01 LR April 08:Layout 1 11/4/08 08:54 Page 1

the
learningrep
» Spring 08

Meet the man

behind the Union
Learning Fund
Hilary Benn reveals how
he came up with the
idea 10 years ago

www.unionlearn.org.uk
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» Comment

Parliamentary
work pays off
MPs of all parties have been finding out
about the workplace union learning story
since we launched our “Learning together
– winning together” campaign in the 4
House of Commons earlier this year. Our
regional managers across the country are
organising visits for MPs in workplace
learning centres. And the feedback is
positive, often with good media coverage.
Working in Parliament is not new of course, 12
and we’ve chalked up some impressive
successes in the past. In this issue we celebrate
the tenth anniversary of the start of the Union
27
Learning Fund (ULF), and the fifth anniversary of
ULRs being given a statutory right to time off for
their duties. As always, though, there’s more to
do. We will need to win strengthened rights for
ULRs, and collective bargaining rights extended
14 19
to cover training.
Unions have taken their gains with great
seriousness. We know that unions have used
the ULF effectively to train more ULRs, and open
up learning opportunities for their members.
And ULRs who are given facility time have used
it well and productively. But it’s been more than
that. Here’s what David Blunkett, who was
26 32
Secretary of State at the old DfES, and who was
instrumental in setting up the fund said: “There
are some things which are seminal in changing
Contents:
not only the world for individuals, but the 3 News
outlook on the world of those individuals. The 10 Check this out!
Trade Union Learning Fund is such a venture.” 12 Everything you wanted to know about
So, for him and us, ULF work is also about learning but were afraid to ask
helping people find their place in society, and 14 Chris Humphries interview
promoting their aspirations. And that’s what 17 Rights change lives
unions have always been about. 18 Champions in the community 36
19 Blackpool illumination
Liz Smith
20 Hiliary Benn interview
Director, unionlearn
23 Happy 10th anniversary ULF
The Learning Rep, spring 08 26 Liz Rees interview
Editor: Mike Power mpower@tuc.org.uk 28 TUC education
Writers: Astrid Stubbs, Martin Moriarty 32 Apprenticeships
Design: Redhouse Lane Communications
Print: Ancient House Printing Group 34 Higher level skills
Distribution: Cavalier mailing 36 Learning at work day
Cover photo: ULF visionary Hilary Benn by 38 Contacts
Jess Hurd.
39 Jay knows
40 Free resources

2 » spring 2008
02-03 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
Who dares,
learns
I
“ t’s great to get involved with
Quick Reads, to try to show
new readers how much
excitement and adventure can be
packed into a few short pages,”
Chris said.
Chris knows all about packing in
excitement and adventure: during
the first Gulf War, he was the only
member of an eight-man team
deep behind Iraqi lines who
managed to escape capture and
survive the perils of desert winter
to make it to safety (a story he
tells in his first book, The One That
Got Away).
The best-selling author admits he
didn’t make the most of his time at
Chris Ryan (right) launches his Quick
Read with (from left) Depot Assistant
Manager Andy Collett, USDAW ULR
Sharon Pearcey and Liz Smith
17:43 Page 3
World Book Day « News «
Former SAS soldier Chris Ryan
chose World Book Day to
launch his Quick Read
One Good Turn at the Boots
Distribution centre in
Rotherhithe, South East London
school. “It wasn’t until I joined up
that I got into reading: in the Army,
books were passed around among
all the lads and we read whatever
we could get our hands on.”
As well as talking about his
experiences, reading from his new
book and signing copies for the
USDAW members at the depot,
he also formally opened a staff
reading room in the onsite
learning centre.
“Having such a prominent Quick members who are facing big
Reads author like Chris Ryan to changes in their own lives,”
come and encourage more people she said.
into the reading habit is really “It’s great we’ve been able to
inspiring,” commented Boots welcome him to our distribution
supervisor Yvonne Kelly. centre – it’s a real boost for our
USDAW ULR Sharon Pearcey five USDAW union learning reps.”
agreed: “Chris is an outstanding And unionlearn Director Liz
role model of someone who has Smith commented: “It was great
changed careers, for many of our to hear about his exciting
experiences at first hand and
about his inspiration for writing
“Having such a prominent his Quick Read.”
author encourage more people
into the reading habit is
really inspiring”
Rod Leon
spring 2008 « 3
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» News » World Book Day

Gordon Brown and John Denham
(fourth left) welcome Adele Parks
(centre) TUC Deputy General Secretary
Frances O’Grady (right) and
Metroline learners to Downing Street

Next stop Downing Street!

The Metroline Learning Bus literacy course at South Thames
parked in the most famous College revealed he’d never read until
street in the whole country on he discovered Quick Reads. “They
World Book Day to help the increased my confidence and helped
Prime Minister launch the latest me to carry on when I found it hard:
titles in the ever-popular Quick I know I can go on to bigger things.”
Reads series. Neil Colston, Head of Recruitment
It was the most prestigious stop and Training at Metroline, said:
yet made by the state-of-the-art “We are delighted that we’ve been
mobile learning centre, which is able to promote the Quick Reads
more often to be seen in the initiative in all our Metroline
company’s North London bus garages, promoting the joys of
garages helping support learners reading to all our 3,700 employees and
who wouldn’t otherwise access their families.”
computers in the workplace. Metroline’s Learning Bus, Learning on
Speaking to adult learners from the Move, is based on a partnership
Metroline and South Thames College between Metroline, unionlearn, Unite –
in Roehampton, Gordon Brown T&G section and the College of North East
revealed that he aims to read every London.
morning and every evening,
regardless of how busy he is.
“Everyone who’s a reader knows just how
Photos by Jess Hurd

much books can change lives,” he explained.

Alongside the PM were Cabinet member Frances O’Grady
John Denham, TUC Deputy General (centre) inside
Secretary Frances O’Grady, Random House Number 10 with
CEO Gail Rebuck and Quick Reads authors Adele Parks and
Colin Jackson and Adele Parks. Colin Jackson
“Quick Reads are having an extraordinary
effect on reluctant readers and are a great
example of publishers, authors and book
retailers working together with the public
sector to deliver the message that reading
can be fun and rewarding,” commented Gail.
Devon Edwards, who has been on the adult

4 » spring 2008
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World Book Day « News «

It’s not all pie and mash, you know

East End chronicler Gilda O’Neill returned to the
Barking of her youth to launch her latest book
East End Tales in the learning centre at the local
authority Frizlands Waste Disposal Unit.
She read from the book and answered questions
from an audience of parks and ground maintenance
workers, street cleaners and caretakers from across
Andrew Wiard
Barking and Dagenham Council, all members of
Gilda O’Neill the GMB, UNISON and Unite–T&G section.
signs her Quick “When I was a child we weren’t the sort of family
Read for Judith
Swift (on her
who had books at home, so when I went to school
right), with I didn’t have a clue about reading. I was lucky though
learners and because I had teachers who cared and a local library,”
ULRs at Frizlands Gilda explained.
“By the time I was about 10 I’d worked my way
through the small children’s section and started
pestering the very strict librarian about when I
could join the adult section: I wanted all those
worlds and stories that I knew were in those
books. In the end, I wore her down and
she let me join!”
Unionlearn Development Manager
Judith Swift said: “Gilda is a great
inspiration to those who left school with
no qualifications and her enthusiasm
for learning is clear to all who meet her.”
Learning Centre Manager Penny
Robinson said initiatives such as Quick
Reads have helped council workers
and the wider community get into
learning. “We celebrate learning all year
round, but having Gilda here reading from

her Quick Read allowed us to celebrate

the East End today as well.”

Kicking reading problems into touch

Rugby international Scott region to celebrate reading. It’s said he was delighted to support
Quinnell revealed how he tackled great to hear at first hand about the World Book Day event. “We Scott Quinnell
his own dyslexia to become a Scott’s experiences as a learner, interact with thousands of children with his new
Quick Read
published author at the launch of which will inspire many of the every year right across Yorkshire
(right) and from
his new book The Hardest Test at sportsmen and women here through our work at the Leeds the left John
Headingley Carnegie Stadium on and trade union learners,” said Rugby Foundation, the charitable Bentley ex British
World Book Day. Alan Roe. trust which operates all the and Irish Lions
“For so long my dyslexia meant Leeds Carnegie Community community work for Leeds Rhinos International;
reading was something I avoided Marketing Manager John Bentley and Leeds Carnegie,” he explained. Dr Alan Roe
whenever I could, but these days unionlearn; Colin
Kirkham GMB
I’m rarely without a biography or
novel, and I can’t believe my story
is now down on paper!” he said.
“I only hope my experience
encourages others to pick up a
book and discover for themselves
what they’ve been missing.”
Joining Scott in front of an
audience of top sportsmen and
union learners were unionlearn
Regional Manager Dr Alan Roe,
Leeds Carnegie Community
Martin Jenkinson

Marketing Manager John Bentley

and GMB Regional Education
Officer Colin Kirkham.
“World Book Day is a fantastic
opportunity for everyone in the

spring 2008 « 5
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» News

Dynamic duo win hearts and minds

“We’ve had some great initial
feedback about our new
animated film Kate and Umar’s
Incredible Learning Journey,”
says unionlearn’s Organising
Officer Anna Burton.
Tutors and union education
officers have been
overwhelmingly positive,
saying that the film:
● Covers a wide range of
issues, particularly
diversity.
● Contains really useful
chunks of information.
● Raises union issues in
an aspirational way.
● Is fun, upbeat and
positive.
● Will be useful on all
reps courses and
during Adult Learners’
Week.
“I think you’ve done a
tremendous job here: the
graphics kept me smiling,
and that little musical ditty in
the background stops the more transformative than it first
message from seeming overly appears.”
didactic,” commented one union Unionlearn has put together a
officer. “And in relation to the new range of organising materials
work you are doing, I now see it promoting trade union
as an agenda which is much membership to accompany the
new animated film,.
The pack includes leaflets on
joining a union and
becoming a rep, a
learning centre
organising checklist
and a recruitment
poster and can be
ordered online.
The new film has
also got its own
microsite on the
unionlearn website, where
you can watch the film,
pick up tips about how to
use it in the workplace,
order DVD copies and
even meet the stars.
Order a copy at:
www.unionlearn.org.uk/
kateandumar

Employers, if they are having the

benefits of people coming to the
ESOL does it!
country to work, have a responsibility to The Government, unions and employers have got
give their staff time off to go to have together to promote the importance of English
language skills for migrant workers in the new
lessons, and also, I think, to go a bit publication, English Language at Work, built
further and actually to around a set of case studies from a range of
industries.
help and support them. “These case studies demonstrate advantages to
An enlightened employees, employers and society in addressing
English language teaching needs,” says Higher
approach, frankly, is Education Minister Bill Rammell in his introduction.
where they take that And a joint foreword by TUC General Secretary
Brendan Barber and CBI Director General Richard
responsibility Lambert points out that migrant
seriously and actually workers (and those from settled
communities) can integrate with
provide some their local communities and avoid
English as well. exploitation through gaining
language skills.
John Harris/reportdigital.co.uk

“The prizes here are significant:

fairness at work and increased
Home Secretary confidence for individuals, and
Jacqui Smith, greater business performance
and competitiveness for their
The Observer employers,” they say.
Download the booklet from:
http://tinyurl.com/3yhlt8

6 » spring 2008
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News «

We’re not the only ULRs in the

Westminster village
About 100 learning reps rubbed
shoulders with politicians and
leading figures from the trade
union and learning worlds at
a high-profile reception in
Westminster held to highlight
the vital role ULRs play in the
workplace.
DIUS Secretary of State John
Denham, TUC General Secretary
Brendan Barber, unionlearn Director
Liz Smith, Chair Billy Hayes and
Board Member Gail Cartmail mingled
with guests in the Atrium restaurant,
near the Houses of Parliament, as
part of unionlearn’s campaign
“Learning together – winning
together.”
The campaign aims to encourage
MPs to drop in on workplace learning
centres to find out first-hand about the
importance of learning at work, and
within weeks of its launch MPs have

asked unionlearn to help organise
40 visits.
John Denham paid tribute to the
18,000 ULRs who have helped over
400,000 workers back into learning.
“With their real-life experience and
credibility, I see ULRs playing a
critical role in inspiring trust and
fostering ambition in others, giving
them the confidence to demand –
and make full use of – opportunities
to improve their skills,” he said.
“Raising the skill levels of all our
people is the key to delivering a
successful economy and a fairer
society. Union Learning
Representatives are instrumental in
boosting employer participation in the
Skills Pledge and Train to Gain,
ensuring every business and employee
has access to skills training.”
But ULRs should have an even wider
role and an even greater impact, he
argued. “I urge ULRs to work with their
MPs – as allies in Parliament –
Jess Hurd
DIUS Secretary advising them on how best to
of State John promote skills development in
Denham listens companies, constituencies, regions,
to ULRs’ stories
at the
and ultimately nationwide.”
Westminster After his speech, John presented
reception three new unionlearn Quality Awards
to the Open University, Skillset and
UNISON, while Billy Hayes formally
launched unionlearn’s new ULR
handbook Working for Learners (see
pages 12-13).

