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TUC Education Update

Summer 2010 Issue

Welcome to the July edition of TUC Education Update, which is mailed three times a year to union education officers, TUC course co-ordinators and tutors, and everyone with an interest in union education and training, with news and views from TUC Education. The Update is also available as an e-bulletin, register via the TUC unionlearn* website at www.unionlearn.org.uk/register or www.unionlearn.org.uk/changedetails

Over 7,500 people have subscribed to the Update, receiving up to date news as soon as it is published.

Trade union studies successful IAG matrix award

Lewisham College Trade Union Studies section has, for the third time, successfully achieved matrix quality standard for information advice and guidance services.

Trade Union Studies at Lewisham College is based in the Deptford Campus. The centre delivers the TUC Education programme accredited by the NOCN* in the QCF and includes online provision. The catchment area is mainly South East London and Kent and courses are held at the Deptford Campus, in workplaces or in union/employer learning Centres. Some 80% of the courses are held off site.

The centre is staffed by a Head of School and six other staff: the Learning Partnership Co-ordinator, an administrator and four lecturers. TUS is also supported by a number of sessional/contractor lecturers supporting learners in the learning centres and the workplace.

The report says:
This innovative and forward looking Trade Union Studies Centre is an example to others. It not only sets a high standard within Lewisham College but also within the TUC Education programme as a whole.

Cancer in the workplace

How do you tell your line manager that you have cancer? What is the best way to break your news to your colleagues? How will you feel about coping with the side effects of the treatment, such as tiredness and hair loss? What are your employment rights while you are having treatment?

Who can help you in the workplace?

The answer is that your union rep can help up with all these issues. TUC Education has launched a campaign, course and workbook with the charity Macmillan Cancer Support to help reps support their colleagues who have cancer. It also helps them to work with HR departments to put in place fair policies to help those suffering with cancer and to raise awareness among staff.

Cancer in the workplace book

 

Each year in the UK, 90,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer. The HR department of a large employer will see more new cancer diagnoses in a year than a GP. There are currently 774,000 people of working age living with a cancer diagnosis. Many will continue to work after, or even through, their treatment for cancer.

 

 

Your trained rep will be able to help up by:

  • negotiating with the line manager to ensure the cancer sufferer has time off or a change in working pattern so they can continue to work;
  • giving advice on employment and benefit rights. (Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person because of their disability. Everyone with cancer is classed as disabled under the DDA and so is protected by this Act. So a person who had a cancer in the past that has been successfully treated and is now 'cured' will still be covered by the DDA. This means their employer must not discriminate against them for a reason relating to their past cancer).
  • assisting with financial advice. The union rep can find out about benefits that members are entitled to and signpost them to support specialists for help and advice eg Statutory Sick Pay, Employment and Support Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Carers' Allowance;
  • giving them key contacts and sources of information to help them;
  • carrying out risk assessments and awareness-raising activities eg stopping smoking or healthy eating;
  • organising a cancer support project, campaign or event

To find out more about the course contact the TUC Regional Education Officer (details below).

U-Net in Southampton

A BRAND new facility, which will make learning accessible to any union member, was launched in March. The Trade Unions Studies U-Net Learning Centre, based at Southampton City College, will provide online learning for any member of any union, as well as their close family.

The U-Net centre is the only one set in a college in the south of England, and will offer qualifications in subjects such as IT, English and maths. Union members can be referred by a union learning representative from their place of work or contact the centre and arrange to attend a course by themselves.

Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, John Denham, praised the centre at its launch conference at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton. He said:
'Most people who return to study are persuaded by a friend. The 22,000 union learning reps are 22,000 'best friends' at work who bring hundreds of thousands back into learning which changes lives and opens up new careers. Unionlearn learndirect* is an important support for ULRs and workplace learners.'

Tom Wilson, Director of Unionlearn, said:
'Learning centres are helping to transform lives around the country, allowing people to develop new skills. We already have over 300 union learning reps in Hampshire and work with a range of local organisations. Links with local colleges are very valuable, so it's great to be able to come and support this new centre and see the opportunities it will provide. The work here at Southampton City College will help build on what has already been achieved in the area and encourage more people into learning and education.'

Fred Stanley, Director of Corporate Services at City College, added:
'City College has been supporting union learning for more than a decade and we are delighted that this new centre will allow us to provide training to even more union members.'

Both were key note speakers at the launch event, which was attended by union members, learning representatives and college staff. The day, which took the form of a conference, also featured the latest information on funding, apprenticeships and union learning.

John Fitzpatrick, Alicja Adamczewska, Fred Stanley, John Denham MP, Tom Wilson
John Fitzpatrick, Alicja Adamczewska, Fred Stanley, John Denham MP, Tom Wilson

The U-Net centre is based at City College's Trade Union Studies department and has Skills for Life* and ICT* tutors, who work with learners on a one-to-one basis. Union members can learn at the centre, which is equipped with nine computers, or they can opt to learn online from home or their workplace. Tutors from the Unet centre visit these learners at the workplace and help them with their studies.

