5.4.4.1 UNISON and the TULiP Project 5.5 Work Based 5.5.1 Shift Working 5.5.1.1 Anglesey Aluminium 5.6 Sustainability 5.6.1 Project Managers 5.6.2 ULR Forums 5.6.3 Networks of Excellence 5.7 Non Union Workers and Ripples of Learning 6. Learning and the Recession 7. Conclusion

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Siân Cartwright, Head of Learning Services, Wales TUC who commissioned this research and also to Julie Cook, Head of Trade Union Education, Wales TUC, for their support and encouragement for this research.

I would also like to thank the Development Officers of the Wales TUC, Barbara Hale, Mark Rees, Kevin Williams, Roger Jones and Deri Bevan, the Project and Support Workers, Linsey Shingles, Katrina Wood and Marion Burke, and the Networks of Excellence Project Office, Bernice Waugh. In addition the following union officials have been equally helpful, Clive James and Kelly Andrews, both GMB, Siân Gale, BECTU, Paul Westwell, Musicians Union, Clare Jenkins, USDAW, Alwyn Rowlands, AMICUS, Gareth John and Ruth Gates, UNISON, Jayne Smith and Anne Jenkins, both PCS, Charlie Jones, then of UNITE, Wendy Williams, UNITE, Jackie Owen, Community, and David Lewis, AMICUS. Discussions were also held with Richard Young and Kay Smith of Bridgend College, Jeff Amor of the WEA and Janet Barlow, OCN Wales. Finally, a note of thanks to the many ULRs to whom I have spoken, and are too numerous to mention.

Katy Huxley participated in this Research Project with the financial support of the Richard E Benedict Scholarship Award, and I am grateful to Mrs Benedict for her continued support in this matter.

If I have omitted anyone who should have been listed above, this is merely an oversight for which I apologise.

The Report was typed by Beth Green.

3 1. Introduction The purpose of this Report is to provide the findings of a Research Project investigating the role played by trade unions in Wales in engaging with the ‘Hard to Reach Worker’ in learning activities. Such learning activities are often initiated by union learning representatives (ULRs) trained and appointed by trade unions and supported by full time officials of the union, the Wales TUC Learning and Education Services and in many cases through the financial provision of the Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF). In 2002, section 43 of the Employment Act (operative April 2003) provided for the statutory introduction of this new form of union representative, the ULR. This person has an agenda of developing learning in the workplace, often in conjunction with, or through partnership, with the employer. The legislation provided rights for ULRs to reasonable paid time off to be trained and to undertake a number of activities connected with developing the learning agenda (see ACAS, 2002). Such activities include the following:

• Analysing the learning or training needs of their members; • Providing members with information, advice, and guidance about learning and training matters; • Arranging learning and training activities; • Promoting the value of learning and training; • Consulting the employer about developing the above.

It was also envisaged that ULRs would attempt to establish a learning agreement with the employer, in conjunction with the establishment of a learning centre, in which this learning agenda could be delivered.

The reason for undertaking this research follows from the comments made by Martin Rolph in the ‘Review of Welsh Assembly Government Support for Union Learning’ (henceforth known as the Rolph Report, 2006). In particular, the final recommendation from his Review indicated there could be greater potential for union learning, suggesting unions could contribute to:

“initiatives aimed at increasing learning participation amongst hard to reach individuals (and) may need to target individual workers within workplaces.” (p. 16)

4 This current research and Report builds upon and supersedes the Pilot Project on the same topic, ‘Developing Learning Opportunities for the ‘Hard to Reach Worker’: Identifying Barriers to Participation’ (Simpson, 2007). However, in covering the activities of unions in Wales a caveat needs to be drawn; Wales is much smaller than England, and whilst this allows a close contact with members, it should not be forgotten that the head-quarters of most unions are in England, and that because of a comparatively larger membership, there are considerable economies of scale. This allows unions in England to appoint ‘learning officers’, a privilege partly as a result of the reasons above, not generally found in Wales because of resource issues. This issue may also apply to employers with their headquarters in England, for example the civil service in which Ministers in Whitehall sign the Leitch Pledge, allowing heads of Departments in Wales to abstain in the signing of the Employer Pledge, leading to funding problems.

Before embarking on clarifying the definition of the hard to reach worker, and indeed examining the many and various ways trade unions have been successful in engaging the hard to reach worker, there is a need to place the learning agenda in the workplace into a wider context, not only in relation to globalisation and the need for upskilling, but also within the broader context of learning.

