Trade union learning representatives in Britain: policy innovation in VET

The 2002 British Employment Act (Section 43) conferred statutory rights on a new breed of trade union representatives: trade union learning representatives (ULRs). As of 2003 some 7,500 trade unionists have been trained as ULRs, with estimates projecting a network of over 22,000 by 2010 bringing a quarter of a million people into learning. Not surprisingly, the expectations of ULRs amongst policy makers are high. ULRs, it is claimed, offer the potential of increased learning opportunities for individual workers, new members for trade unions and improved performance for employers. Yet, to the extent that employees and employers may have different needs and interests in relation to learning and training, much will depend on the employment relations context in which ULRs operate, the nature of their engagement with employers and the trade union support structures into which they are inserted. Against this backdrop, this paper presents an overview of the ULR initiative. It begins by considering why the ULR initiative evolved and the key aspirations behind it. It then outlines the nature of ULR activity and the extent to which they are engaging with employers around the broader learning agenda. Finally, in concluding, some questions about the future sustainability and success of the initiative are posed.

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The collected volume of conference papers may be found at TD/TNC 91.115 and selected individual papers are indexed from TD/TNC 91.116 to TD/TNC 91.119. Show less