To find out more visit www.southampton-city.ac.uk and click on 'adult learning', send an email to unetcentre@southampton-city.ac.uk or call 02380 577 497.

Get on

Over the past five years thousands of trade union representatives have taken advantage of TUC Education's online learning programme. It offers a way for reps to develop their skills and knowledge but with the added convenience and flexibility that online learning brings. If you think that online learning would be useful for you then places are now available for courses beginning in September/October.

  • Union Representatives Stage 1
  • Stepping Up - the advanced course for union reps
  • Health and Safety Stage 1
  • Next Steps for Safety Reps Stage 2
  • TUC Diploma in Contemporary Trade Unionism
  • TUC Diploma in Employment Law
  • TUC Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety
  • Disability Champions@Work
  • Equality Reps
  • Introduction to Occupational Pensions
  • Going Global: Trade Unions and International Development
  • Trade Unions and the Environment

online bookletIf you would like any further information about these or any other TUC Education courses please visit the unionlearn online course directory www.unionlearn.org.uk/online.

 

Right to request time to train

During April unionlearn the Right to request time to train project at Congress House with a seminar attended by 80 participants.

Key messages were that the right, albeit limited, represented a 'step forward' in terms of workers' right to training. The legislation is a 'foot in the door' for ULRs and other representatives who can guide and support union members in exercising the right and use it as leverage to seek to negotiate more collective arrangements for training.

Several issues and actions were discussed at the launch and are being progressed:

  • Recruitment of representatives and members who are attracted to the new opportunities afforded by the right
  • Using the new right to add weight and impetus to trade union organising around the learning agenda
  • Using the right to encourage employers to negotiate learning agreements
  • Negotiating new paid time off and protecting existing arrangements, particularly where there are collective learning agreements
  • Prioritising support for less confident and hard to reach workers (e.g. shift workers)
  • Developing a model policy and agreement
  • Developing a range of support materials to help union reps make best use of the new right
  • A short specialist training module on the new right is being introduced in all TUC Education courses together with further courses just on the right itself

Much of the launch was filmed including the speeches, question and answer sessions and interviews of participants. The film will be used for information and representative training purposes.

Two unionlearn publications were launched at the seminar - The right to request time to train; A guide for trade union representatives and a report entitled Right to Training.

What's new?

Cancer in the workplace workbook and courses

Look out for

Union Learning Rep Stage 1 course - a new course for union learning reps. Pilot courses are currently underway.

and Union Learning Rep Stage 2 course - a new follow on course for union learning reps. Pilot courses are currently underway.

New look regional course publicity brochures

Regional booklet



Who to contact

Regional

Harry Cunningham - REO in Scotland t 0141 404 1746 e hcunningham@tuc.org.uk

Pete Holland - REO in the North West t 0151 236 7678 e pholland@tuc.org.uk

Julie Cook - REO in Wales t 02920 347010 e jcook@tuc.org.uk

Marie Hughes - REO in the South West t 0117 947 0521 e mhughes@tuc.org.uk

Trevor Sargison - REO in Yorks & Humber t 0113 242 9296 e tsargison@tuc.org.uk

Ian West - REO in Northern region t 0191 232 3175 e iwest@tuc.org.uk

Pete Try - REO in East & West Midlands
t 0121 236 4454 e ptry@tuc.org.uk

Rob Hancock - REO in Southern & Eastern
t 020 7467 1369 e rhancock@tuc.org.uk

Angela Perry - REO in Southern & Eastern t 020 7467 1238 e aperry@tuc.org.uk

Clare Moore - Northern Ireland ICTU Education & Training Officer t 02890 247940 e clare.moore@ictuni.org

National

Liz Rees - National Trade Union Education Manager
t 020 7079 6923 e lrees@tuc.org.uk

Jackie Williams - Education & Training Officer
t 020 7079 6924 e jwilliams@tuc.org.uk

Martin Hegarty - Education & Training Officer
t 020 7079 6946 e mhegarty@tuc.org.uk

Craig Hawkins - Online Learning Officer t 020 7079 6947 e chawkins@tuc.org.uk

Newsletter (1,800 words) issued 14 Jul 2010

unionlearn
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London WC1B 3LS

Telephone 020 7079 6920
Fax 020 7079 6921
Email ulweb@tuc.org.uk

Further contacts | About us

 

Copyright © Trades Union Congress 2010, unless otherwise stated, all rights reserved.

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Congress House
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Telephone 020 7079 6920
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printed 7 September 2010 at 07:40 hrs by 38.107.191.82