Hook up to U-Net
Unionlearn is re-launching its
network of learning centres run
with learndirect under the new
U-Net banner.
Using focus groups, surveys
and consultation with centre
managers and learners, U-Net
will offer more support to the
centres and seek to build on the
existing network of over two
dozen large centres and dozens
more medium and link centres
across the country.
“U-Net aims to offer the
learndirect provision to more
union learning centres and to roll
out the WinWin campaign, which
aims to increase the number of
learners and build union capacity,
to more centres,” says Learning
Centre Network Coordinator Karl
Schofield.
“It's a great chance for learning
centres to get involved with a
very successful initiative and offer
a high-quality learndirect
package to their learners.”
The new name and logo are
being formally launched at an
event in Congress House in May.
More information:
www.unionlearn.org.uk/centres/
index.cfm

spring 2008 « 7
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» News

Teaching migrants
about their rights
Unite – T&G section has made a
strong start to its new Learning
for Organising Migrant Workers
project, with over 100 workers
attending the launch event in
Transport House, London in
March.
The project is bringing learning
to low paid cleaners by linking it
to the Justice For Cleaners
campaign, which has been
securing better wages and union
rights for cleaners in the City of
London over the past two years.
“The project aims to deliver
Skills for Life to migrant workers in
Canary Wharf, the City and the
Tube, using the learning agenda
as an organising tool,” explains
Unite – T&G section union
learning organiser Steve Rowlatt.
Orpington College and the
College of North East London
(CONEL) staff talked to people
attending about Skills for Life
courses, while the Praxis support
group, the TUC’s Vulnerable
Workers Project and the union’s
own Migrant Workers Support Unit
and Justice for Cleaners campaign
were on hand with advice on legal
and employment issues.
“We’ve started running classes at
Transport House on Saturday
mornings in English for Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) with 36
students in total, another ESOL
class midweek, plus a Saturday
morning IT class,” Steve says.
“It’s about bringing education to
the workers and running classes to
fit in with their work patterns the union – in numeracy, we’ll be The migrant
because many of them have two or looking at migrant workers’ wage workers’
three different jobs to do.” slips and how they can improve project launch
The project is going to start their wages, pensions or sick pay, attracted over
100 people
numeracy and literacy classes for instance; and the IT class will
as well. concentrate on union websites and
“All our classes will have a trade how to write an accident report or
union flavour to them so we can email fellow union members,”
help to involve people in the life of Steve says.

It’s Facebook for skills

Skillstories is a new online hub which uses
innovative social networking technology to enable
employers to profile their skills and training
initiatives and interact online with a
comprehensive database of resources, events and
news for the skills sector.
Dubbed Skillstories, the project highlights the
business and human benefits of workplace training
using a hard-hitting film, a publication and the website
www.skillstories.org.
Funded by the Department for
Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS)
and developed by Business in the
Community (BiTC), the project allows
employers and their partners to promote
their work and share examples of best
practice, and there’s a comprehensive
directory of skills resources, news and
events which is updated daily.
Visit: www.skillstories.org

8 » spring 2008
08-09 LR April 08:Layout 1 copy 2
Answering the skills emergency
Over two dozen ambulance staff
in Lincolnshire have answered
the learning call after a Skills
for Life drive jointly organised
by UNISON and the East
Midlands Ambulance Service
(EMAS) helped more than 80
staff test their skills levels.
Four ULRs and two training
officers from EMAS visited 11
ambulance stations and liaison
points to encourage them to
take part in Test the Ambulance
Service to find out where they
need to brush up their English
and maths.
“This was an excellent
opportunity to encourage staff
to take a mini-quiz to test their
skills in maths and English,
which is part of a whole
organisation approach to
developing Skills for Life,”
commented EMAS Chief
Executive Paul Phillips,
who took the test himself.
UNISON ULR Keith
Underwood said that
ambulance staff can feel
challenged and put under
pressure if they are unsure
about numeracy and
literacy. “UNISON
is committed
to making
sure that all
Tell us a story!
They say everyone’s got a story in
them – so why not get yours out and
enter the short story competition run
by the Public and Commercial
Services Union and Words magazine?
First prize will get you £250, second
10/4/08 18:41 Page 9
staff are given the opportunity to
carry out their work to as high a
level as possible but also to be
able to progress and
to help with their personal lives.”
While Keith had previously
been struggling to engage EMAS
in a learning partnership for some
time, the Test the Ambulance The East
Service project is now being Midlands
rolled out county by county Ambulance
across the East Midlands and Service is
committed to
the branch has begun work on
Skills for Life say
drafting a learning agreement. Chief Executive
The project was jointly Paul Philips (left)
organised by EMAS and UNISON and UNISON ULR
with support from the TUC, Keith Underwood
Lincolnshire LSC and the
national Move On project
which organises Test the
Company campaigns and
events across the UK to
encourage staff in
companies to think
about Skills for Life.
£150 and third £100, plus the winners
and commended entries will be
published in an anthology.
Stories can be on any theme, but no
longer than 2,000 words, and the
closing date is Saturday 30 August.
Guidelines and entry forms are
available on the WORDS website
www.wordsmag.com/tradeunion.htm
news «
News in brief
Improving delivery
Our recent readers’ survey
revealed that many Learning Rep
readers do not receive their own
copy by post, and many rely on
picking it up at work or someone
passing it on. Now following an
email alert over 400 readers have
ordered some 2,000 copies to be
delivered directly. “The survey
revealed that we have a very
dedicated readership, that the
magazine is valued, and people
want their own, individual copies”,
says editor Mike Power. “Among
other things we are now
expanding our coverage of
courses available, giving more
contacts, and more free resources
following our readers feedback.”
And congratulations to the three
iPod winners: Jake Onwordi, Ayub
Patel and Karen Wilcox.
Budget boost
The Chancellor’s £60 million
boost for adults skills training and
apprenticeships in this year’s
Budget shows the Government is
committed to improving the UK’s
skills base, says TUC General
Secretary Brendan Barber. “We
now need to see more employers
playing their part by offering more
training, including high-quality
Apprenticeships, and making a
real effort to increase equality and
diversity in training places.”
Happy anniversary!
UNISON launched a
new Learning, Equality and
Diversity initiative offering
targeted training opportunities
to groups including migrant
workers and specialist healthcare
employees at an event in
Congress House to mark the
20th anniversary of its pioneering
Return to Learn programme.
or send a SAE to PCS-WORDS
Competition, PO Box 13574,
London W9 3FX.
You can also help to promote
the competition by downloading
a poster to display on your union
noticeboard from the PCS website
www.pcs.org.uk/learning.
spring 2008 « 9
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» Feature » Organising

Check this
Promoting learning in the workplace can help you recruit new members and build
your union organisation – just ask USDAW. By Martin Moriarty

I t’s spread the word about lifelong learning.

It’s helped recruit hundreds of new members.
And it’s encouraged dozens of new activists
to get involved.
Whatever else it’s done – for union members, the
their lives and often leading to new career
opportunities, and all the evidence proves that a
skilled workforce is better motivated and has less
absenteeism,” he points out.
Check Out Learning aimed to:
companies they work for, and the union itself – ● Raise the union’s in-store profile through
USDAW’s Check Out Learning campaign has gone an highly visible activity.
awful long way to establish once and for all how ● Encourage learners to sign up for courses to
workplace learning builds the union. be delivered quickly after the event.
Launched last May, the campaign was rolled out in ● Increase membership.
over 80 stores across the country with a series of ● Identify new and potential union activists and
learning roadshows in canteens offering retail staff a increase team-working.
chance to sign up for a massive range of courses. ● Help build a long-term in-store learning
Although the union has pioneered lifelong learning presence.
in distribution and manufacturing sites (where over By almost any yardstick, the campaign proved
20,000 members have signed up for courses), this was a resounding success: the union collected and
the first time it was offering courses on such a big processed over 4,000 learning questionnaires, signed
scale to its retail members in or near their own stores. up 600 new members and identified over 300 potential
“Check Out Learning was unique because it was the ULRs, shop stewards and health and safety reps.
very first time our retail members have been able to
access a vast range of courses that benefit them and
the companies they work for,” explains USDAW General
Secretary John Hannett.
Having visited learning projects up and down the
country, John knows workplace learning makes life
better for union members and their employers.
“I’ve seen how lifelong learning has boosted the
confidence of thousands of our members enriching

On your Bakemarks … go!

USDAW has launched a Learning Resource Centre with
management at Bakemark, the Wirral-based baked goods
firm behind the brands Arkady, Craigmillar, Readi-Bake,
Caravan Brill and Bon Vivant.
“We’re delighted that BakeMark has made this
commitment to investing in people, which ultimately is
to the benefit of all involved,” says learning co-ordinator
Sue Prynn, who’s been seconded from the union.
“With all the training that USDAW has given me, we’ll
make the Learning Resource Centre a huge success,”
she forecasts.
The centre is offering a range of courses, from IT,
numeracy and literacy to manufacturing NVQs, with
courses running before and after workers’ shifts, and the
company aims to train all its 550 staff to at least Level 2
numeracy and literacy by 2009.

10 » spring 2008
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s out!
Some events were very much geared to putting the
union on the map among the workforce: union
visibility at IKEA Bristol is much improved since Check
Out Learning day; and the event has helped union
numbers double in size from a low membership
base at the Morrisons store in Nottingham.
But it was in branches of Tesco’s across the
country where the campaign notched up some
of its biggest successes.
In the Blackpool branch of the UK’s largest
supermarket, USDAW recruited 11 new
members (half of them Polish migrants), signed up
two new shop stewards and four new ULRs and helped
over 130 people complete learning questionnaires.
And a three-day push at the Tesco Extra branch in
Warrington, Cheshire, resulted in 23 new members, one
new steward and three new ULRs, while over 100 staff
filled in surveys about what they would like to study.
The union is currently preparing a new Check Out
Learning campaign for this year, so look out for the
orderly queues for learning at a supermarket near you.
Next customer please!
Organising « Feature «
How it works
Check Out Learning has proved such a success
because USDAW plans every promotional day to
within an inch of its life, using a tight five or six-
week schedule to pull everything together.
● Five or six weeks before: the team checks staff
numbers, membership density, and how many
activists they have in-store, before
agreeing who does what in the run-
up to the event and on the day itself.
● Four or five weeks before: the
team checks which learning
providers will be available locally,
enthuses the in-store reps, maps
the workplace, agrees the publicity
material and ensures local
management are onboard.
Check Out ● Two or three weeks before: the team agrees
Learning has arrangements for the day with the reps, keeps
proved a human resources in the loop, publicises the
resounding
event on noticeboards, organises a photographer
learning and
organising and gets press releases distributed locally.
success for
USDAW ● One or two weeks before: the team checks
progress with everyone involved and makes sure
all procedures are in place.
● On the day itself: the team sets up a stall with
USDAW materials, co-ordinates stalls from local
colleges and liaises with the union’s organising
staff who will be recruiting new members.
● After the big day: the team arranges the
courses, links to company training,
notifies the union of potential reps,
arranges ULR training, and
celebrates its success.
spring 2008 « 11
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» Feature » ULR handbook

Everything
you ever wanted to know about
learning but were afraid to ask
Stay on top of all the demands on your
time by ordering your copy of the new
ULR handbook, Working For Learners.