This Report thus examines the Government’s stated policy on learning and training, and the role (or rather very limited role) they assign to trade union activity. This is then countered by the evidence from a considerable amount of research conducted on the trade union impact on learning and thence on training; in short trade unions have been central to the creation of the development of a learning culture within workplaces, widely thought as a necessary pre-requisite for the desired upskilling. The Report then considers significant barriers to the continuity and sustainability of this learning culture and the activities that flow from it, and considers that the limitation in funding on a two year basis (as under WULF) might constitute a barrier in itself. The end of the Report considers a variety of means to overcome this issue.

The bulk of the Report concentrates on the barriers confronting unions in engaging with the hard to reach worker, and provides examples of the many success stories where unions and ULRs have established a solid learning agenda, with extensive

5 learning activities, and in some cases allowing organisations to use this as a basis for the training to provide the upskilling so necessary for the future of the economy in combating globalisation. Finally, the Report draws attention to the way unions interact with many organisations creating ‘ripples of learning’ which go far beyond their membership, and in recognition of the current economic problems considers the role of learning in a recession.

2. Globalisation, Upskilling and the Hard to Reach Worker 2.1 Leitch, Webb, and the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee The Rolph Report concentrated on the activities of the Wales TUC Education and Learning Services, and whilst applauding much of the work achieved by that organisation in association with its constituent trade unions, nevertheless raised the issue that trade unions could undertake more activity in order to engage with the hard to reach worker. The challenge provided by the Rolph Report should be seen in the context of many other Reports on the need for upskilling amongst the workforce employed within the Principality of Wales. These Reports have been undertaken because of the Government’s concern over the challenge of globalisation, and in particular the lack of a sufficiently skilled workforce to enable Britain effectively to meet this challenge.

There have been three major Reports considering the main issues of upskilling: first, one relating to the UK as a whole, but with implications for Wales, generally called the Leitch Report, 2006, ‘Prosperity for all in the Global Economy’ – World Class Skills’; second, one that builds upon a response by the Welsh Assembly Government to the Leitch Report, but also extends the analysis considerably in addressing educational deficiency in Wales, the Webb Report, 2007, ‘Promise and Performance’, though essentially focusing further on the Mission and Purpose of Further Education in Wales in the context of a Learning Country; and finally, The House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee’s Report, January 2009, entitled, ‘Globalisation and its Impact on Wales’ (chaired by Hywel Francis, henceforth called the Francis Report), which included significant sections on the need for upskilling the workforce in Wales, particularly in an economy affected by recession.

6 In broad terms, all of these Reports were concerned with the issue of upskilling of the workforce, but also with the basic skills deficit of the working population, many of whom have already progressed through formal school education, with Leitch addressing the UK as a whole and the other two focussing on Wales. The Leitch Report defined the basic skills deficit thus; “7 million adults lack functional numeracy and 5 million lack functional literacy” (p. 10). The Report in its Executive Summary outlined the problem and suggested the solution:

“the UK’s skills base remains weak by international standards, holding back productivity, growth and social justice. The Review has found that, even if current targets to improve skills are met, the UK’s skills base still lags behind that of many comparator countries….Progress towards world class is best measured by the number of people increasing skills attainment. The raised ambitions will require additional investment by the State, employers and individuals.” (Leitch, p. 3 and 4) (my emphasis).

The Webb Report, whilst concentrating on boosting educational provision to enhance the skills levels so central to the Leitch analysis, nevertheless was also concerned to eliminate the “Basic Skills gap” (p. 6), and provided some insight into current problems of low skills, by stating that in the past insufficient priority has been given to, “the upskilling of the adult workforce” (paragraph 1.24, p. 11).

The Francis Report is more direct on linking the issue of globalisation to the need for upskilling. In the Summary, the Report states:

“In the twenty-first century, the global economy of Wales cannot be considered in isolation, but must be seen in the context of global opportunities and threats. (To counter this)…Welsh companies must move up the value chain, making use of higher level specialist skills to offer premium goods and services which cannot be sourced abroad.” (p. 3)

However, most of the deliberations of the Committees producing the Reports, whilst in some cases genuflecting on the role of trade unions, appeared to suggest the solution to the problem of low skills levels lay centrally and, in some cases, only with employers. The argument presented here is that whilst these Reports highlighted the central issue of the need for upskilling, particularly in relation to the low level of basic skills, the Reports seemed to largely circumvent, or in some cases ignore, the very valuable work undertaken by trade unions in providing basic skills in learning

7 activities. Indeed, the learning and educative activities of trade unions have not only created pathways for individual members and trade union lay officials to seek further education, but also have provided that necessary platform (the learning environment and the learning culture) for employers to engage with their employees on the upskilling so central to the Reports as mentioned.

