According to a resolution approved by the Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation, workplace learning ‘provides workers with an opportunity to develop as active citizens, to acquire and update their knowledge, skills and competence and to improve their employability. Equally it provides employers with skilled workers to boost competitiveness, develop innovation and increase productivity’. 

Although many employers invest in developing workers’ skills, many do not. So we in the European trade union movement have to be pro-active and move the issue of developing workers’ skills up the agenda – in the workplace and across the European Union. And on this basis unionlearn agreed to coordinate a European project, with Bulgarian, German, Italian, Romanians and Spanish trade union confederations, to support the development of workers’ skills. 

As part of the project trade union workplace representatives, shop stewards, union learning representatives and works council members from six countries went on study visits to plants in Germany and the United Kingdom with the aim of exchanging information and experience about ways in which trade unions provide practical support for the development of workplace learning.

These discussions were then distilled and are presented in the form of a toolkit. 

Who is this toolkit for?

This toolkit is for trade union representatives at the workplace, shop stewards, union learning representatives and works council members, so that they are better equipped to support the development of workplace learning. It will enable them to advise and support workers - union members and non-members alike - and enter into a dialogue and negotiate with employers on the subject of workplace learning.

What is in the toolkit?

This toolkit presents a 6-step approach to developing workplace learning

• Step 1 - Preparing the ground for learning
• Step 2 - Connecting to your trade union
• Step 3 - Entering into a dialogue with workers
• Step 4 - Turning workplace training needs and experiences into trade union demands  
• Step 5 - Entering into a dialogue with employers 
• Step 6 - Reconnecting with workers

How to use this toolkit?

The toolkit provides a series of ideas, suggestions and easy-to-use templates for supporting trade union representatives in their discussions and negotiations with employers on the subject of developing workplace learning. 

These six steps provide for a strategic approach enabling trade union representatives to discuss and negotiate workplace learning with employers on an equal footing.

The toolkit can be used as a stand-alone resource or as support for a training course. It will be more effective if it forms part of a broader trade union strategy to develop workplace learning. 

The toolkit is available in Bulgarian, English, German, Italian, Romanian and Spanish at https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications/developing-workplace-learning-toolkit-trade-unions