U
nion learning reps usually
have a lot on their plates:
members may need a bit
of gentle encouragement back
into learning; employers can
drag their feet about time off for
training; it’s not always easy to
track down the right provider;
and technology doesn’t always
work the way it should.
That’s why unionlearn has just
produced a brand new handbook
for ULRs called Working For
Learners.
Available as an indexed spiral-
bound booklet, about the size of a
paperback, and in electronic form
on the unionlearn website, the new
handbook is designed to help ULRs
in every aspect of their day-to-
day work.
There are top tips for learning
Jess Hurd

and organising, bite-sized case

studies of successful projects and
a jargon-buster to help ensure ULRs
can always tell their COVE from
The new ULR their ESOL.
handbook will The handbook also includes
help unionlearn inspirational quotes from Prime
help ULRs,
Minister Gordon Brown, Innovation,
forecasts
unionlearn chair Universities and Skills Secretary
Billy Hayes, John Denham and CBI Director-
launching the General Richard Lambert –
handbook powerful voices which have all

12 » spring 2008
12-13 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
been raised in support of union
learning in recent times.
Indeed, there’s a vast range of
material packed into the
publication’s 70-plus pages, which
ULRs old and new will find useful.
Thinking about your own
development in the ULR role? Take
a look at the diagram showing
possible progression routes for
ULRs through courses provided by
TUC Education. It shows a range of
options for further training
depending on what you’re most
interested in.
Keen to negotiate a learning
agreement with your employer?
There’s a whole section devoted to
the subject, with a model
agreement and a sample
agreement to help you avoid
having to reinvent the wheel before
you start talking to management.
Need to persuade your boss
that learning will pay off for the
company? Just show them the
case study detailing how an
external assessment of the
workplace learning project at VT
Shipbuilding in Portsmouth
demonstrated a 140 per cent
return on the company’s
investment in its staff.
“A major reason for the TUC
establishing unionlearn was to
provide greater support to unions
and their ULRs in carrying out
their role,” says unionlearn
Director Liz Smith.
17:57 Page 13
“The handbook is one of the
resources unionlearn has designed
to help unions and their ULRs deal
with their day-to-day issues.”
You can order your copy of the
new handbook directly from
unionlearn: see back page for full
details. You can also download it
from: http://tinyurl.com/2akxgv
We’re here to help
ULRs have taken on a sometimes
daunting task, unionlearn Board
chair Billy Hayes told a Westminster
reception where he launched the
handbook in February.
“You know that many of your
colleagues require learning and
skills; and you have to have the
skills to help them identify these
needs, and then to help them
access provision,” he said.
“But often your employer will be
very complacent; and sometimes
your union officer might have other
issues on their mind, such as pay
and conditions, redundancies
or outsourcing.”
That’s why unionlearn had put
together the new handbook, he
explained, as part of a wider brief
to give learning activists all the
support they need.
“I’m sure this handbook will be a
useful resource for unions and their
ULRs, and it will help us towards
achieving our target of training
22,000 ULRs in two years’ time,”
he said.
ULR handbook « Feature «
What’s in the new
handbook
The hew handbook comes in eight sections:
1 Learning and organising
● equality and diversity
● ULR/learner targets for 2010
● recruiting and organising
● ULRs’ profile.
2 Benefits of ULRs
● the employee case for ULRs
● the employer case for ULRs
● top tips for learning and organising
● case studies on recruiting and training migrant
works and how learning boosts productivity.
3 Functions and rights
● statutory functions for ULRs
● statutory rights for ULRs and union members
● securing recognition and time off
● barriers ULRs can face.
4 ULR agreements
● the case for learning agreements
● model learning agreement
● sample learning agreement.
5 ULR activities
● what ULRs do
● why training matters
● unionlearn learning and careers advice service
● unionlearn Climbing Frame
● Nextstep careers service
● workplace learning centres
● unionlearn Quality Awards
6 ULR training
● ULR course
● follow-on courses
● ULR progression routes.
7 Support for learning
● Skills for Life
● Train to Gain
● Skills Pledge
● Apprenticeships
● Higher level skills/CPD
● Help from the OU/National Extension College
● TUC learning and skills policy.
8 Further information
● jargon-buster
● free resources
● regional contacts.
spring 2008 « 13
14-16 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
» Interview » Chris Humphries
The new UK Commission for Employment and Skills
has just opened for business. Chief Executive Chris
Humphries explains how it will work, and what
unions and employers can do to raise their game.
By Martin Moriarty
Getting us
the skills we
all need
C hris Humphries is feeling
good about the current
high profile learning and
skills is enjoying in the UK.
And although he has the kind
of naturally sunny disposition of
those born Down Under, it’s not
his temperament that’s behind
the optimism – it’s his analysis of
the facts.
Because the inaugural chief
executive of the UK Commission on
Employment and Skills (UKCES) has
been watching with interest at the
way the issue has moved up
everyone’s agenda over the past
decade.
“I’ve been working in the work-
related learning arena for more
years than I care to remember and
it’s always felt as if we’ve been
fighting an uphill battle to get the
issues recognised by government,
employers, the working public and
even – to be honest – for many
years by trade unions,” he says.
All that has changed today, he
points out. We have a Prime
Minister for whom skills became an
increasingly significant driver for
policy in his term as Chancellor,
and many employers who are
telling the CBI that skills are the
biggest challenge they face.
14 » spring 2008
18:59 Page 14
And as someone who was
involved with the TUC at the launch
of the Bargaining for Skills agenda
in the 1990s, Chris recognises
there’s been “very strong union
take-up around the whole issue of
skills for future opportunity over the
past 10 to 15 years.”
And skills is not only moving up
the UK agenda – it’s also gaining
ground in the international arena,
he points out.
“Last year for the first time
the World Bank held a two-
week event in Washington for
ministers and civil servants from
40 countries on how to get your
vocational training and
education and skills system
right,” he says.
“They realise it’s such a
critical economic and social
justice agenda and failure to get
it right could have very serious
detrimental impact on economies,
social welfare and social inclusion,”
he points out.
All of this means it’s crunch time.
“We have to build on this now or we’ll
miss an opportunity that’s bigger than
ever it’s been,” he argues.
However, while the issue has
never had a higher profile, we’ve
yet to reach a full consensus on
what we need to do to take it
forward.
This is where the new
Commission comes in. For Chris, its
role is to function as an external
auditor for the UK skills and
employment system.
“Its job is to understand the
economic and social goals we’re
hoping to achieve through
improving our skills and
employment system; to monitor
progress on them; and to report
honestly to Government on how
well we’re doing in relation to those
goals both in the UK and
internationally in terms
of our major global
competitors,” he
explains.
“Wherever we find
weaknesses, inefficiencies or
outright failures in the system, it’s
our job to identify and bring
We have the best forward recommendations for
opportunity in improving the system in such a way
years to drive that we can get ourselves back on
forward the skills track.”
agenda, says It is, as he himself says, “an
Chris Humphries
absolutely huge agenda”.
And for Chris, success will be
measured on improved outcomes
and nothing else. Take the Skills
Pledge.
14-16 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08 18:59 Page 15

Chris Humphries « Interview «

“As a Commission what we have
to measure is not whether the
pledge was signed but whether the
pledge had the impact it was
intended to have – which was to
increase the volume and focus of
training.”
Chris argues that we shouldn’t
become so fixated on the pledge
itself that we lose sight of the goal
it’s supposed to help us reach.
“Remember, the argument
behind the Leitch report wasn’t that
we should train because training is
good but that we should train to
improve productivity,
competitiveness and social justice
– so that’s what we have to
measure,” he says.
That’s why he wants to open an
early dialogue with the
Government, employers and the
trade unions about what success
should look like, because for the
man himself it looks like economic
growth and increasing social
justice.
Chris is keen on everyone
involved raising their game.
“A system that was simply
employment-focused could achieve
its goals by ensuring that everyone
had a job that was well paid and
the skills to retain it, but for me
the challenge is bigger than that,”
he says.
“If we are going to move our
businesses up the value chain to
remain competitive in a world
which is definitely not standing still,
then we have to work with
employers to encourage and
support them to raise their game
and utilise the skills of a more
talented workforce to create better
economic opportunities,” he
argues.
In the past, one of the big
problems has been that too many
employers have learned to live with
skills shortages.
“Employers say: ‘We just don’t
maximise our capacity. We don’t
fully utilise what we’ve got. We
don’t diversify. We don’t go for
contracts that are more
challenging.’ In other words, they
accept that skills shortages will
have a negative impact on their
business opportunities.”
They’ve also become paranoid
that if they train their staff, one of
their competitors will poach them –

What is the Commission for Employment and Skills?

The Commission will play a critical part
in securing a highly skilled, productive
workforce and increasing employment
levels, particularly for those from
disadvantaged backgrounds.
It will:
● Advise Ministers on strategy and
policies relating to employment and
skills.
● Assess progress towards achieving
national employment and skills
ambitions for 2020.
● Monitor the performance of Sector
Skills Councils, and advise Ministers
on re-licensing.
The trade union members of the
Commission are TUC General Secretary
Brendan Barber, Scottish TUC General
Secretary Grahame Smith, and UNISON
General Secretary Dave Prentis.
Website: www.cfes.org.uk/

spring 2008 « 15
14-16 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
» Interview » Chris Humphries
and just because they’re paranoid
doesn’t mean their rivals aren’t out
to get them.
“There are many employers –
and over the past 20 years I’ve
talked to so many of them,
particularly when I was in the
Chamber of Commerce – who had
experienced the effect of
poaching in a painful way,” he
recalls.
For Chris, the answer is not to
outlaw poaching, though. “In my
experience the reality is that
businesses who make a long-term
commitment to training win,” he
argues.
“Yes, you might lose some staff
in the early days, but over time, if
you make that commitment to skills
training in the long term, you’ll
actually get a positive payback
because you’ll attract better quality
staff who want to stay with you,
who believe they have a longer-term
career in that company because
of the opportunities you provide
them.”
Unsurprisingly for someone who
remained a union member until his
career reached chief executive
level, Chris believes unions have a
crucial role to play in the coming
period.
16 » spring 2008
19:01 Page 16
“I’d like to see unions
encouraging their businesses to
move up the value chain because
I think that’s going to be equivalent
to growth; and growth probably
means increased employment,
more diversified employment, and
I hope it means better payback for
the staff – in other words it can
present a real win-win,” he argues.
He also suggests unions could
orient their offer to members and
potential members more around
support for career progression.
“Unions could present
themselves slightly differently to
workers by saying ‘We are your
partner in career progression and
one of the commitments we will
make to you is that we will help you
find the skills, training and personal
development opportunities you
need in order to progress up the
career ladder’,” he says.
“When people are becoming
more dependent on their skills, are
having to do more to develop their
own careers, then what a
phenomenal opportunity to have
someone who says to you ‘I’m your
partner in your career throughout
your life – stick with me and I’ll
help you wherever you want
to get’.”
Chris Humphries CV
An Australian by birth, Chris moved to the UK
in 1974, working in the private sector for ICL
and Acorn Computers and in the public sector
as Chief Executive of Hertfordshire TEC, and
Assistant Director of the UK’s Council for
Educational Technology.
He became Chief Executive of the TEC
national council in 1994, Director General of
the British Chambers of Commerce in 1998,
and was appointed Director General of City &
Guilds, the UK’s oldest awarding body for
vocational skills on 2 April 2001.
He also served as chairman of the
government’s National Skills Task force from
1998 to 2000 and before being appointed as
a founder member of the National Learning
and Skills Council and was a member of the
national Skills Strategy Steering Group from
December 2002 to 2005. He is currently
Chairman of UK Skills and in 2006 led the
successful UK bid to host the WorldSkills
competitions in London in 2011.
He was awarded the
CBE in June 1998
for services
to training
and
enterprise
and lives in
London with
his family.
17 18 19 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08 18:05 Page 17

Five years on « Feature «

To mark the fifth anniversary of statutory rights for ULRs, we talk to USDAW
ULR Tracy-Jane White about her journey from a supermarket coffee shop,
and, overleaf, meet two local authority ULRs who have been planning ahead.

