One of unionlearn’s enduring interests is employer engagement in learning activity - the level of active support for union learning initiatives that employers provide – which is, of course, the route to delivering sustainable learning activity in the long term.

So how can unions gain adequate support for learning initiatives from the employers, and what is the role of the learning agreement in achieving this? One union that has enjoyed considerable success in achieving learning agreements is the transport union RMT, which has signed off a number of new agreements with rail sector employers in the past year or so. We asked Teresa Williams, RMT Learning Project Manager, to talk to us about how the learning agreements support the union’s approach to employer engagement.

Like most unions, the RMT has its own model learning agreement, developed with the benefit of several years’ experience, but recognises that negotiated agreements represent the best compromise of all parties’ needs. This is particularly the case in the rail sector, where multi-union agreements are the norm, so there can be four or more signatories to a learning agreement. This pragmatic approach is nevertheless built on some essential elements that the RMT maintains are central to all agreements. One of these is apparent in the stated objectives of the learning agreements, where joint working between management and unions is strongly emphasised.

“The whole point is that the agreement needs to work,” says Teresa, “which will only happen if all parties commit to working together to achieve its aims.”

Another notable feature of the RMT’s learning agreements is a clear division of responsibilities between employer-provided vocational training and lifelong learning initiatives lead by the union. Teresa explains that the union insists on this division, because of the need for union learning reps (ULRs) to maintain their identity as union activists. If ULRs don’t maintain this independence they are in danger of being perceived by RMT members as part of the employer’s training function, which could make them less effective in their role. In practice, though, Teresa believes that both issues go hand in hand, and ULRs work closely with training departments.

Firstly, union learning initiatives help get workers to the point where they are open to learn, which means that they are more receptive to learning generally, and so more likely to engage with the employer’s training provision. Secondly, ULRs know what is going on in the workplace and members will talk to them about learning. They are able to speak in an informed way about the collective training needs of workers as well as articulating any issues or concerns with training provision. Teresa says that most employers quickly realise the benefits that ULRs deliver and these are some of the main reasons they support learning activities.

Functional skills are also a significant issue in the rail industry. Skills gaps in literacy and numeracy can limit the effectiveness of other workforce development initiatives. Teresa cites the example of one major rail sector employer who was aware of a problem and had attempted to address it, but with limited results. RMT recently developed a very successful pilot project with ULRs encouraging members to address their functional skills needs. This pilot included a substantial financial commitment from the employer, which represented their willingness to support the project and engage with the union.

Financial commitment is, in fact, a clause from the RMT model agreement, based on the notion that a quantifiable level of commitment from the employer is essential. “It’s important for employers to understand that, while they will get a lot out of a learning agreement, that there is a financial commitment required to make it work” says Teresa.

This brings us to a frequent subject of debate among unions – which comes first, the learning agreement or the activity? In other words, is it necessary to have an agreement in place before commencing learning activities, or should the agreement formalise activity that is already taking place? The RMT view is either way can work, and it is really a tactical consideration based on the individual workplace.

“Sometimes we put the model agreement on the table and work from there,” says Teresa, going on to explain that this is often the method adopted with smaller employers, where the learning agreement will be the starting point for activity. However, Teresa’s preference is to build an agreement out of workplace activity, as she feels that this can lead to stronger agreements and better working relationships in the long run. She cites a large employer as an example, where the employer has become much more positive about reaching agreement after seeing the union’s ability to deliver a project with positive outcomes from the ground up.

Despite all of this reliance on tried and tested methods, RMT is still prepared to try new ways of working. The learning agreement with First Capital Connect includes the sharing of learning centre facilities between the employer and unions, and a buddying system between ULRs and the employer’s learning and development team. Teresa explains that this is an experimental approach, and still at an early stage, so she is not yet sure how it will work in the long-term. However, she can see potential benefits for both sides and in terms of building relationships and sharing resources, so it seems like a practical approach, which will be reviewed in time to see what benefits it delivers.

On the subject of reviewing, Teresa says it is important for learning agreements to be reviewed periodically to ensure they are still fit for purpose, but points out that the RMT places a lot of importance on the concept of learning agreements as live documents that are regularly referred back to rather than being filed away, rarely to be seen. To this end, she tries to ensure agreements are produced in booklet, or some other accessible form, and distributed to ULRs and management.

In summary then, RMT secures employer engagement through its ability to deliver positive outcomes at the workplace, capturing these in learning agreements where possible. The approach is clearly about prioritising quality over quantity. “We aren’t focusing on the agreement as a target in itself,” says Teresa, “but on the content of the agreement and what it delivers for RMT members.”