It is perhaps disappointing that these Reports appear to place their future expectations only with employers, essentially ignoring the very valuable findings indicated in this research Report that trade unions, by their ability to connect with many ‘hard to reach’ workers who have never engaged in learning and training, can act as a necessary catalyst for employers to allow for such further upskilling to be undertaken, following such trade union intervention.

2.2 Is there a need for Upskilling? There are, however, some caveats to this prognosis, as many employers even with the assistance of Sector Skills Councils, which will be considered later within this Report, not only appear unwilling to engage in the Government sponsored demands for upskilling, but in other cases appear to configure jobs in such a way that upskilling is not required. One manufacturing company included in this research was unaware that some of their workforce had numeracy and literacy problems. This was both because the recruitment process did not involve these issues, but also because the instructions to assemble the company’s products were provided in a series of simple diagrams without any words, a rather surprising situation in the 21st century.

In addition, recent research work by Mason et al at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (2008) in comparing food and electrical retail outlets in the UK and Germany, found in the UK ‘functional differentiation’ leading to limited worker activity over the direction and content of work, whilst in Germany there was ‘functional integration’ within teamwork resulting in ‘active flexibility’ in jobs, together with opportunities to extend their work duties into ordering and merchandising of goods as well as involvement in sales. This had a remarkable impact upon the skill levels required at the recruitment stage, with in Germany 83% of those recruited having intermediate or higher skills, whereas in the UK the figure was much lower at 38%.

8 The research concluded that whilst in Germany the way jobs were configured by the employer gave rise to greater employee involvement and the need for higher level skills, the reverse is generally the case in Britain, with jobs being designed that require only low level skills. Thus, the way jobs were configured in the UK did not result in a need for upskilling with little on-going training offered, whilst the reverse was the case in Germany.

These findings, at least in respect of the UK situation, are reflected in recent work by Lloyd (2008) for the Economic and Social Research Council’s centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE, 2008) which has examined a range of jobs generally thought of as low skilled workers in food processing and hotels, hospital cleaners and sales operatives. For these jobs, respectively, the employer required the following skills; basic English, none, reasonable standard in literacy and numeracy, and good attitude and friendliness; and for all these posts no qualifications were required. The study found there to be little upward mobility for those employed in these jobs, and concluded that a lack of skills training was not the main problem, but rather that there had been a growth in demand for jobs requiring no qualifications, and that the UK remained at the bottom amongst other developed countries in terms of broader job design, skill and qualification requirements and in discretion and progression.

The broad conclusion here, then, is that there are many organisations which configure jobs requiring no upskilling, and in some cases examined later in the Report, may be involved an active de-skilling. However, whilst the need for upskilling is the focus of the above mentioned Reports, consideration needs to be given to both the types of such upskilling required as to whether it is at the basic skills level or whether there needs to be provision for a progression of skills enhancement, as well which agencies are to be involved in delivering these objectives.

2.3 The Contribution of Trade Unions to Learning and Training The focus here, in relation to the widely accepted need for upskilling within the workforce, is the considerable activity undertaken by trade unions in delivering the basic skills introduction through the initiation of courses by ULRs, which creates the

9 climate allowing training activities to provide the required upskilling. This research also recognises that many of the Reports have a wider agenda for upskilling, amongst the range of skills and educational levels that employees currently have. This research also covers the contribution of such union learning initiated activities to provide both upskilling for union members, but also a pathway for further educational opportunities.

Fundamental to this research is the definition of basic skills, which is given by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) as, “the ability to read, write or speak in English or Welsh and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress both in work and in society” (Webb Report, 2007, paragraph 2.1, p. 16). However, the Webb Report indicates that Wales, at the time of the writing of that Report, is failing to deliver on meeting the needs for basic skills, which will be even more essential in the current economic climate. In paragraph 2.2 the Report states,

“Employers and employers’ organisations reported a basic skills gap, even among some learners who have reached level 2, - even among some graduates. The fact that 25% of the citizens of Wales have literacy skills below level 1 and 53% have numeracy skills below level 1 gives cause for the deepest concern. In 2005, the Welsh Assembly Government published its strategy for basic skills ‘words talk, numbers count’, which included targets for increasing basic skills across Wales: these were lower than those subsequently proposed by Leitch for the UK as a whole.” (p. 16) (my emphasis).