Rights change lives

When shopworkers’ union
USDAW organised a lifelong
learning awareness day at the
Tesco store in York where she
worked in the coffee shop, Tracy-
Jane White kept her distance
until the last minute.
“I ignored it for most of the day,”
she recalls. “But then I thought –
actually, this could be my chance to
get back into education: I found out
that we would be all adults
together, in an environment that
wouldn’t be like being back at
school.”
School had not been a positive
experience for Tracy-Jane. An
undiagnosed dyslexic, she left full-
time education unable to read and
write until her husband twigged
what the problem was – and taught
her himself.
Little wonder, then, that signing

up to do the TUC’s five-day ULR
course was a pretty big deal. “I was
so nervous going because it was
the first course I’d ever done since
I’d left school,” she says.
“But I thought I’m here to learn
myself, I’m one of the government
adult literacy statistics, and this is
how I want to help other people as
well, so I said ‘I’m dyslexic, please
help me’ and from there I’ve just
gone on in leaps and bounds.”
Leaps and bounds it is. Tracy-
Jane’s finished numerous courses,
including two to learn about
pensions, is keen to make the time
to do the DDA one and has become
shop steward as well.
“Becoming a ULR helped me in a
very big way to get the confidence
to become shop steward because
there’s so much you need to learn
– I wouldn’t have gone for it if I
hadn’t done the ULR course first.”
She’s also been lucky enough to
have very supportive managers
Tracy-Jane White locally. “Tesco’s have been
and USDAW Head absolutely fantastic from day one
of Education and really. They’ve allowed me to do
Training James whatever I needed to do in store
Rees (centre) talk
about their work
time and I’ve done a lot outside
with DIUS store time as well,” she says.
Secretary of State “It’s well and truly a great thing,
John Denham because having employers onboard
is half the battle really – getting
learners to recognise that they want
to learn and can go on courses –
that’s the other half of the battle.”
Tracy-Jane has used her own
experience to help persuade
reluctant colleagues to sign up.
“Having employers onboard is
half the battle really”
Jess Hurd
“I’ve managed to get a few people
who were in the same boat as
myself come forward and go on
courses and learn themselves and
not be frightened,” she says.
“I think my own experience has
helped me in my role. You can see
the classic signs – when you
approach people and they say I’m
too busy, I haven’t got time, I’ve got
childcare issues, and because you
know that person as an individual
through working alongside them
you know there’s something
underneath,” she says.
“When I turn round and say to my
workmates that I’m dyslexic, they
say ‘No way – there’s just no way
because you do so much’, and I say
Things like this have given me the
confidence to do it. Just by learning
or going back to college will give
you the confidence yourself.”

spring 2008 « 17
17 18 19 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
» Feature » Five years on
Championsin the
community
We’re all familiar with ULRs these
days. Now the Brinkburn Centre
in Newcastle want to introduce
you to the CLR.
T
he team behind the
success of workplace
learning at Newcastle
City Council have
started exploring how to
spread the lifelong learning
message to groups outside the
workplace using Community
Learning Reps (CLRs).
UNISON and the Brinkburn
Centre secured funding through
the TUC EQUAL High Road Project
last year to develop a programme
for CLRs with the Scarman Trust,
the national charity committed to
helping citizens bring about a
change in their community.
A 20-hour pilot was developed
with support from UNISON’s
Bridges to Learning Project and
the Newcastle East End
Community Development Alliance,
and delivered at Byker
Community Fire Station in the
East End of Newcastle last
summer.
Based on the ULR programme,
it included contributions from
active ULRs alongside local
learning and IAG providers
and community activists.
Five of the eight who
completed the course
were keen to actively
promote learning in the
community as learning
champions – three as
volunteers and two as
part of their jobs which
involved working with
local people.
18 » spring 2008
18:06 Page 18
“The feedback on the course was
very positive and a learning
roadshow was held at the East End
Pool and Library in October to
promote the learning champions
and give them an opportunity to
engage with local people about
learning,” explains Felicity
Mendelson, who is the Senior
Learning and Development Officer
(TU) at the council.
Now Felicity is working with
Margaret Stephenson, Manager of
Trade Union Education at
Newcastle College, to develop a
pilot Community Learning Reps
Course, based on the East End
programme, to be delivered at the
Brinkburn Centre in May.
In addition, Newcastle City
Council UNISON has secured
funding from the Northern TUC/LSC
“We hope further funding will
help will help the council’s ULRs
mentor vulnerable workers”
Learning for All Fund for a project
looking at how to support Black
and Minority Ethnic (BME)
vulnerable workers inside and
outside the council who need
help with employment-related
learning and skills or
nationality/immigration issues.
“Following the initial pilot of
the BME Project (January –
March 2008), we hope further
funding will be available to
develop the role that council’s
ULRs will be able to play in
mentoring vulnerable workers
into the council and rolling out of
the Community Learning Reps
programme to local community
groups,” Felicity says.
UNISON Branch Equalities
Officer Rizwan Sheikh, who is
managing the BME Vulnerable
Workers Project, has just
completed his ULR training and
is keen to offer the CLR
programme to groups such as
the African Women’s Group with
whom he’s currently working.
Community learning
champions proudly
display their
qualifications in
Newcastle
17 18 19 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08 18:06 Page 19

Five years on « Feature «

Blackpool
illumination
When control of Blackpool council changed in last year’s local elections,
many people feared for the future of the workplace learning programme.
But they reckoned without the team behind the Unions2Learn project.

W
hen the control of

Simon Kirwan/The Lightbox

Blackpool Council
changed last year, many
people feared that the
new leadership would close down
the authority’s successful learning
programme.
“After 16 years of Labour control, we
understandably had some concerns,”
recalls ULR Co-ordinator and UNISON
member Elizabeth Bullen.
Unions2Learn had been underway for
less than two years when the local
election took place, but it had already
chalked up a series of impressive results.
The project kicked off with a pilot
scheme in the Streetscene service,
encouraging staff in cleansing, waste
management, highways and grounds
maintenance to take a structured
30-hour literacy course concluding with a
National Test. UNISON ULR Elizabeth Bullen has
“On my first day, I was told by a senior helped persuade the new Conservative
manager that I’d never get anywhere administration in Blackpool to continue
because of the history and culture within to back the Unions2 Learn project
that service,” Elizabeth says.
“But we held a learning awareness day money from the council, UNISON and 36 migrant workers not employed by
and 50 employees committed the Union Learning Fund to open a the authority – “they recognise it’s
to the course and the test – and learning suite in important if we’re going to achieve
we had 100 per cent retention and 100 the town. social cohesion,” Elizabeth says.
per cent success rate.” “We’re open seven days a week and No wonder that in last year’s
Their commitment and their successes three evenings a week and people Outstanding Service Awards (the
couldn’t have proved that senior can come in to that safe, non- annual awards made by the council)
manager more wrong. threatening environment and they can that Elizabeth won the Outstanding
“Many of these employees got do one-to-ones with the project Contribution to the Future of
up at 4.30am and they attended their workers for just as long as they want, Blackpool award.
training course between January and and when they’re ready, they come It was this impressive success rate
March at the darkest and coldest time of on the structured courses,” which helped preserve the
the year, several took work home and Elizabeth says. Unions2Learn project when the
others attended sessions while on The centre is also changing the council leadership changed hands a
annual leave,” Elizabeth recalls. authority’s approach to redeployment year ago.
Because the union understood that by successfully re-training a number “We understandably had some
many employees lacked the confidence of staff to enable them to change concerns but the deputy leader is now
to take a structured course after ten, 20 careers at the council. a Skills for Life champion and we
or 30 years And it’s delivering classes in English achieved regional GO status in
out of education, the project secured for Speakers of Other Languages to December of last year,” Elizabeth says.

spring 2008 « 19
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» Interview » Hilary Benn

Hold
Who would have believed the
phenomenon that is the Union
Learning Fund (ULF) was an idea
germinated on the end of Hilary
Benn’s bed?

that thought!
By Astrid Stubbs

N
ext time you convince a colleague of the Educate – and I’m delighted it has been so successful.
rewards involved in lifelong learning or hear “Without David’s speed of decision, clarity of
another enthuse about the success of doing purpose, finding the money and then the partnership
a course, spare a thought for how the Union with the TUC to make it happen it wouldn’t have been
Learning Fund (ULF) came into existence. so successful.
Hilary Benn, now Environment Secretary, had just “I didn’t sit on the edge of my bed with a grand
started work for then Education Minister David vision. It was a little idea and David said ‘Great’ and
Blunkett as a special adviser when he had his Eureka department officials deserve a lot of praise – they
moment. absolutely got stuck in working with the TUC.
“I think I was sitting on the end of my bed and I “The ULF is about reaching inside each of us, finding
thought ‘Why don’t we do this?’” he recalls. the potential in every human being and bringing it out.
With over 22 years’ experience working for ASTMS, Continued on page 22
MSF and as chair of Unions 21, he says his idea for ULF
was a distillation of that union experience and a way to
ensure job security and progress in the world as it
changes. “Trade unions are very good at that as they
deal with change on a day-to-day basis.”
Hilary, whose mother Caroline was a huge influence
on him as an advocate of the comprehensive school
system, explains: “David (Blunkett) was always really
passionate about lifelong learning – it rose out of his
experience, his story.”
The decision to establish the ULF was, he says,
twofold – to help people in the workplace gain the
skills to enable them to progress as individuals and
enable the economy as a whole and to harness that
power, allowing trade unions to go to employers and
encourage them to work in partnership.
“It was using funding as a way of opening up a Skills Minister David Lammy: “The Union Learning Fund plays an
conversation and helping make something happen,” invaluable part in improving the skills and therefore the life chances
he says. of employees.
Within days of his boss giving a wholehearted “Yes” “With their real-life experience and credibility, ULRs inspire trust
to his suggestion, civil servants were turning Hilary’s and foster ambition in others, giving them the confidence to seek
bedtime brainstorm into reality and paving the way for ways to improve their skills. They are also instrumental in boosting
thousands of lives to be changed forever. employer participation in the Skills Pledge and Train to Gain,
“We were clear that we shouldn’t have the ensuring every business and employee has access to
department sitting adjudicating.” recalls Hilary. As a skills training.
result links were formed with the with TUC. “Liz Smith “That is why we will invest an additional
did a fantastic job,” he recalls. £3 million per year in union learning, so that by
“We have unleashed something which is 2010 there will be 22,000 trained ULRs helping over
absolutely consistent with the values and principles 250,000 workers back into learning each year.”
of the trade union movement – Agitate, Organise and

20 » spring 2008
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Hilary Benn « Interview «

“Politics can
change things in a
profound way and
that happens in
the most profound
way when we do it
together”
Photos by Jess Hurd

spring 2008 « 21
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» Interview » Hilary Benn
“People are capable of achieving enormous amounts
and there is no more powerful testimony than hearing
individuals describe what it’s meant for them.
“After all where do we get our self-confidence and
aspiration from? From the love and care of our families
and from education – the opportunity to open a
window on the world.”
While clearly having little time to dedicate to formal
courses, Hilary says he learns something new every
day. “When I was young I would never have thought
I might have ended up doing a job like this. Life is a
journey of learning. My dad (former minister Tony
Benn) jokes that he’s strongly in favour of the school
leaving age being raised to at least 80!
“The ULF is something workers, employers and
unions have a shared interest in and in the process
unions can bring something to this – person power
and the ability to reach people. It’s staying true to
the heart of what unions are about. It’s intensely
practical, about finding potential and it’s fundamental
David Blunkett:
“There are some things which are
seminal in changing not only the
world for individuals but the outlook
on the world about those individuals.
“The Union Learning Fund
is such a venture.
“Important as it is to
the individuals who have
benefited, it has also had
major spin-offs. It has
demonstrated
admirably the role of
trade unionism; it has
22 » spring 2008
to the success of our economy.
“The ULF made unions think about how they were
going to do this and that was a really good thing –
how would they reach people? Where should they be
targeting this? It enabled unions and management to
make this happen on an equal footing and funding
through the ULF route meant they could do this
together in the spirit of social partnership.
“A lot of people in the workforce have been turned
off education – I can’t think of a more effective way of
putting people off learning throughout their lives than
sending them a letter at 11 and telling them they are a
failure – the 11-Plus system was a scandal!”
Much work around lifelong learning has involved
dealing with the legacy of that scandal, he says. “If
education rejected you it takes courage to take that
first step back across threshold – this is a way of
making it easier to do that in the workplace with all its
practical ways of building confidence.”
In the end having a chance to be in Government is
about making a difference, says Hilary.
“It’s why we get up in the morning and what we are
going to look back on when we get to 80 and think
‘when you had a chance what difference did you
make?’ This is one small example of what we can do.
“We are living in society where it’s alarmingly
fashionable to decry the capacity of politics to change
The ULF is anything and it isn’t true – politics can change things
fundamental to in a profound way and that happens in the most
the success of the profound way when we do it together.
economy, argues
“I think it’s great to see the success that the ULF has
Hilary Benn
had. It’s worked really well and is a success in tapping
a lot of potential in the union movement, in
partnerships with employers but above all with the
individuals who have taken part and been
encouraged by it.”
Hilary’s reading matter
● My red box!
● Alexander McCall Smith:
The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency
● Melissa Benn: One Of Us “It’s a
shameless plug for my sister’s
novel but I really enjoyed it.”
changed the relationship in 21st century and the kind of skills that
many enterprises between we need to prosper both as individuals,
the trade union, its and as a nation. It is about giving
members and the employer, people the confidence that if you take
helping to develop a unity of a job you’ll be able to progress in that
purpose in what the union is job, build your ability and know that
fighting for and the ability your aspiration will be matched by the
of the company to be support that is needed to take you
able to succeed and forward and build your social mobility.
prosper. “This is why the Union Learning Fund
“But the Union is so important, and why I’m so proud
Learning Fund is also that is has gone from strength to
more than this. It is strength in the 10 years since we
about Britain in the introduced it.”
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Ten years on « Feature «

