Campaigning for Lifelong Learning

Date: 21 April 2008

Campaigning for Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning is important for Usdaw members in the same way that decent pay and reasonable hours of work are important. With Lifelong Learning, our members’ life chances are better. Without it, they are at risk in the labour market and disadvantaged in the community.

What is Lifelong Learning?

Lifelong Learning brings together job related training, career development and learning for our own personal development such as improving our literacy and numeracy skills or learning a new language. It is about giving everybody the chance to learn by providing equal access for all - including Usdaw members.

For many years Usdaw members have missed out on adult learning. The jobs our members do often don't attract a great deal of job related training. Courses which could help them in career or personal development are inaccessible, costly, or at times which would make it difficult for our members to attend.

Although there are billions of pounds spent on adult learning by employers and by the Government, the money is not distributed fairly.

Many Usdaw members are involved in adult learning of one type or another. Many more want to get involved if they can overcome the barriers of cost and accessibility placed in their way. So just like the minimum wage or holiday rights, Lifelong Learning is about fairness, justice and equality. It's about our quality of life - both at work and in the community.

Usdaw began its campaign five years ago. Since then we have had many successes.

• Over 5000 of our members have returned to some form of learning.

• Over 25 Workplace Learning Centres have been set up.

• Over 400 Union Learning Reps trained up.

• Partnerships to access learning with major companies like Littlewoods, Tesco, Sainsburys and Heinz.

• Partnerships with colleges to promote access to learning all over the country.

There is a learning divide and Usdaw members are missing out

Many Usdaw members already participate in adult learning. However the figures and our experience all show that most resources dedicated to adult learning and training are spent on managers, professionals and top grades.

It doesn't matter whether you look at training to help you do your job, career development training to improve your job prospects, or personal development training to widen your experience. It's the same story. Usdaw members are missing out.

It's a Union issue!

Losing out on access to learning damages our members' employability, job security and quality of life.

So learning has become a vital part of our terms and conditions of employment. It has become an important bargaining issue. It is part of the modern trade union agenda.

There are many barriers to participating in learning - either in the workplace or in the community. Time, expense, accessibility and above all lack of confidence can all cause problems.

Unless Usdaw helps to make training and learning more accessible, less expensive and helps to rebuild members' confidence, our members will continue to miss out. Only Usdaw can make learning more member-friendly.

Some key facts

Those that have most, get more...

• Managers and professionals or those with a degree are five times more likely to receive training than people with no qualifications and/or in an unskilled job.

• Three out of four workers with level four qualifications have had training in the last three years compared with only one out of five of those with no qualifications.

And those that have least, get less...

• One in three workers say their employer has never offered them any training at all.

• The Usdaw/Leeds University survey showed that shopworkers received very little training and the training they did undergo rarely led to a qualification such as an NVQ.

Usdaw Learning Reps are the key

Usdaw members do lots of different jobs and work in many different kinds of workplaces - from big chemical factories and distribution centres to small offices and shops. Usdaw branches have made learning accessible for members in all kinds of workplaces. But different situations need different approaches.

In bigger, better organised sites, our reps have set up a learning committee with their employer and worked together to make learning accessible and affordable. Often an onsite Learning Centre is set up jointly run by the company and our reps.

In smaller sites or in shops, our reps help members use local learning facilities by reaching agreements with the local college or provider.

Whatever the approach, the key is always to train members to act as Union Learning Reps.

Usdaw Learning Reps can attend an introductory course - with paid release for their attendance provided by the employer.

Employers can benefit too!

Learning new skills, whether they are directly job related or not, improves people's confidence and can help develop a learning culture in the workplace.

Experience shows that employers supporting learning of either a job-related or personal nature will benefit from their investments through:

• A more motivated workforce with a positive attitude to training and learning.

• Better-trained and skilled employees more adaptable to change.

• Lower staff turnover.

• More internal progression within the company.

• A learning culture in the workplace.

"The improvement in basic literacy, numeracy and to some extent IT skills has benefited the company and increased the motivation of all concerned. The initiative gives a positive sign to all employees that the company is serious about their development. Staff retention is helped in this way."

David Jones
Personnel and Training Manager
Dairy Crest Maelor

Getting organised - starting a campaign

What you can do

If you are interested in developing access to learning for Usdaw members, there are a number of things you can do:

• Put Lifelong Learning on the agenda of your branch meeting. You may want to invite a speaker on the subject.

• Suggest your branch shop stewards committee appoints some Usdaw Learning Reps, and arrange for them to get trained.

• Has your employer been involved in Lifelong Learning? If so find out how.

• Find out if your employer has a Lifelong Learning policy and, if so, what it says.

• Contact the Lifelong Learning team at Usdaw's Central Office to find out more about Lifelong Learning initiatives.

• Visit the Lifelong Learning section on the web site to access more information.

Becoming an Usdaw Learning Rep

You may want to become a Union Learning Rep. If you do we will arrange for you to attend a training course and to have lots of support.

You will join over 400 Usdaw members who have become Union Learning Reps, and be a part of an ever-expanding network.

The role of the Union Learning Rep is valued by the Government. The Government has given Union Learning Reps statutory rights so that employers must co-operate and give them paid leave to get trained and paid time off to perform their duties while in work. (See the leaflet on The Usdaw Learning Rep in this series.)

Get organised, get trained and get learning!

Campaigning for Lifelong Learning (LLL No. 1) was correct at date of publication October 2003.

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© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
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Last Modified: Wednesday, 30-Apr-2008 22:50:49 EST