Release for Trade Union Education -The 'haves' and 'have nots' ?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Don Sutherland on September 24, 2010 at 2:43

Thanks for starting this discussion. I look forward to reading responses and also seeing contributions from Australia, where over the past 15 years union "training" leave has shifted from an award standard to an entitlement that has to be bargainied at the "enterprise" level. Under the Neoliberals WorkChoices scheme union training was made a prohibited matter for agreements. This is no longer the case but it will take a long time and great determination to restore the old standard on a widespread front. I hope the CAW brothers and sisters will join and talk about their approach in PEL schemes where they negotiate that the boss pays.

Permalink Reply by Simon Massen on September 25, 2010 at 16:06

Before I took on any position in my union I undertook a series of 4 distance learning courses they had organised and this helped get me involved. As a youngster in the middle of nowhere this was invaluable and many of the lessons I learned I still use today.

Without holding any position in the union I would never had had the opportunity to go on a course let alone residential training on release. I strongly believe that distance learning still has a place in our education provision wether that be online or otherwise.

In history of our union (Clinton 1984) set out our long history of provision and notes that as far back as 1928 the UPW began to Organise correspondence courses the most popular being about English composition and grammer. By 1929 they started correspondence courses for Branch officials which continued for many years.

We must always learn from our history but innovate along the way, if paid release for courses drys up then there are always other ways and means.

Permalink Reply by Don Sutherland on September 26, 2010 at 14:16

I agree with you about the important tradition of distance union education. In Australia I think we underestimated this mode of learning (I plead guilty myself.) Now, there is potential for a significant rejuvenation of on line distance education with much stronger potential for mutual teaching / learning using everything from text to video, including on line dialogue through tools like skype. The SIGTUT groups within UnionBook are working along these lines. See also their website for materials on learning / teaching the online tools: www.sigtur.com

Simon Massen said:

Before I took on any position in my union I undertook a series of 4 distance learning courses they had organised and this helped get me involved. As a youngster in the middle of nowhere this was invaluable and many of the lessons I learned I still use today.
Without holding any position in the union I would never had had the opportunity to go on a course let alone residential training on release. I strongly believe that distance learning still has a place in our education provision wether that be online or otherwise.
In history of our union (Clinton 1984) set out our long history of provision and notes that as far back as 1928 the UPW began to Organise correspondence courses the most popular being about English composition and grammer. By 1929 they started correspondence courses for Branch officials which continued for many years.

We must always learn from our history but innovate along the way, if paid release for courses drys up then there are always other ways and means.

Permalink Reply by Torgny Wiktorsson on September 27, 2010 at 7:51

In Sweden we have "all legal right" in using working hours. But in practice to few take part and monye is also saved within the TU not conduction trainings

And even less on ETUI level. Time is the problem

Permalink Reply by Stephen Smellie on September 27, 2010 at 9:41

I think we are very complacent re our trade union rights generally and that includes trade union education. This is one area we can expect the Tory/Liberal Government to attack particularly the funding of courses and time-off to attend.

Permalink Reply by Bob Mitchell on October 7, 2010 at 21:29

Hi Trish,

Although I am in the UK I have to say you have hit the nail on the head, "Reasonable" is one of these words that the empolyers love. In my experience (and I do get to teach members both for my union and also within my workplace) there are very few company's that agree with our view of "reasonable". I have come across very few who willingly let our members off for trianing with grace and most of them are downright obstructive.
Legislation should have been tightened up with regard to this over the last 10 years, but like many things we are now on the back foot.
We need and must demand, in 4 years time when a Labour govenment who are not obsessed with the finantial sector is returned to power that they reform some of our rights as Trade unions working for the vast unheard workforce.

I could start a rant here, but I would be preaching to the converted me thinks :-)

Permalink Reply by Wayne Langley on December 19, 2010 at 13:32

Combating anti-union propaganda in the media and getting a progressive message out is a serious problem for our union and our members.  It is a problem whether your talking about skill training for stewards, actions or general education.

 

There is no legal right to train in the US.  Time off, without pay, must be negotiated for each and every contract.  Many contracts do not have lost time in the contract because management resists.  And when we do, the union must reimburse the worker/steward/activist for lost wages and benefits. There is paid time off for stewards to investigate and represent fellow workers in grievances and for contract bargaining.  Even there, I just had management cut off paid time for contract bargaining to try and force us to settle by raising the costs to the union.

 

Occasionally, we negotiate a couple of hours a month for elected stewards to have meetings on the clock plus whatever time can be stolen.  This forces the union to conserve $ for negotiating committee meetings, leadership training and other key events.

 

In negotiations, workers will usually not fight for training or paid time off for union activities when management refuses to bargain over it because they are more focused on wages and benefits.

 

So, we have to ask workers to use their own time which is always in short supply because most of them are working two jobs, have families and other commitments.  When workers come they often must bring their families too since there is no child care.

 

Experiments with internet and web training are going on even though many workers still haven't embraced this medium either because of expense or fear of technology.  We use whatever media publicity we can get from events or actions as a teaching and messaging tool.  Of course, there is always snail-mail, expensive and not interactive.

 

Recently, we have started to experiment with on-site, quick presentations.   For example, 15 minute power point presentations on the economy or unions with lists of sources if the worker wants to learn more.  It's not perfect but it's something.

 

Despite the difficulties, I try and remember that unions formed without any rights whatsoever and somehow workers found the time to participate and learn in the face of incredible obstacles.  If there is a hunger for change then a way will be found.

 

You can see this in the rise of the populist right, people mortgage their homes for the cause or in the the last presidential election where individuals would open up Obama campaign offices on their credit cards.

 

Unfortunately, unions generally fail to inspire this type of passion and so fear and uncertainty rule.  I have seen more desire for information and participation in low-wage service organizing where there is literally no other way out of poverty.