Happy anniversary!
In the following pages we look at the variety of ULF projects –
old and new – and how individual learners have gained from
their experiences

Building on the foundations

UNISON was one of the first unions
to take advantage of the
opportunities offered by the ULF.
In 1998/99 ULF funding helped it
run a research and development
project, Creating Lifelong Learning
Advisers, which considered how it
would engage members who came
through its Return to Learn course.
That project set the groundwork
for its present position, with over
3,000 ULRS.
Pam Johnson, who led on the
project and is now Head of UNISON
Learning and Organising Services,
says: “We were very clear that this
project was not about using stewards level, will be rolled out if it is
and existing reps but creating a
new layer of activists from people
who had been learners and who
had previously not engaged with
the union.
“The learning agenda offered
them the opportunity to get involved have had opportunities for learning,”
and encourage others they worked
with into learning. It blossomed
from there!”
The union was successful in
creating this new layer – over half its learning with guitar lessons!
ULRs are women with around 18 per
cent BME and 40 per cent
who have never been active
in the union before.
“The support of ULF has
allowed unions to build their
capacity around learning, to
recruit ULRs and, in our case, to
recruit ULRs from among
groups of members who have
traditionally been under-
represented as activists –
especially women and black
workers. For many individuals
the opportunities it has allowed
us to open up have been life
changing, ” she says.
With 12,000 UNISON-supported
learning programmes under its
belt, the union’s major strategic
ULF project, Establishing a Culture
of Learning, continues across all
English regions with similar
provision in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
In addition its equality and
diversity ULF project is now looking
at making links between equality
and learning in the workplace.
And its ULF pilot around
developing pathways in the health
and social care sector, offering skills
for life to degree and postgraduate
successful regions if it proves a
success.
“ULF has allowed us to expand
access to learning much more rapidly
than we would otherwise have been
able to do to people who would not
says Pam, who has recently
completed an MSc in adult
continuing education and training
and now continues her lifelong
The learning
lops
agenda deve ys
s sa
new activist
hn so n
Pam Jo
Bristol West MP Steven Williams joins
teachers on an ICT course
Teachers log onto the future
Thousands of teachers have been given the key
to the future – thanks to a project which dates
back to the start of the ULF.
The NUT’s highly successful ICT Skills for
Teachers pilot kicked off with funding from the ULF
in 1999.
Nearly 10 years on and it is such a success it has
been mainstreamed by the union, which now
organises termly ICT skills courses for upwards of
600 teachers a term.
Arthur Jarman, head of the project, says: “We
had huge numbers of teachers who didn’t know
how to use a computer and the Government’s
attempts to train people were failing.
“Because our courses were held out of school
time people felt they could apply without their
school knowing. The courses were non-judgmental
and people found themselves with others in a
similar position so there was a camaraderie,” says
Arthur. “And our members think a lot of their union
– if a course carries a NUT badge they will trust it.”
He says the continuing success of the
programme is stunning. “We thought it would be
long over but it’s still boiling away nicely! We still
have people looking for courses and once they
have done the basic training they leave wanting
more and want to go on intermediate courses and
now there’s great call for multimedia courses.”
“ULF is a fantastic thing – without it we
would not have had the mechanism to do this
and as well as benefits to teachers there are
benefits to the children they teach and, indirectly,
to the union.”
spring 2008 « 23
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» Feature » Ten years on

How Allan proved he was Sharp

A school leaver at 15 without
qualifications Community union
member Allan Sharp is living
testament to the success of
the ULF.
Little wonder that David
Blunkett remarked recently that
he was proud to have kick-
started the ULF when he heard
Allan’s story.
Allan worked for power cable
manufacturer Delta in north
London until 1998 when he was
one of 600 colleagues facing
redundancy at its closure.
As branch secretary of the
then ISTC union he was
invited to meetings to help
retrain and upskill staff in
preparation for job
losses.
“The average
employee had 23 years’
service, was 49, had no
education or qualifications
and had no chance of
working in anything similar,”
says Allan.
And at first he admits he was
skeptical at money being spent
on training staff. “I had lots of
concerns about it – I wasn’t sure
learning is what people wanted.
They wanted employment and
instead of having the money for
training I thought they might
prefer it in their final pay
packet.”
Fortunately for Allan and his
colleagues his eyes were
opened when he
attended the TUC’s front
line advice and guidance
course, the forerunner to
the current ULR training.
“It gave me a different
view about learning not least
because for the first time I’d been
back into education since leaving
school myself,” he says.
Allan Sharp
A partnership with the local
spoke at the authority, the TUC and union was
Progress “Social put into place and Allan was
Mobility” launch asked to look after the project.
where David “I thought they’d give me three
Blunkett said it months then get in a professional
was stories like
– 10 years later and I’m still here!”
Allan’s that made
him glad he had says Allan.
introduced the In that time he’s helped
ULF thousands of union
and non-union
members in north
London with a vast
array of courses as
the project has
broadened into a
community venture,
giving people the
skills they need to
move on in life after
redundancy.
“At the beginning
it was mind-
blowingly difficult –
when the phone
rang I didn’t know
who it would be –
an MEP, someone from the
council or anyone else – but
it was also very exciting,”
recalls Allan.
“School wasn’t great for me
and while at Delta I went for a
job as a foreman. I didn’t get it
and the feedback was that I
would never get that kind of
job – that was another kick in
the teeth for me.”
But Allan has proved the
manager who gave him that
feedback wrong. He’s been on
every conceivable course –
computers from basic to
comprehensive, managing
finances, project management
and now staff appraisals. In the
future he is contemplating
management training.
And to top it all he’s now
operations manager for all
Community union learning
across England – somewhere
neither he nor his old manager
could have envisaged.
“I found that by going on
TUC courses I was with people
at the same level – now I’m
constantly looking to upgrade.
“And I get such a buzz about
being able to help people,
helping get them better skills
and a better working life is
phenomenal.”

24 » spring 2008
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Ten years on « Feature «

Raising the bar for prison staff

Taking the stress out of work is just one of the
priorities of the three-year-old learning centre at
HM Prison High Down in Surrey.
The prison is one of a growing number across the
country to promote learning through a national POA
ULF learning project.
Lynne Willmer is seconded from her role of prison
officer for 24 hours a week to manage the centre and
she describes the courses they offer as the ‘jam on
top of the bread and butter’. Lynne is supported by
Sophie Thomas, a Fento 4 teacher from High Down.
“We try to make staff aware that in the centre, they
can refresh their skills or up-skill, gain some
qualifications and also it’s important that staff learn
how to de-stress.
“Prison officers deal with people of all ages, who
have particular needs. Officers need to think on their
feet all the time and try to keep the mood on the
wing as calm as possible. They need to be alert as to
whether a prisoner has had a bad letter or phone
call, is he self- harming, or being bullied, or whether
he is in contact with his family and friends. Many
prisoners have mental health issues. Some are going
through drug or alcohol detoxification, which bring
their own problems too. You have to keep
on your toes all the time.”
Coupled with the nature of the
workload, the different shift patterns, poor
pay and staff’s own anxieties at home can
make for a very stressful job, says Lynne.
It’s why the learning centre has become a
refuge, offering beauty treatments and massages,
a book club as well as organising film, theatre and
pub quiz outings.
Courses span literacy and numeracy, IT at all levels
and now an Introduction to Criminology, which may be
expanded into a three/four year part-time course,
combined with psychology. Courses such as Customer
Care, Sign Language, Digital Photography, Domestic
Violence in the Workplace, and Employment Law all
feature on the 2008 agenda.
Lynne is hoping to organise a Family Homework
evening as well as Soft Furnishing, Upholstery, and
Salsa classes along with a Weight Watchers and
Step Class.
Last year, Lynne and Sophie completed 156 staff
assessments on Learning at Work Day – a feat they are
hoping to beat this May.

When it comes to learning, Bob’s your uncle

Unite–Amicus section ULR Bob Bridger
is more than happy to raise a glass to
celebrate the anniversary of ULF – he
believes it’s changed his life.
Bob left school as a teenager without
qualifications and has worked as a paper
technician at Wansborough Mills in
St Regis, Somerset, ever since.
Bob is dyslexic so tackling his own
difficulties with literacy and numeracy gave
him the incentive to help colleagues who
also had problems.
With the backing of management, a
learning centre was opened at the mill,
running classes in CLAIT and ECDL.
Bob is now hoping to organise further
courses in computing, digital photography
and a City & Guilds qualification in
paper-making.
“ULF has made a hell of a difference
to me: even though I left school without
qualifications I’m now working above
people I went to school with who had
O Levels,” he says.
“If anyone is offered the chance of becoming
Anyone who gets the chance to become a ULR
a ULR they should go for it. It can be a challenge but should go for it, suggests Unite-Amicus section
then you get to see someone who has passed their ULR Bob Bridger
CLAIT qualification, for instance, and that experience
is something worth having.”

spring 2008 « 25
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» Interview » Liz Rees

front
Leading from the
After training thousands of reps every year, TUC
Education, with unionlearn, is determined to make sure
it’s allowed to get on and do its union work.
By Astrid Stubbs
H
ead of TUC Education Liz
Rees is facing the happy
prospect of organising a
big party – after all she promised
one if figures for the number of
trained TU reps in 2007 beat the
50,000 mark.
“Last year we had the biggest net
number of reps we have ever trained
and you have to compare that to the
1970s when we had similar
numbers. The trade union movement
was twice as big then, so it’s a real
achievement,” she says.