This research, whilst concentrating on the hard to reach worker, nevertheless, notes that many of the activities of unions through ULRs in their workplace learning initiatives are engaging with workers in basic skills, activities which in many cases would not have taken place if the approaches to solve the skills problem had been left to the employer or other social or government agencies. A key finding here is that the trade unions provide that link for such people with basic skills deficiencies, mostly because of the confidentiality provided by the union, but also by the more ‘user friendly’ approach from a relevant peer group, which does not in any way reflect upon the person’s ability to undertake their current job, and thus poses no threat to their continued employment. In short, such workers trust their unions, whilst in many instances no such relationship on the issue of basic skills exists with the employer.

10 The Francis Committee reinforces this message in terms of the skills deficit by stating on page 4 of its Report,

“Skills will be crucial to Wales’ ability to weather the economic downturn as well as to prospects for long-term growth. More work needs to be done to ensure that the Welsh population has the basic numeracy, literacy, and inter- personal skills to compete with countries around the world. These will also form a basis for lifelong learning, which is likely to become ever more important as the pace of globalisation increases and the economic demands shift more rapidly.”

This is focused on more succinctly later in that Report, “Employers have also reported that the level of basic skills within the Welsh population needs to be raised. ….(a third of employers had) reported shortages amongst existing staff with basic literacy and numeracy skills being the key concerns.” (p. 37, paragraph 88). The Report then linked this deficit to problems relating, not only to coping with the demands of globalisation, but also in terms of general economic activity by stating, “their concern is backed up by research evidence that demonstrates a correlation between the improvement in basic skills—literacy and numeracy—and increasing GDP”.

It is hard to see the distinction between the Webb Report and the Francis Report in which the latter quotes evidence from Adrian Webb, “that there were two major aspects to addressing the question of skills: first, how to upskill the existing workforce; and, second, how to ensure the further development of high skills in the workforce through educating and training of young people” (paragraph 61, p. 29).

The thematic analysis of all of these Reports leads to the following finding that there is a need for a general upskilling of the workforce, though there is a great deal of emphasis on the needs for eradicating the basic skills deficit. However, a major impact of this research is to suggest the trade unions are engaging in a considerable amount of work in this area, which unfortunately seems to be both unrecognised in its impact by the Reports’ conclusions, and largely ignored as a potential avenue to address these particular problems.

For example, the Francis Report provides a quote from the Welsh Assembly Government Minister, Andrew Davies, AM which states that:

11 ‘In partnership with business, the trade unions, local authorities, higher education establishments and others, Wales can be a significant beneficiary of globalisation and provide the right economic base for innovative companies, overseas investors and exporters. Key to this endeavour is…fundamentally, the skills and ambition of the people of Wales.” (p. 15)

Despite this, the Francis Report fails to include the work of trade unions in addressing this basic skills deficit in its recommendations. ‘Recommendation 9’ about enhancing skills levels is a long quote but is important in indicating the way in which this Committee has circumvented or even ignored the role of trade unions. The paragraph is printed in full below:

“As skills levels rise in developing countries, it will become increasingly important for Wales to ensure that its population is adequately prepared for the work place. In addition to degree level qualifications, literacy, numeracy and interpersonal skills are vital to the Welsh economy, particularly where businesses are trying to provide services in competition with other countries in the international market place. We are concerned that there is a shortage of such basic skills in Wales, in common with the rest of the UK. Not only are these directly relevant to the workplace, they also provide the foundation for life-long learning. Education policy in Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government, but the evidence that we have collected in the course of this enquiry suggests that there is a demand for a specific service related qualification from employers. This could be offered in Welsh schools, or form part of a UK wide industrial programme such as Investors in People.” (P. 108).

This quote relates to paragraph 92 in their Report, where again the mention of trade unions appears to be omitted either by accident or design. This is all despite paragraph 105, where the role of trade unions and the Wales TUC is mentioned in very positive terms, though it must be noted that these are quotes from trade union officials, rather than the conclusions of the Report itself.

