black and Asian activistsin Wales and the South West that the TUC in bothregions has committed to this annual event, takingplace as it does before the TUC Black Workers’Conference. It gives us a chance to debate theissues coming up,” said Michael Auguste ofCommunity.

Regional Education Officer Marie Hughescommented: “Giving members and new activists thechance to discuss things that matter to them hasbrought new activists in. Unionlearn and the TUC arepleased to have been able to support suchimportant work over the last two years.”

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“Today has helped meidentify management skillsI already have, and how toseek new skills. I’verecognised skills I have asa trade union rep and amother”

Each year over 70,000 trade unionists enrol ontrade union education courses organised by theTUC or its affiliated unions. There are now over22,000 trained workplace union learning reps(ULRs).

The TUC Education programme ensures that alltraining for all union representatives provides a clearunderstanding of what equality means in theworkplace. It includes specific training for equalityrepresentatives and Disability Champions.

Equality representatives encourage employers tomake equality and diversity part of mainstreamcollective bargaining. They aim to ensure that everyworker receives fair treatment, particularly thosethat are vulnerable. They also monitor policies andprocedures and the impact they have on differentgroups of workers.

In January 2009 the TUC produced new trainingmaterials including Equality Reps: Winning in theWorkplace – a three-day TUC Education Course. Thecourse covers the role of the equality rep,

discrimination legislation, and improving equalitypolicies and agreements. It also shows how to findout about and share good practice, develop tools andtechniques for raising equality issues, developequality networks and sharpen negotiating skills. (Aninitial evaluation of the first year of the equality repsproject is available by request from Liz Reeslrees@tuc.org.uk).

Another important development in TUCEducation has been training trade unionrepresentatives with an interest in disability issues.As a result of this training and support there arenow more than 1,000 Disability Champions. TheChampions come from 39 different unions in smalland large workplaces across the public and privatesectors.

The Disability Champions training course coversnegotiating ‘reasonable adjustments’ withemployers under the Disability Discrimination Act1995, which can include the provision of training.This raises awareness of disability issues; ofconducting access audits of buildings, documents,policies and procedures; and of liaising withexternal bodies. There is ongoing support in theform of an interactive websitewww.disabilitychampions.com with lots ofinformation. The website contains regularnewsletters with electronic updates.

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

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

Women make up over 50 per cent of unionmembers and a growing proportion of union reps.The TUC Education workbook, Working Women, isdesigned for use on TUC and union courses in branchmeetings and the wider community. It providesinformation and resources that will help all repsunderstand and challenge issues that hold womenback.

And according to the TUC National Trade UnionEducation Manager Liz Rees, “TUC Education investsin the development of their 250 tutors through arange of programmes that consider the issues andthe most effective education methodology fordeveloping equality-aware reps.”

The training and development of TUC tutors is key toeffectively mainstreaming equality in the educationprogramme for union reps and officers.

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“TUC Education invests inthe development of their250 tutors through a rangeof programmes thatconsider the issues and themost effective educationmethodology fordeveloping equality-awarereps”

Merseytravel co-ordinates public transport andacts in partnership with private bus and railoperators to provide public transport in Merseyside.Through its unique project, Merseylearn, it workswith its trade unions to put Skills for Life (SfL) at theheart of its business planning.

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

Working in partnership, management and unions setup the Joint Learning Forum (JLF) as the decision-making body for learning and skills issues. With thehelp of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) and otherexternal funds, along with the company’s owninvestment, the ‘Merseylearn’ team were employedto support learners with basic skills needs, such asnumeracy, literacy, communication skills and ICT.

Their learning centres are linked to learndirect,allowing workers to access learning 24 hours a day.“This has enabled staff to undertake courses athome and at times to suit their shifts,” explainsLearning and Development Manager Liz Chandler.“We use a positive approach to SfL – emphasizingbrushing up and refreshing skills so people feel thatit’s a positive step to get involved.”

The support for learning at Merseylearn isimpressive.

All staff are entitled to time off work for SfLlearning, or are given time back for any SfL theycomplete in their own time.All staff can access an interest free loan of up to£1,000 for a computer so they can learn fromhome. The scheme has lent £97,281 to date.There is an annual awards ceremony to celebratethe achievements for all staff and aMerseylearner of the Year award. A staff development charter contains acommitment to encourage all staff to undertakedevelopment to enhance their career prospects. The intranet is available for all staff.

Backing up all these facilities is a network of 28ULRs.

Since 2004, this has helped 837 workers to accesslearning, 291 to achieve SfL qualifications, and morethan 50 per cent of the workforce to achieve NVQs.

In addition to providing learning opportunities for itsown staff, it works as a skills broker for the widertransport sector. More than 1,000 Merseyside taxidrivers have now achieved the VRQ – a pre-Level 2vocational qualification that includes health andsafety, personal safety, body language, customercare and disability awareness.

