Using materials put together by the unionlearn Midlands team, the general GMB union not only provided young apprentices at Nottingham City Council (NCC) with information, advice and guidance (IAG) about their rights and responsibilities at work, but also recruited more than 20 new young members in the process. 

As part of the induction programme for the local authority’s new apprentices, the general GMB union and public services union Unison run Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR) sessions, using training materials put together by the Unionlearn Midlands team.

On 5 March 2014, around 30 new apprentices attended two, two-hour ERR sessions run by GMB East Midlands Region Health and Safety and Education Officer Craig Stuart. These looked at questions such as “What we can expect from employment and an employer?”, “What does an employer expect from us?”, “What rights do we have at work” and “Who’s there to help?”

Through individual, paired and group activities, the sessions covered rights to pay, holidays and rest breaks, a safe and healthy workplace and training. The apprentices also looked at their responsibilities in areas such as conduct and time keeping.  And they looked at sources of help and support for young workers, including trade unions, human resources (HR), training and other managers, college tutors and Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) and other advice organisations.  Craig acted as a tutor/facilitator to encourage discussion and debate about the issues raised. 

 also explained the role trade unions play both in the workplace and in the wider world, and how they (both historically and to this day) influence the world of work – campaigning and winning improvements in pay, terms and conditions, health and safety and equality and diversity for example. The sessions also looked particularly at why trade unions are involved in apprenticeships. 

“The sessions work best with the input of a local rep as they will know about the issues in that particular workplace,” said unionlearn Senior Union Support Officer Mick Brightman. GMB Union Learning Representative Lol Burns was on hand during the sessions to offer much more of an insight into working for NCC.  

Craig’s sessions certainly seem to have convinced the young workers of the benefits of union membership, with more than 20 signing up to the GMB.

“These sessions were designed by unionlearn to help assist young people in getting to grips with what is expected from them and what they can expect from their employer. But it was also essential that they realise how a trade union can help with some of the problems that can arise during the apprenticeship itself and future employment,” said Craig.

For more information about the unionlearn training materials contact unionlearn Senior Union Support Officer Mick Brightman on 07900 910329 or email [email protected]