The Webb Report appears to downplay even further the role of trade unions, though whilst in paragraph 1.10 there is token recognition that such bodies exist, nevertheless the Report follows the advice given by the employers, through the CBI in a quote provided in paragraph 1.27, which appears to have percolated most of their thinking, conclusions and recommendations. The CBI state:

12 “The basic skills and employability of young people leaving the education system need to be overlaid with a culture of continuous learning that enables employers to pick up responsibility for work place skills delivery. Businesses would benefit from employer-led responsive provision and training that meets business needs and improves employability.” (p. 12) (my emphasis)

Whilst employers must shoulder a major responsibility for the training and upskilling of their employees, they have not in the past willingly engaged in this activity unless there was a direct benefit to their business, and as was shown earlier, have actually configured jobs in such a way that such upskilling is irrelevant. A further issue arises in terms of the linkages to further and community education, for whilst employers when addressing specific needs often chose private provision in some cases alienate the workforce and the wider community.

ULRs can redress the balance by engaging with the more local provision of learning from further education agencies, not only for specific learning activities, but also to create the climate for the ‘business’ type input so demanded by the Reports. This Research Report acknowledges that employers can have a significant role in up- skilling, but because influential Government backed reports such as Leitch, Webb and Francis appear to place all of its developmental ‘eggs in one basket’ suggests that a significant opportunity to highlight and encourage the role undertaken by trade unions may have been either circumvented or simply lost.

Fortunately, this approach is not one taken by the Welsh Assembly Government, which through their Minister for Skills, John Griffiths, has given due recognition to the valuable role undertaken by trade unions. In a speech to the 2008 PCS ULR Annual Conference he stated when considering the future of Wales as a modern inclusive economy;

#



 



 




 




 

 
 



 

  !


  
  



 
 
 

 


 
 

  


 
 
 





 
  
  

 
"


 


 
 

 
"




 

 
     
$%

 

 
 


  
 


  

 
!

  

 !
 
   
 

 
 
  


  "
 
 



 

13  

 


 
 
 

  

 


    
 !





 

#
   
 



 


!"
$
 %
$

 
 
'&&(%!

The Reports in highlighting the need for upskilling, suggest that in many cases this must be undertaken in non-traditional ways, particularly for the vast cohort of workers who are unused to learning and training, but fail to give due credit to the work and role of trade unions, which in developing their learning agenda are doing precisely that. However, Estyn in concentrating on learning activities addresses this imbalance by stating, “WULF effectively engages non-traditional learners in learning in a ‘supportive’ environment in their workplaces.” (Estyn, 2009, p.8).

Thus the Reports not only exclude giving recognition to the work and role of trade unions but also, when identifying that different approaches are required, fail to relate their recommendations to the success of trade unions; a disappointing double omission. However, the WAG Minister for Skills has reversed this learning/training apartheid, and fully recognises the contribution of trade unions and ULRs in initiating and developing the learning agenda.

3. The Context of Learning There are three major principles that inform the understanding of learning: one, that all learning, and here in particular in the workplace, has some useful purpose and therefore can be considered to be positive and good; two, that learning is related to upskilling and training, and is often a necessary prerequisite creating the climate in order to achieve such upskilling; and three, that trade unions have a positive impact on learning and training in the workplace.

3.1 All Learning is Positive On the first, that all learning can be viewed as positive, should be located in the acceptance that learning for learning’s sake is important in society, and in the workplace where the ‘intellectual’ influence is often absent, it is trade unions which are perhaps best placed as the main agency to promote this learning activity. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) (see QCA/06/1981, The Qualifications and Credit Framework: An Introduction, 2007) recognises this and

14 with the Open College Network (OCN) has created a qualifications and curriculum framework to allow all learning and training to be recognised and thus accredited with appropriate OCN units, with various rules of combination to transfer and translate qualifications from different routes or pathways, such as City and Guilds, and NVQs.

In addition, work by Bierd et al (2009) at the Reaching Wider North Wales Partnership, found that in a sample of 148 adult learners, whilst 86% felt the learning process was far more important than accreditation, 97% wanted all their learning to be nationally recognised in an adult appropriate way. Further, both that research and much of that covered in this Report emphasises how engagement with learning activities significantly helps workers to overcome confidence issues, a considerable barrier in itself.