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Liz Chandler of Merseytravel and Project Manager ofMerseylearn and Roger Irvine, UNISON BranchSecretary, at the company’s headquarters

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

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

There is high retention: staff turnover has fallento 4 per cent since the advent of SfL.There are better employment relations: there hasbeen a 10 per cent drop in disciplinaries andgrievances.There is a reduction in absence equivalent to 2.5days per year per member of staff as a result ofimproved morale. There has been a 10 per cent increase in internalpromotion.There is improved customer satisfaction, withcustomer complaints falling by 50 per cent from2002 to 2007.

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

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“Traditionally it is hard toreach railway workersbecause of shift patternsand lack of a regular workbase. But Merseylearnworks for us!”

At the beginning of 2009 Gordon Brownannounced a scheme to create an extra 35,000apprenticeships as part of a £140m Governmentscheme to generate new jobs. And in April theNational Apprenticeships Scheme (NAS) started withsupport for employers and individuals, including anational job-matching service.

In order to promote the apprentices scheme LizSmith, unionlearn Director, addressed an event inLeicester to celebrate the achievements of theunionlearn Midlands Trade Unions andApprenticeship Project, funded by the Departmentfor Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). LizSmith set out the five key areas for unionnegotiators.

1. Equality and diversity: ensuring that youngwomen, black and minority ethnic (BME) anddisabled workers, for example, have theopportunity to access apprenticeships across the

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

2. Ensuring that apprentices have proper contractsand employed status.

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

4. Training and support: including proper induction,health and safety training and good mentoringare all essential.

5. Health and safety: young workers are more likelyto have accidents at work than older workers andsafety reps can ensure that risk assessments areproperly carried out.

The apprentices’ project in the Midlands hasworked with unions and employers to promote goodquality apprenticeships and has delivered excellentresults. Lincoln City Council has taken on three newapprentices as a result of an agreement with theunions. The Craft Development Scheme (CDS) givesunions the right to be involved in the selection andinterviewing of new apprentices, and has negotiatedtheir terms and conditions, covering their induction,health and safety, training, monitoring andappraisal.

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

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Brush Electrical apprentices at the unionlearnMidlands apprenticeships event in Leicester

At Brush Electrical Machines in Loughborough,which currently has 56 apprentices, the Uniteconvenor and senior safety reps are involved ininductions for new apprentices. The apprenticeshave the opportunity to go on a five-dayeducational/ recreational outward bound course.The course is paid for by their union, with thecompany providing paid time off.

Nottingham-based Beamlight Automotive Seatinghas agreed to take on adult and youth apprentices.It has signed an agreement with Community, whichcommits it to pay young apprentices the same rateas employees of the same age.

The project has also promoted protocols for jointworking between training providers and unions,which include agreement for unions to visitprogrammes and talk to them about trade unionsand rights at work. And the TUC Education Servicehas developed a three-day course to give union repsan understanding of the issues faced byapprentices.

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“The apprentices’project inthe Midlands has workedwith unions and employersto promote good qualityapprenticeships and hasdelivered excellent results”

Making learning accessible and affordable hasbeen a winning strategy for retail and shop workersunion, USDAW. The union’s retail sector campaign,Check Out Learning, has included 11 in-storepromotions, recruited 130 new members, andidentified 26 new reps, including 15 ULRs. More than400 questionnaires used to assess learning needswere completed and learning is now taking place ineight stores.

The union’s campaign is targeting particular stores.These are stores where the union has an agreementwith the employer, where there are more than 250workers, and where there are some reps in place.

The Check Out Learning Roadshow kicked off atTesco’s Harrow store. The union provided posters,free gifts and taster courses and an opportunity tocomplete an initial learning assessment with collegetutors and ULRs. The company gave paid time off forworkers to attend the day and completeassessments. And the union team brought in to help

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

Although it was clear that the level of spokenEnglish was very high, those involved were keen todevelop their literacy and IT skills. IT training isdelivered on-site in the workers’ own time (from6pm to 8pm), with the company providing a trainingroom, and the tutor bringing in laptops.

Literacy lecturer Helen Holmes said: “It is reallyimportant that learning is provided on-site at aconvenient time because people have so manyother commitments. But the most important thing isthat people enjoy it, and can put their learning togood use.”

USDAW ULR Kirti Shah has negotiated shift changesso that people can access training. Kirti said: “SinceI became a shop steward and then a ULR,membership levels have increased from 40 per centto around 55 per cent. This training is good and ithas really opened up opportunities for people whohave never used a computer before, and couldn’thave afforded a college course.”

Paul Wilson, former manager at the store, welcomedthe initiative: “It’s great to give an opportunity forour staff to learn in an environment where they feelsafe and supported and with others that they know.Working with the union to set up this project wasgood for the store moral. It showed that thepartnership with the union is not only there torepresent staff but has much more to offer.

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Part-time and shift workers

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AWTesco’s Harrow store saw the start ofUSDAW’s Check Out Learning campaign

Published byunionlearnCongress HouseLondon WC1B 3LS

Tel 020 7079 6920Fax 020 7079 6921www.unionlearn.org.uk

June 2009

print: College Hill Pressdesign: Kevin Brown at park44.comphotos: 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