26 » spring 2008
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The only problem for Liz is finding
the time to get everyone together for
the celebration – tutors are busy
delivering new and increasingly
diverse forms of learning and TUC
Education is kept stretched meeting
that demand.
This work includes maintaining the
pressure on the Government to
match its words on the need for skills
training with strong practice to allow
employees to take the time off they
are entitled to in order to train.
Even though employees have the
legal rights which we celebrate in
this issue of Learning Rep, it’s not
always easy to get employers to
agree to taking them, explains Liz.
“The workplace is more
demanding than it has ever been,
and doubly so for union reps who
find it hard to get the time off to do
courses. We fight for every rep to get
on a course and offer a lot of
guidance on how to obtain and
negotiate paid release.”
TUC Education is working with
the TUC’s employment rights
experts to support reps through
improved guidance on paid
release.
“Reps have rights but
they also have problems
accessing those rights
and ULRs as much as
Rod Leon
17:55 Page 27
other reps are feeling the strain. It’s
hard to persuade employers of the
need to release people and
sometimes reps are hesitant about
pushing it even when they have legal
rights. We want to see a stronger
drafting of the code of practice on
rights as well as more support in
terms of best practice and
negotiating tips.”
Difficulties in accessing rights and
the changing economy in the UK
means the department has had to
be very flexible in how it delivers,
says Liz.
It has adjusted to those needs by
making its courses and delivery as
flexible as possible. “We offer
courses at weekends and in the
evenings and, in the last few years, in
the form of online provision so that
reps can learn at times that are
convenient to them and their
employer.”
She believes that online provision
will play an increasing role in the
work of the department, helping to
“We want to see a stronger code of
practice on rights for reps as well as more
support on best practice”
reach hard-to-get-to-reps as well as
providing extra training for those
whose passion for learning has
outworn their entitlement to paid
release but who want to carry on.
The online programme offers
increasing possibilities for reps to
branch out with learning in
everything from pensions,
occupational health and safety,
countering the far right and, of
course, all reps’ training now offered
electronically.
In addition the department’s spine
of courses includes the TU ed course
and follow up as well as health and
safety 10 day programmes and its
prestigious year-long certificate
courses in employment law, health
and safety and contemporary trade
union studies.
These courses are now being
linked into a new qualifications
framework for adult eduction, the
QCF, which we are piloting as part of
Government changes.
Liz Rees « Interview «
“It has made for a hectic year with
huge changes to the way we package
our programme but at the end we’ll
be well-placed to manage new
arrangements for reps,” says Liz.
The next year will also see TU
take on two new challenges –
developing courses for equality and
environment reps
“We have run courses on both but
our new projects will lift these two
areas to new levels.”
This means working with newly
appointed project managers in both
areas to develop reps and
programmes for them.
“The message is coming out loud
and clear about a range of equalities
issues, from migrant workers, to
disability rights and LGBT issues –
we have lots of equality issues which
the movement still needs to
address.”
In addition she says: “Our
environment work appeals to the
next generation every bit as much as
to this generation, and we are in the
front line on this issue, finding
solutions ahead of employers.”
It’s why the decision has been
taken to create a new environment
work book with the aim of equipping
every rep with a green side in the
same way that the department
blazed a trail with the Out At Work
and Organise 2 handbooks last year
in which it mainstreamed the work of
LGBT and organising issues.
Liz also looks to seeing an
increase in its already sizeable
programme for TU officers or union
professionals. Training for union
professionals expanded significantly
in 2006, a total of 544 from 37
unions – a rise of almost 200 officers
from 2005 with 61 per cent women.
“The TUC General Secretary always
says that TUC Education is our
flagship service – and this year it’s
certainly been all hands on
deck as we’ve faced our busiest,
most successful period of growth,"
says Liz.
spring 2008 « 27
28 29 LR April 08 V2:Layout 1 10/4/08 17:52 Page 30

» Roundup » TUC Education with unionlearn

We kick off a new series on TUC Education in the regions with a closer look
at what’s going on in the Southern and Eastern region

Ten years at the top

Lewisham College TU Education
had every reason to toast its
10th anniversary recently – it’s
helped thousands into learning
in the last decade.
And in training some 9,000 reps,
the college has forged excellent
partnerships with unions such as
UCATT at Canary Wharf, Bovis
Lendlease and Skanska
construction, Prison Service and
Prison Officers Association,
Communication Workers Union at
Croydon and the BT Tower, Rail
Union Learning at Chatham and
USDAW at Tesco.
Tim Potter, Deputy Principal, said
high points of the last 10 years have
included two OFSTED Grade 1
Outstanding results; two Beacon
Awards for Widening Participation
and Partnerships in Skills for Life; a Unionlearn chair and CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes presents Lewisham College TU Studies
and CWU Special Certificate for Achievement to Laura Wright, a ULR at his own union’s head
Highly recommended Beacon Award office learning centre
for Innovation in Health and Safety
Teaching and the IAG Matrix Award. Billy Hayes, General Secretary of and prospects of union members
Liz Smith, Director of unionlearn, the Communication Workers Union and their families
officially launched unionlearn at the and Chair of the unionlearn board, He congratulated learners and
college, praising the positive paid tribute to the hard work of awarded certificates, including
professional relationship it had with union reps in the workplace to make special achievement awards for reps
the college and celebrating new work a safer and rewarding place to who had attended numerous
initiatives such as the ULR online be and to ULRs in establishing courses and used their skills to
course and the new awards under workplace learning initiatives and really make a difference in their
the QCF. centres to improve the education workplace.

Making sense of mental health

At least five people in any
group of 20 are likely to
experience a mental illness
during their lifetime.
This was just one of the
many shocking statistics that
participants from NAPO, UNITE,
UNISON and PCS found out
about in an innovative TUC
course on Mental Health
Awareness held at the Trade
Union Studies Centre,
Lewisham College.
The course covered:
● the attitudes of employers, the
media and society to mental
health;
● stress at work;
● discriminated against people
with mental health issues;
● case studies;
● supporting people with mental
health issues at work;
● achieving a mentally healthy
workplace.
Workplace action plans
included mental health
awareness sessions and
publicity for employers and the
workforce, particularly for those
who work with or near the person
with mental health issues
Participants also agreed on the
importance of ensuring that
employers know they have
responsibilities and people
experiencing mental health
issues have rights under the
Disability Discrimination Act.

28 » spring 2008
28 29 LR April 08 V2:Layout 1 10/4/08
CONEL tops the class
Trade union education is
behind the success of a top
Ofsted report at the College of
North East London (CONEL).
The college has been
recognised as making
‘significant progress’ in
developing its adult training in a
recent Ofsted report.
The report states: “The college
has made significant progress in
expanding adult training. A well
established national centre of
excellence in Trade Union
Studies provides a good
experience base for highly
effective employer engagement.”
“The award is excellent news
as this report highlights that TUC
Education continues to be at the
heart of employer engagement
for CONEL,” says unionlearn
Regional Education Officer Rob
Hancock.
The centre works closely with
the Employment Training
Solutions team to meet the skill
17:53 Page 31
TUC Education with unionlearn « Roundup «
needs of trade unionists from a
wide range of workplaces. ULRs,
trained through the centre, have
helped arrange a variety of courses
for their members in the local area.
Successful courses have included
Skills for Life for a wide range of
trade unionists from postal workers
to teaching assistants, who have
taken the opportunity of sitting the
National Tests in Literacy and
Numeracy and successfully gaining
recognised qualifications at Level 1
and 2.
ESOL courses have also been
laid on for workers from a variety
of workplaces, such as transport
and the cleaning industry.
CONEL is now delivering the new
Information Technology
Qualification (ITQ ), which, along
with a whole host of Level 2
vocational qualifications, is proving
popular with ULRs.
DIUS Secretary John Denham
recently visited the college and
praised its progress.
TUC Education has gone from strength to strength
in recent years. TUC tutors in the Southern and
Eastern region are totally commited to giving reps the
training they need and to building the trade union
movement
Rob Hancock REO
spring 2008 « 29
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» Update » TUC Education with unionlearn

A flare for learning

TUC Education was born in its
TUC Education
provides the training
current form in the 1970s,
forging partnerships with FE you need
colleges in developing its Union
Reps Stage 1 core course for ● Union reps
basic training of reps. You may be known as a shop steward, office
That course celebrates its 30th representative, staff rep or union steward. The
anniversary this year, with new union reps courses provide a thorough basis in
materials to invigorate it. the skills needed for carrying out the role.
TUC Education joined forces with
the organisation’s Learning Services ● Safety reps
in 2005 to become unionlearn. Courses will help you become better reps by
“Trade union studies tutors are providing a thorough grounding in health
absolutely the back-bone of what and safety issues as well as tackling welfare
we do. They work from some issues. Training gives new reps an opportunity
60 colleges across the UK using to discuss issues around health and safety
courses written and provided by at work.
the department. The TUC puts a lot
of resources into training – and Studies units in colleges by Ofsted ● Learning reps
developing tutors is key to our have all been Grade 1 – Courses will help you understand the role and
success,” says Liz Rees. outstanding – unmatched by any statutory rights of the ULR; organise to improve
“We have first class regional other curriculum area across adult learning opportunities and work with
education officers (REOs), who education. employers towards a learning workplace.
develop partnerships with local “The quality of the work makes
colleges which then run courses on me very proud – it’s not easy to ● Pensions scheme trustees
everything that you can think of, keep on top of all the changes that Courses will give a better understanding of
whether it’s equality, employment come along but we have managed pensions so you can provide advice to your
rights, health and safety or on it and that quality of work is what members on issues as well as help you
learning. We have a huge pulls us through. We have terrific understand your own pension situation.
curriculum and work hard to keep tutors and materials and so much
up-to-date with the needs of reps commitment across the field in ● Equality reps
and the priorities of unions. And the keeping that quality high.” Reps need an understanding of employers’
support we get from unions across legal duties for members to get effective
the board, education officers, log onto representation. Courses include legislation on
regional officers, national officers www.unionlearn.org.uk to discrimination and diversity, and union equality
and workplace reps, is crucial.” download PDFs of courses online. strategies and tackling discrimination at work.
It’s little wonder then that 13 Or contact your regional
consecutive Adult Learning education officer (see back page) ● Environment reps
Inspectorate reports of Trade Union for more information. Courses give an understanding of
environmental terminology; examine legislation
and review environment management systems;
Organise 2 assess current trade union policies; and
develop workplace and community strategies.
“Organise 2! A voice in every workplace”
builds on the success of the first edition of ● Union professionals
Organise!, and has been designed to help The professional development programme
develop the skills for effective workplace brings locally delivered high quality, accredited
organisation. It has been developed for use education and training to union officers.
across the TUC Education curriculum, for
branches, for union officers, for union ● Trade union tutors
learning reps, for campaigns and for Developing the skills and experience of TUC
wherever the voice of the union should be tutors is central to maintaining and building on
heard. Reps will find it available on courses our high standards. TUC Education trains and
from January 2008. develops its tutors on specially designed and
Let TUC Education know what you think of accredited courses.
it – email Liz Rees at lrees@tuc.org.uk for
further details, or with any suggestions for
improvement. TUC Education will use these
for Organise 3!