The Webb Report built upon this by suggesting in paragraph 5.2 that, “every additional year of learning by adults brings measurable social gain in terms in the way people live their lives and function within society.” It goes further by considering much of this learning within the workplace; in paragraph 1.24 the Report states:

“Whilst educated, skilled young people are important to employers, so too is the upskilling of the adult workforce. This has been given insufficient parity in the past. For individuals too, adult learning opportunities are essential if the employability is to be safeguarded or enhanced—and also for their personal fulfilment.” (p. 11) (My emphasis)

The National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education Cymru (NIACE) also views all learning as positive, contributing to the development of social justice, a key policy objective of the Welsh Assembly Government’s ‘One Wales’. In a WAG funded research project examining the Multiple Barriers to Learning, largely on non working individuals (thus dovetailing neatly with this current Report), NIACE states:

“The wider benefits of learning are becoming more widely acknowledged. Adult learning has been shown to impact on health, crime, children’s success at school and civic partnership, demonstrating that it can overcome inequalities.” (Mackay et al, 2009, p. 1). (see also Wider Benefits of Learning (WBL) at www.learningbenefits.net)

15 The Webb Report expands on this theme by placing emphasis on such learning occurring in non-classroom type approaches (paragraph 1.32) and suggests in paragraph 1.34, “We must drive excellence within work based learning just as much as in more traditional education and training settings.” To achieve these goals, nevertheless, will require a considerable amount of investment and new funding; as the overview suggests on page 6 there should be new approaches to funding backed by additional resources, these being essential not only to implement existing policies but to develop reconfigured systems for personalised learning.

One of the key issues raised later in this research is that of the sustainability of learning activities once WULF funding support has finished, and one aspect of the Webb proposals suggests increased investment and funding may be usefully employed in supporting what is termed sustainable learning activities (the Report will address this issue more fully later in the analysis).

3.2 Learning is Related to Training On the second principle, that learning is related to training, starts with the acknowledgement that learning is good simply for learning’s sake, but also recognises it as being often the necessary prerequisite for training. Examples have been found where union based learning initiatives have allowed all employees to gain computer literacy through the basic skills programme, allowing employers then to train their workforce in quality and safety systems which are computer based. A further issue here is that if workers who may be considered hard to reach can overcome the barrier to undertaking new activities, be they learning or training, this will enable them to take part in the upskilling so demanded by Leitch and Webb. Unions act as a gateway to engagement and provide a very good route, and in many cases the only route to identify the learning needs, and indeed training needs of employees. For many such workers to return to learning is an indicator of failure the first time round. However, unions and ULRs have overcome this barrier in many workplaces, and as their approach will be one which is clearly much more confidential this presents less risk than directly confiding in an employer. For example, for any employee to openly state that they feel that they are unskilled, untrained and uneducated and perhaps have problems with numeracy and literacy, is tantamount to declaring themselves redundant in their current job.

16 This is not just an issue for what may be termed the unskilled or uneducated worker, but also occurs with many allegedly well qualified and trained employees, many of whom have not used some of their skills for a considerable period of time, and thus when tested by the union find that there are gaps in their numeracy and literacy comprehension. Again, the route through the union provides the necessary confidentiality and privacy for such individuals, but also allows them to combat their particular problems through union based learning activities, and will then allow them to proceed to some of the training activities, which may be part of their personal development plans within their particular employment. This analysis is backed by Bacon and Hoque (2009) who, in reviewing other studies, state:

“from an empirical perspective initial assessments of the impact of ULRs suggest that they are making an important contribution in terms of improving the learning climate in workplaces and helping employees develop the confidence they need to learn new skills – especially among non-traditional (learners).” (p.5) (see also Findlay et al., 2007; Warhurst et al., 2006; Wallis and Stuart, 2007 and Wallis et al., 2005) (my emphasis)

A further issue occurs within this principle, and particularly related to Webb and Leitch, in that much faith is placed in employers providing the mechanisms to allow for the upskilling of employees to enable both the United Kingdom and Wales to be better able to deal with the challenges of globalisation. Some may argue that both Webb and more particularly Leitch were strong on identifying the problems but somewhat weaker on suggesting appropriate solutions to achieve the remedies. In particular, research (noted earlier in this Report) undertaken by SKOPE in comparing employment in fairly basic unskilled occupations in Britain and Germany found that in the former employers deskilled the jobs in comparison to their German counterparts, to the extent that there was no requirement for these employees to upskill by further training in the way required by Leitch. Indeed, whilst this is tangential to this research, it may suggest that many employers do not wish or need to become involved in any upskilling because of the way in which they have configured various jobs. This also relates to the issue that too much emphasis may have been placed upon employers to achieve the goals of Webb and Leitch, with an undue low emphasis on the success of the activities of union based learning schemes.

