The Usdaw learning rep

Date: 21 April 2008

The Usdaw learning rep

Although some Usdaw members already participate in Adult Learning, many more miss out. More than ever, the changing nature of work means we all need to update our skills and learn new skills on an on-going basis. It is estimated that many of the skills we have today will be out of date in five years time. Our members need skills to get employment, to remain in employment and to improve their earning power and career prospects.

So Adult 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.

To represent our members on learning issues, we need reps who are enthusiastic at encouraging members to get involved in learning, and able discuss with employers improving access to learning. That's where the Usdaw Learning Rep comes in.

The Usdaw Learning Rep can be either a Union rep or a Union activist with a particular interest in learning. Like a Health and Safety Rep, the Learning Rep develops an expertise in their particular field. Like a Union Rep, the Learning Rep is skilled at negotiating and working with management to develop learning initiatives for our members.

Like all Union Learning Reps, Usdaw Learning Reps have the right to attend our training courses for Learning Reps. Usdaw Learning Reps then join our network of over 400 Learning Reps, who represent our members' interests and who in turn get the full support of Usdaw's Education department.

"After attending Usdaw courses, I am much more relaxed in a classroom environment because learning as an adult is much more informal. My confidence has grown tremendously. I am much more aware of who I am and what I can achieve.

I feel it is my role to encourage people back into education, to let them know what my own fears, worries and concerns were and to encourage people who may feel exactly the same way I felt.

Education has given me my life back. It has developed me as a person and has encouraged me to help others. Above all it has given me faith in myself and has helped me make a lot of new friends."

Amanda Coll
Usdaw Learning Rep
Ethel Austin

Who becomes an Usdaw Rep - people like you

People become Usdaw Learning Reps for a variety of reasons. Many are already Union Reps who are interested in the learning agenda and want to promote its benefits among their members. Others are Usdaw members who have come back to learning themselves and want to promote its value to their colleagues. Whatever the reason, the vast majority have found the responsibility both challenging and rewarding.

What Learning Reps do

• Raise awareness about the value of learning and training in the workplace.

• Support and encourage members who are learning already or who may want to get involved in learning.

• Provide members with initial advice and information about learning and training opportunities available both in and outside the workplace.

• Signpost members to other sources of advice and guidance.

• Either on their own or with their employer, identify learning needs and ways of improving access to learning opportunities for members.

• Work with providers and colleges to make learning accessible and affordable.

• Arrange learning and training.

• Sit on joint Learning Committees with their employer and help negotiate better and more affordable learning and training opportunities for our members.

Learning Rep Training

Usdaw Learning Reps have a legal right to attend Usdaw training courses to equip them with the skills and knowledge to do their job.

There is a duty on the employer to provide paid release to attend the course and Usdaw pays all the expenses needed to cover attendance.

The course covers giving advice and investigating learning needs. It also covers working with employers and providers.

Following the initial training Usdaw Learning Reps should attend a two-day course on helping members with Basic Skills needs.

Both courses are accredited with the Open College, so you will gain a qualification as you encourage other people to learn.

Benefits for Usdaw members

There are many advantages for our members in having trained Usdaw Learning Reps onsite. Usdaw Learning Reps provide:

• A familiar face members know, who may have helped them in the past.

• A person whose completely independent advice they can trust.

• Someone who they know will treat their concerns in confidence. Private concerns about Basic Skills can be discussed without fear of it being held against them.

• The opportunity to get advice in familiar surroundings.

• Someone who will represent employees' learning needs to the employer, and represents them onsite Learning Committees.

• A source of reliable information about everyday training matters as well as new and existing initiatives.

Employers can benefit too!

All organisations benefit from having a skilled, trained and efficient workforce. Learning Reps help organisations by:

• Promoting a positive attitude to training and learning.

• Improving the skills and employability of the workforce helping them to become more adaptable to change.

• Increasing participation in workplace training.

• Helping to develop a learning culture in the workplace.

"I have been a Union Rep for many years, a role I really enjoy. After attending the Learning Rep course, I was fully on board with the Lifelong Learning concept and strategy.

If anyone was to ask me if it has been plain sailing, my reply would be "No it has not". However the feeling you get when you see your first course starts is an incredible feeling and I would do it all over again. Members are now doing courses and achieving certificates for passing exams. If that's not worth it, what is?"

Michelle Kelly
Usdaw Learning Rep
Reality

Getting organised - becoming and Usdaw Learning Rep

• Discuss becoming a Learning Rep with your Branch or Shop Stewards Committee or Area Organiser. Your Branch or Shop Stewards Committee will have to decide its policy on Learning Reps and how they want to promote access to learning.

• Find out more about the Usdaw Learning Reps course. Details about courses in your area are available from your Usdaw Lifelong Learning Project Worker or from the Usdaw Education department.

Support for Usdaw Learning Reps

• Once you have attended your course, you will become a member of the Usdaw Learning Reps network. You will receive regular newsletters and mail shots.

• There are regular Learning Rep forums where Learning Reps can share their experiences.

• The Usdaw Lifelong Learning web site has lots of information on what is going on, examples from other companies and updates.

• Your local Usdaw Lifelong Learning Project Worker will also be able to give you help and back up.

Legal rights of Union Learning Reps

It isn't only Usdaw that values the work of Union Learning Reps. The Government does as well. That is why they have introduced statutory rights for Union Learning Reps similar to those of Health and Safety Reps. The Employment Act 2002 gives rights to paid time-off for Union Learning Reps to:

• Identify learning and training needs.

• Provide information and advice about learning and training.

• Arrange training and learning.

• Promote the value of learning.

• Represent members views on learning.

• Consult with the employer about the above activities.

• Prepare to carry out the above activities.

There is also a legal right to paid leave to attend training on the above.

Get organised, get trained and get learning!

The Usdaw Learning Rep (LLL No. 2) was correct at date of publication October 2003.

Download File:
The Usdaw learning rep [ pdf ]

If you do not have the software to download this attachment you can download it here.
This is a large document - which may take some time to display.
If you have problems viewing it, you can 'download' this file by 'right-clicking' the link, and saving the document to your desktop. Then, open the saved document in the normal manner.
[ Get a player/reader for this file here ]

 Printer Friendly Page

 Email to a Friend

© 2003 (USDAW) Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
This page: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/lifelong_learning/resource_library/1049744763_9741.html
Last Modified: Wednesday, 30-Apr-2008 22:59:26 EST