Usdaw learners celebrate Adult Learners’ Week

Members of shopworkers’ Union, Usdaw, are celebrating Adult Learners’ Week (17 to 23 May) by holding events all around the country.

More than 40 events are taking place all across the UK in Boots, Tesco Distribution and Retail, DHL, Co-operative Retail Logistics, Sainsbury’s, Littlewoods/Shop Direct, Argos and Kelloggs.

Thanks to the efforts of Usdaw Union Learning Reps, in the last two years more than 13,000 Usdaw members have returned to some form of learning and 28 new workplace learning centres have been opened. Also, more than 600 Union Learning Reps have been trained by the Union and partnerships to access learning have been established with major companies including Littlewoods, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Northern Foods.

John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said:

“At Usdaw, we believe wholeheartedly in lifelong learning, which is why we celebrate Adult Learners’ Week. We have worked hard to secure legal rights for Union Learning Reps. Our Union Learning Reps have enthusiastically supported our members return to learning. We also continue to campaign to make learning affordable to all.

“Usdaw’s Lifelong Learning Campaign offers members the chance to access courses that, in many cases, may change lives; including Maths, English and vocational courses.

“Many Usdaw members left school at 16 and haven’t stepped back into a classroom since, because of hectic working lives and family responsibilities. The courses boost their self-confidence and can often lead to better career opportunities. It is also good for their employer because all our evidence shows an educated workforce is better motivated with less staff turnover and less absenteeism.”

Usdaw is the fourth largest union in the UK with over 359,000 members. It represents workers in retail, home shopping, distribution and warehousing, meat and dairy processing, food manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Cherry Hamilton, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail cherry.hamilton@usdaw.org.uk
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fourth biggest trade union, with over 359,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Subscribe/unsubscribe to Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service at: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/site/email.html

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