30 » spring 2008
30 31 LR April 08 V2:Layout 1 10/4/08
Firefighters answer
diversity call
Fire and rescue service staff in
South London are improving
their communications with deaf
people thanks to a session
organised at New Malden fire
station.
The Deafworks course trains
firefighters about how to
approach deaf and hard of
hearing people when carrying
out Home Fire Safety Risk
Assessments and how to install
smoke alarms designed for
deaf people.
With the help of funding from
the London Development Agency
(LDA), the course is currently
being run for Red Watch at New
Malden fire station and for
borough-based fire safety
administrative staff from Lambeth,
Croydon and Kingston.
It all came about as a result of a
short fire safety presentation by
Surbiton Deaf Club at New
17:50 Page 31
Malden fire station on Learning at
Work Day (LAW) last year, which
sparked a lot of interest among the
workforce.
The Watch Manager is keen for
the session to form part of the initial
training firefighters receive when
joining the Fire Service since it
provides excellent advice on
communicating with the hard-of-
hearing and is also very useful for
helping engaging with anybody who
has difficulties with English.
“This is a fantastic course, which
the students have really enjoyed
and which has taught them many
useful skills,” says FBU London
Region Lifelong Learning
Coordinator Tim Davis.
In addition to the Deafworks
course, two firefighters are studying
British Sign Language (20 per cent of
firefighters in the capital are
interested in BSL, according to a
recent London-wide learning survey).
Diversity « Update «
Firefighters at “Learning at Work Day has
New Malden are produced a real benefit for the
improving their local deaf and hard of hearing
communications
with deaf people
community as well as setting Fire
Service staff on a personal
learning journey,” says unionlearn
Regional manager Barry Francis.
“This serves to underline the
value of union learning as an
important part of social cohesion:
the partnership between the LDA,
unionlearn and the FBU has
resulted in a real benefit to the
community.”
Tania Fletcher, Head of
Employability at the LDA, says the
Agency is delighted to be funding
such a worthwhile programme.
“Deafworks has found a new
way of working between the fire
service and the deaf and hard of
hearing communities, and will
encourage better practice when
engaging with other vulnerable
communities,” she says.
spring 2008 « 31
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» Feature » Apprenticeships
The TUC wants the Government to improve pay rates for apprentices. And what
better time to talk about it than during the country’s first-ever Apprenticeships Week?
Building the youth team
By Astrid Stubbs
T he Government should
increase the minimum pay
rate for apprentices, says
a TUC report that coincided with
the first Apprenticeships Week.
Decent Pay for Apprentices
reveals that although
apprenticeships are a good route
into work for young people, the
quality of training can vary.
Some apprentices are paid as
little as £1.54 an hour with
inadequate training, which in turn
leads to poor completion rates. Low
pay particularly affects women
apprentices, who are paid on
average 26 per cent less than men.
32 » spring 2008
17:48 Page 2
Young women working in areas
such as hairdressing, early years
education and social care fare
most badly.
Most apprentices are exempt from
the minimum wage, but in 2005 the
Learning and Skills Council (LSC)
established a minimum payment of
£80 a week for apprentices.
The TUC report says that while this
rate has helped protect some
apprentices from unscrupulous
employers, a pay rise is long
overdue. It wants the minimum
rate for apprentices to be increased
to £110 a week, roughly in line
with the minimum wage rate
youth rate (£3.40).
According to recent
statistics, less than one in
ten apprentices are paid between
the LSC minimum rate of £80 and
the TUC proposed rate of £110.
The Prime Minister has said that
the issue of minimum wage
exemptions for apprentices would be
looked at by the Low Pay
Commission. But because this is
unlikely to lead to any changes
before October 2009, the TUC wants
the LSC to urgently increase the
minimum rate to £110.
Release of the TUC report also
Former track coincided with the Government’s
star Steve review on apprenticeships.
Cram launched And while TUC General Secretary
a new Athletics
Apprenticeship
Brendan Barber broadly welcomed
during Ready to Work, Skilled for Work, he
Apprenticeships called the situation on low pay a
Week scandal.
Photo: LSC
32-33 LR Apr 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
Action plan
This is the TUC’s six-point plan to
build on review:
● Government should establish a
national equality and diversity
strategy with action to target
particular groups, sectors and
localities.
● Government should use mechanisms
to promote equality and diversity in
apprenticeships, including public
procurement policy and targets for
Sector Skills Councils (SSCs), which
could be linked to Government funding
of SSCs.
“It’s disappointing that the
Government has delayed
addressing a key problem with
apprenticeships, that of poor pay.
Although the poorest paid
apprentices are now protected from
the worst ravages of exploitation,
this has not increased since August
2005. Rising prices mean this is
effectively a pay cut.
“Apprenticeships are an
excellent route into work and we
want to see more employers
offering high quality places. But
there is a stark quality divide
between apprenticeships, with too
many young people receiving poor
training and poverty pay. Many are
training to care for our families and
friends and it’s scandalous that
they are paid so poorly. It’s no
surprise that these apprentices are
among the most likely to drop out.”
Good for business
New research released to mark
the start of the first ever
Apprenticeship Week in
February highlighted that
employing apprentices has a
hugely beneficial impact on
overall business performance.
In an independent survey of
organisations that employ
apprentices, conducted on behalf
of the LSC, over three-quarters
17:48 Page 3
Apprenticeships « Feature «
● The £80 minimum pay rate should
urgently be raised to at least £110 per
week.
● Joint work between unions and
employers should be encouraged
and supported by Government. In
particular, unions could do more in
this area with statutory rights to
collective bargaining over training,
and the Government should re-
consider this issue.
● The Government should expand adult
apprenticeships, helping break down
occupational segregation.
● The Government should fully explore
how the public sector gender equality
duty can ensure gender equality in
apprenticeships.
Backing the youth team (from left): Skills Active
CEO Stephen Studd, LSC Director of Apprenticeships
Stephen Gardner, Skills Minister David Lammy and
Olympic Medalist Steve Cram
felt their apprenticeship
programme made them more
competitive, while the same
number believed apprenticeships
led to higher productivity.
The TUC joined forces with the
Federation of Small Businesses to
mark Apprenticeships Week and
stress the importance of
apprenticeships.
The FSB, one of the leading
providers of apprenticeships,
supports the TUC call for an
increase in the minimum
You’re hired!
● There are 240,000
apprentices working in over
130,000 organisations in
England alone.
● The TUC target of £110 is
broadly in line with the
minimum wage for 16-17
year olds (£3.40), taking
into account the average
weekly working time for
apprentices is 32 hours
● Download the TUC report
Decent Pay for Apprentices
from
http://tinyurl.com/3y5b74
● Download the Government
report Ready to Work,
Skilled for Work from
http://tinyurl.com/2l3fms
weekly wage.
The organisations believe that
further increasing completion
levels is crucial to improving the
quality and reputation of
apprenticeships.
The TUC and FSB are also
determined to boost diversity
within apprenticeships. More
women should be given a route
into non-traditional roles and
ethnic minorities and disabled
people need greater access to
high quality apprenticeships.
spring 2008 « 33
34 35 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
» Feature » Higher-level skills
Why CPD is AOK out West
ULR Briony Marder is making
a quiet difference to the lives
of West Country probation
service staff.
Briony is a probation service
officer (PSO) and trained in 2006
as part of the first cohort of
NAPO’s (Probation Service
Union) ULR team.
Briony says she has had
problems with management’s
understanding of her role so for the
moment: “I’ve been working away
in the background raising the
profile of my role, and by
supporting my workmates, so when
I hear about someone’s needs I try
and get it for them. This will
demonstrate the benefits of what a
ULR can offer.”
Part of spreading the learning
message for Briony has been letting
people know about the unionlearn
discounts available to them if they
book courses with the Open
University, Open College and
Whitehall gets developed
The Continuing Professional
Development of the UK’s senior
public servants has been given
a major boost with a project
established by the FDA – the
union for senior managers
and professionals in public
service.
FDA members include Whitehall
policy advisers and senior
managers, tax inspectors,
economists and statisticians,
government lawyers, crown
prosecutors, schools inspectors,
diplomats, and accountants.
Neil Rider, project manager,
says the union sought funding
after surveying members around
the Professional Skills for
Government scheme (PSG), which
represents a different and more
34 » spring 2008
17:46 Page 34
National Extension College.
“Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) is important here,
for instance with keyboard skills,” says
Briony. “People are expected to work
on keyboards for hours a day but are
not always up to date on, for example,
EXCEL and Word.
“I try to tell people that there is
There’s still CPD after a degree, Briony Marder tells her
colleagues
structured way of thinking about Civil
Service jobs and careers.
It is a major, long-term programme
designed to ensure that no matter
where people work in Government,
they have the right mix of skills and
expertise to enable their department
or agency to deliver effective
services. It also aims to ensure that
high level skills are transferable into
the private and third sectors.
“We found there was concern
among members about how PSG
works so we wanted to work with
Government Skills (the Sector Skills
Council for Government) to make
sure PSG is effective for our people
and their employers and to build
confidence in the scheme,” says Neil.
The outcome is that the project
has the support of Government skills
still CPD after a degree! This can
involve keeping up-to-date with the
law, new computer programmes as
well as personal development with
courses in such things as glass and
jewellery making.”
Briony is hoping her role will
become more visible during
Learning at Work Day in May. She
also advertised her ULR role more
widely during World Book Day on
March 6.
“I’d like to think that I could work
with managers to organise a full
training needs analysis and to work
in tandem on CPD, which I believe
would help lift morale.
“Being a ULR is not about making
waves but about complementing
the work management does.
“People have degrees but they
might not want to admit that they
have Skills for Life needs, such as
not being great at maths or the fact
that they need to brush up their
English. They might not wish to
admit this to management but they
might talk to me and in this way I’m
hoping we can work together.”
and the employers that the FDA
works with. Indeed Neil is himself a
Civil Servant seconded by his
department to be project manager.
The union is also in the process of
setting up a partnership agreement
with Government Skills.
Members are being offered career
34 35 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08
Working together
At a national level
NAPO works to
make sure
employers
understand the
role of the ULR
and how it can
benefit their
business and
organisational
needs.
ULRs can make a significant
impact in the Probation Service
and the Children and Family
Court Advisory and Support
Service (CAFCASS).
The Probation Service is going
through a period of change with
the introduction of a new
training qualifications
framework.
And ULRs will be able to make
sure all staff in the service are
aware of the changes and how
to make best use of them and
continue up the career ladder if
they wish to do so.
development through Opus2, the
Connect union careers advice
organisation, which has already
produced an excellent response,
says Neil.
And a request for volunteers to
train as ULRs got off to a flying start
with 27 already signed up across 10
departments and agencies. Two of
the ULRs are based abroad and are
set to undertake training online.
“Our people are by definition
career conscious and the aim of the
government scheme is to give them
the skills both inside and outside
public service so that they can
exchange between sectors.
“For instance a lawyer who is
giving high level legal advice
might need the skills to manage
a project or need financial
management skills.”
FDA General Secretary Jonathan
Baume is fully behind the project.
17:46 Page 35
Higher-level skills « Feature «
By negotiating local
learning agreements
ULRs will be able to
assess staff training
needs’ and find out
what barriers
prevent them from
Dave Hughes
taking up training
opportunities.
NAPO’s learning
strategy within this climate
of change is to work in
Liverpool signs
partnership with employers to
promote learning and
learning deal
professional development, says A joint learning agreement has been struck
Ranjit Singh, the union’s ULF between Liverpool Community College and
project manager (pictured). its unions.
“The introduction of ULRs is A significant achievement in the
an intrinsic tool to achieve this, agreement is that newly appointed ULR
to both promote new learning Steve Burns is co-opted onto the Staff
opportunities and also to ensure Development Management Group, which
fairness and accessibility on a ensures dialogue on issues, including the
long term basis, ULRs will be need for FE teachers to join the Institute for
able to ensure that workers are Learning.
given the time, support and Another really useful outcome of the
encouragement to learn and agreement between the college and unions,
develop,” he says. UCU and UNISON is the time given to Steve
to carry out his work, demonstrating
genuine investment by the college in the
initiative.
“As a learning organisation whose key
role is education, the work of the ULR
“The FDA believes that whatever dovetails well with its core activities,”
level people are at in their commented Joel Petrie, Chair, UCU Liaison
careers, they never lose the Committee, who took the union lead on
ability to learn more. That is negotiating the agreement.
essential for career and personal “Staff development/CPD is a key element
development. Lifelong learning in the current professionalisation agenda in
means learning for the whole of further education and we believe having a
one’s life – and that applies to our ULR will give staff a stronger voice in
members as much as anyone,” steering this agenda locally.”
he says.
For FDA members, Neil says
that as well as attention to higher
skills there has already been
an enthusiasm for IT and
language skills.
“It’s a very positive start – and
we are knocking at an open door
with members and employers. We
are already hitting targets and
that’s fantastic,” he says.
“This clearly benefits our
members, their civil service
employers, and ultimately, the
country.”
spring 2008 « 35
36-37 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08 17:44 Page 36

» Update » Learning at Work Day

green,
The

green grass of work

The big theme for this year’s Learning at Work Day
during Adult Learners’ Week in May is Sustainable
Workplaces. Find out more about how you can
make it come alive for new learners.

S
ustainable Workplaces is the theme of this
year’s National Learning at Work Day, and
the idea is that ULRs use the day to help
their colleagues and employers learn new
skills and working practices to help sustain the
planet and benefit their business.
By coordinating this one day of workplace learning,
on Thursday 22 May in Adult Learners’ Week, the
Campaign for Learning (CfL) hopes employers will
begin to see the business benefits of staff
development.
“Learning new skills and recognising those that
already exist creates a loyal and motivated workforce
leading ultimately to business success,” says the CfL.
“And Learning at Work Day provides the perfect
platform for ULRs to tackle many of the barriers to
learning in the workplace for both employees and
employers.”
By leading on the planning of Learning at Work Day
events within individual organisations, ULRs can offer
the peer support to encourage staff participation and
the influence with management to ensure they buy into
the event and give it their full backing, increasing the
longer term benefits of taking part.
Under the umbrella theme of Sustainable
Workplaces, the Campaign is providing
resources around three different strands
to help workplaces make positive changes,
both internally and externally, to benefit
organisations, employees and the wider
community and economy.
“Learning at Work Day provides
the perfect platform for ULRs to
tackle barriers to learning”
● The environmental strand will look at what
organisations can learn about green issues
and how employees can learn by interacting
with the community they live and work in.
● The work/life balance strand will help
employers develop good practice and
procedures that can lead to healthy,
productive and motivated employees.
● And the learning throughout life
strand will explore how to develop
transferable “soft” skills

Put OpenLearn to work for you

OpenLearn is the online learning space
where the Open University (OU) has
uploaded a vast range of its course
materials for anyone to use, completely
free of charge.
If you want to find out more about
environmental sustainability (one of the
overarching themes for this year’s Adult
Learners’Week), or sustainable workplaces
(the theme for Learning at Work Day),
OpenLearn is a great place to start.
● An introduction to sustainable energy
http://tinyurl.com/2mpmz6 Provides
an introductory overview of the
present energy systems and takes a
brief look at where the world may find
energy in the future – cleaner use of
fossil fuels or renewable energy
sources.
● Why sustainable energy matters
http://tinyurl.com/38t6po Surveys
the world’s present energy systems
and their sustainability problems,
together with some of the possible
solutions to those problems and how
these might emerge in practice.
● Introducing Environment –
taster materials
http://tinyurl.com/2w8tf9 Provides
an overview of Open University
Course Y161 Introducing environment,

36 » spring 2008
36-37 LR April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08 17:44 Page 37

Learning at Work Day « Update «

and the vital Skills for Life needed by everyone in

the workforce.
To get your learning ideas for this year’s event
flowing here are some examples of organisations can
take part.
● Scrap Heap Challenge: The art competition element
of turning old office waste into masterpieces will
engage even the most reluctant employee while
highlighting the business benefits of recycling.
● Family Story Writing Competition: Taking an interest
in employees’ family lives will help to promote the
importance of work/life balance and writing and
reading stories will improve everyone’s Skills for Life.
● Ready Steady Cook: A session where employees can
learn to make quick and easy healthy lunches to show
how a healthy diet can improve performance at work
and lead to a more enjoyable life,
● Colleague Skills Swap: Sharing hidden talents
boosts employee confidence and workplace
relationships as well as developing transferable skills
to maintain a productive, motivated workforce.

For more ideas, resources and

materials to help make the day
work, visit the Campaign for
Learning’s website,
www.learningatworkday.com or call
020 7766 0001 for more information.

introducing the types of activities, ● Global warming ● Managing coastal environments

tasks and assignments undertaken
on the course.
● Climate change
http://tinyurl.com/3dqgqb Explores
the basic science that underpins
climate change and global warming.
http://tinyurl.com/2oc3nv Provides
an introduction to global warming,
looking at the pattern of ice ages
and analysis of recorded
temperatures, assessing the impact
and influence of humans on global
warming and examining climate
models and how to predict future
changes.
http://tinyurl.com/326zx2 Looks at
the example of the Blackwater Estuary
in Essex, England, describing how the
current state of the estuary came to be
and examining the contests and
conflicts in terms of managing the
environment for human needs and the
needs of the other species who make
their habitat there.

spring 2008 « 37
38 39 LR April 08:Layout 1 copy 4 10/4/08 17:42 Page 2

» contacts

unionlearn contacts
All TUC email addresses are first initial followed by surname@tuc.org.uk

» Unionlearn » Regional unionlearn Regional Development Workers:

Tel: 020 7079 6920 Southern and Eastern Bristol
Fax: 020 7079 6921 Tel: 020 7467 1251 Alan Shearn
unionlearn@tuc.org.uk Regional manager Tel: 0117 947 0521
www.unionlearn.org.uk Barry Francis Cornwall
Director Liz Smith Union Development Coordinator Geoff Hale
Tel: 020 7079 6922 Jon Tennison Tel: 01209 611 604
lsmith@tuc.org.uk Regional Education Officer Regional Education Officer
Rob Hancock Marie Hughes
Tel: 0117 933 4443
» National unionlearn
managers » Midlands
Standards and Quality Tel: 0121 236 4454
Ian Borkett Regional manager » Yorkshire and the
Tel: 020 7079 6940 Mary Alys Humber
iborkett@tuc.org.uk Union Development Coordinator Tel: 0113 245 4909
Research and Strategy Gary O’Donnell Regional Manager
Bert Clough Regional Education Officer Alan Roe
Tel: 020 7079 6925 Pete Try Union Development Coordinator
bcloug@tuc.org.uk Sharon Burke,
Business and Finance Regional Education Officer
Matthew Fernandez-Graham » Northern Trevor Sargison
Tel: 020 7079 6936 Regional manager Tel: 0113 200 1071
mfernandes-graham@tuc.org.uk Barney McGill
Communications Tel: 0191 227 5552
Mike Power Union Development Coordinator
Tel: 020 7079 6942 Elizabeth Killoran
mpower@tuc.org.uk Tel: 0191 227 5557 » Union contacts
Trade Union Education Regional Education Officer Aspect Judith Hibbert
Liz Rees Ian West Tel: 07968 322 969
Tel: 020 7079 6923 Tel: 0191 227 5572 judith.hibbert@ntlworld.com
lrees@tuc.org.uk ATL Mark Holding
Union Development Tel: 020 7782 1596
Judith Swift » North West mholding@atl.org.uk
Tel: 0151 243 2568 Regional Manager BECTU Brian Kelly
jswift@tuc.org.uk Dave Eva Tel: 020 7346 0900
Development Officer (ULF) Tel: 0151 236 2321 bkelly@bectu.org.uk
Catherine McClennan Union Development Coordinator BFAWU Dorban Ippoma
Tel: 07795 606 982 Tony Saunders Tel: 020 8801 0980
cmcclennan@tuc.org.uk Liverpool office dorban58@yahoo
Tel: 0151 236 2321 BSU Vikki Botham
Manchester office Tel: 07717 805 521
» Equal Project Tel: 0161 445 0077 vikki.powell@britannia.co.uk
Joe Fearnehough Regional Education Officer Connect Kirsi Kekki
Tel: 0151 243 2571 Peter Holland Tel: 020 8971 6052
jfearnehough@tuc.org.uk Tel: 0151 243 2564 kirsi.kekki@connectuk.org
CWU Trish Lavelle
Tel: 020 8971 7340
» Learndirect centres » South West tlavelle@cwu.org
Helen Gagliasso Regional Manager Equity Louise Grainger
Tel: 0191 227 5567 Tel: 0117 947 0521 Tel: 020 7670 0214
hgagliasso@tuc.org.uk Helen Cole lgrainger@equity.org.uk
Union Development Coordinator FBU Trevor Shanahan
Ros Etheridge Tel: 07917 75 9473
» Website trevor.shanahan@fbu.org.uk
Jay Sreedharan FDA Martin Furlong
Tel: 020 7079 6943 Tel: 020 7401 5555
jsreedharan@tuc.org.uk martin@fda.org.uk

38 » spring 2008
38 39 LR April 08:Layout 1 copy 4 10/4/08 17:42 Page 3

resources «

MU Pauline Dalby
Jay knows
Jay Sreedharan, unionlearn’s website officer, answers
Tel: 020 7840 5516
pd1@musiciansunion.org.uk some recent questions raised by site visitors
NAPO Ranjit Singh
Tel: 07943 827 353 Q “Thursday 22 May will be my first Learning at Work Day as a ULR.
rsingh@napo.org.uk Could you give me some tips on what I might do the day?”
NASUWT Jennifer Moses,
Stephen Smith A First of all go to the Campaign for Learning’s website where they have created a new
Tel: 0121 453 6150 section especially for ULRs. You will find information including action plans that takes you
lifelong.learning@mail.nasuwt.org.uk through the essential steps to a successful Learning at Work Day from “making your case”
NUJ Linda King to “measuring success”. There will be downloadable materials, resources and case
Tel: 020 7843 3717 studies that have been designed to help you as a Union Learning Rep, as well as other
lindak@nuj.org.uk useful websites and information sources.
NUT Andrew Parry Williams A few example of activities you could run on the day are, book swaps, Indian head
Tel: 020 7380 4800/4780 massage, job swaps, laughing in the workplace, presentation tips for public speaking,
learning.reps@nut.org.uk managing your workload and plenty more. And an A-Z of activities that you can use in
PCS David McEvoy your workplace can be found at www.campaign-for-learning.org.uk
Tel: 020 7801 2727 ext 2360 You should also contact your regional unionlearn project workers for advice on local
david.mcevoy@pcs.org.uk activity and funding. Contact details at the back of this magazine.
PFA Alan Irwin
Tel: 07717 467 718
ieteuk@yahoo.co.uk
POA Andy Rowett
Top tips from you
Tel: 07917 699 210
poaulf@yahoo.co.uk
Prospect Rachel Bennett
On our website we recently asked
ULRs to share their “Top Tips” on
getting workmates into learning.
7 Where possible get
support from
local/regional learning
Tel: 020 7902 6687 Here are 10 of the best. officers from your own union
Rachel.Bennett@prospect.org.uk and unionlearn as they have
RCN Linda McBride
Tel: 020 7647 3855
linda.mcbride@rcn.org.uk
1 Try to collaborate with other
ULRs. Having more ULRs
involved keeps turnout high and
all the up-to-date information
on funding etc.

UCATT Jeff Hopewell

Tel: 01302 360 725
costs down.
8 You can download free
online books for anyone
jhopewell@ucatt.org.uk
Unison Pam Johnson
Tel: 020 7551 1267
2 Create an events calendar for
your team. Provide
information on what’s available,
anywhere at no cost, and
with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it,
pam.johnson@unison.co.uk when and how to enrol. give it away or re-use it under
Unite – Amicus section the terms of the Project
Tom Beattie
Tel: 020 8462 7755
tom.beattie@unitetheunion.org
3 Go on courses yourself, so
you can give first hand
experience.
Gutenberg License included at
www.gutenberg.org.

Unite – T&G section Jim Mowatt

Tel: 020 7611 2628
jmowatt@unitetheunion.org 4 Get involved with local
authorities/colleges and
9 Set yourself clear goals and
make an action plan with
target finish dates so you can
Unity Gerald Crookes learning events. monitor progress easily.
Tel: 01782 280 588
geraldcrookes@unitytheunion.org.uk
URTU Graham Cooper
Tel: 07795 562 874
5 Get colleagues involved as
reviewers i.e. courses,
books etc.
10 Give yourself plenty of
time when planning
events as things often take
Contact
us...
grahamcurtu@yahoo.co.uk longer than you think. If you have a
USDAW Ann Murphy
Tel: 0161 224 2804
ann.murphy@usdaw.org.uk
6 Share your experiences and
potential stumbling blocks
with your colleagues. Let them
All these tips have been
submitted by ULRs, why not
question you
want answered
or want to take
know how you got over submit your top tips and we’ll part in online
obstacles or if you overcame a send you a set of nine discussions,
fear of learning. Sandstone Vista books. please visit
www.unionlearn.
www.unionlearn.org.uk/toptip org.uk/discuss

spring 2008 « 39
40 April 08:Layout 1 10/4/08 17:39
m
Farteerieals
Whether or not you are
organising events for Adult
Learners’ Week, and
especially Learning at Work
Day (Thursday 22 May)
there’s lots of material you
can use – and post and
packing is free as well.
new
Learning and organising
– leaflets and poster
A new set of materials to
encourage people to become
ULRs and to join the union.
They include leaflets entitled:
“Fancy taking on the best job in
your workplace?” Designed to
encourage members to become
a ULR. And a join union leaflet
“No other membership gives
you this many benefits”. Plus
a poster urging people to join
the union.
Page 1
Resources « Roundup «
Order now for Adult
Learners’ Week events
www.unionlearn.org.uk/freebooks
Working for Learners new
This new, updated
handbook is a must have for all
ULRs. This 80 page, wire bound
publication contains everything
a ULR needs to know. Its
chapters cover: learning and
organising, benefits of ULRs,
functions and rights, ULR
agreements, ULR activities, ULR
training, and support for
learning. Plus a jargon buster,
resources list and contacts.
See story on page 12
Kate and Umar’s Incredible
learning journey – DVD
Now available this new 10 minute animated film
is being widely used in workplaces and on
courses around the country. See story on page 6.
Unionlearn directory
This list of TUC
Education programmes and
centres should be on the shelf
of every learning centre and
ULR.
Local heroes – the importance of ULRs –
DVD
The first 3,000 copies of this film went within six
weeks – a great response to a film showing the
vital work carried out by ULRs. More copies have
been ordered, which means that the ULR story can
be spread even wider.
Keep members and colleagues in touch with what
unionlearn and its partner organisations are doing,
saying and offering by ordering further copies of this
edition of the Learning Rep and pass them on. Order lots
for your Adult Learners’ Week activities (17 – 23 May).
spring 2008 « 40