17 3.3 Trade Union’s Impact on Training The third principle elaborated here is that, in general, trade unions have a positive influence on training activity. Given that this analysis has started with trade union activity in the learning agenda and has posited that learning provides an environment in which training can take place more successfully, this part of the argument is that trade unions have a positive influence on employers engaging employees in training activities, which as has been seen is part of the agenda of the Webb, Leitch and Francis Reports.

Whilst there is considerable anecdotal evidence of trade union influence on employers to engage in training and some of that will appear in the rest of this Report, nevertheless there is a considerable body of empirical evidence from studies undertaken by various academics in recent years which elaborates upon this principle. Many of the arguments conducted are concerned with unions’ influence on wages, productivity, and high performance workplaces. A study by Addison et al, (2004) in reviewing the impact of unions on training states, “There are situations in which unions can stimulate training. Thus, the expression of union voice, underwritten by the wage premium, should cut down on labour turnover and increase the incentive of the employer to invest in firm specific training because of the longer pay back period.” (p. 2). Here, then, the benefits extend to the reduction in labour turnover, and by implication, an increase in the security of employment.

However, the research goes somewhat further by suggesting that unions’ influence, rather than a passive force within the workplace, can be a very active force, particularly in both encouraging their members to engage in training, but also persuading employers to overcome what has been termed the ‘hold up’ problem. The ‘hold-up’ problem relates to employers not up-skilling their workforce for whatever reason. They state that the, “collective voice might improve contract enforcement and thereby make workers more willing to engage in training, including multi-skilling. More concretely, it might tackle a potential ‘hold up’ problem on the part of the employers: firms might ‘hold up’ the sunk investments of workers in training, leading to an underinvestment in human capital. Here, unions could act to prevent the hold up problem by making the firm honour its commitments” (p. 3). The research reinforces its findings by quoting data from the Quarterly Labour Force Survey and the

18 Employer’s Manpower and Skill Practices Survey that, “the incidence of training is positively related to union recognition” (p. 3).

In addition, they supplement their argument by quoting from the influential Workplace Employer Relations Survey 1998, on which research by Boheim and Booth in 2004 reported, “A positive correlation between union recognition and employer provided training in the private sector for 3 out of the 4 worker groups identified.” (p. 4). Further research (Booth et al., 2003) indicated that the union influence is also likely to positively impact on the length of training received by such union members, in comparison to non-union workplaces, which make up a considerable percentage of UK workplaces.

Research elsewhere considers the impact of unions on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), often seen as the major growth sector within the economy. Hoque and Bacon in research published in 2006, state, “First, trade unions may have a positive influence on training in SMEs. The direct impact of union voice increases the pressure for training opportunities, or through increased wages and morale, unions contribute towards reduced labour turnover, thereby, increasing the incentive for firms to train” (p. 534). Again, the impact of unions on the reduction of labour turnover is seen as important, and thus improves both job security and enhances training activities in such union recognised enterprises. Research undertaken by Bryson et al (2005) takes the argument somewhat further by suggesting that trade union representation and recognition has a direct correlation with increased productivity, through what has now been termed high involvement management practices (HIM). They state, “Unions can have a beneficial impact on HIM’s performance impact by ensuring that the net benefit of participation through individuals is positive….union voice may enhance the impact of HIM on performance.” (p. 470).

Later research by Bacon and Hoque (2009) assesses the impact of ULRs on both employer funded and non-employer funded training. Overall, they report that, “73% of ULRs have had a positive impact on at least one form of either employer funded or non-employer funded training.” (p. 4). More specifically they list the impact on non- employer funded training:

19 “42% of ULRs state that their activities have helped to increase non-employer funded training leading to nationally recognised vocational or academic qualifications, 32% state that their activities have helped to increase non- employer job related training not leading to formal qualifications funded by sources other than the employer, 39% state that their activities have helped to increase non-employer funded literacy and numeracy skills training, and 41% state that their activities have helped to increase participation in non-employer funded personal interest/leisure courses.” (p. 24)

Of perhaps greater significance is that, “where ULRs have been successful in raising non-employer funded training, this has been in addition to, rather than instead of, the training employers provide.” (my emphasis) (p. 20). This important finding adds considerable weight to the argument that further funding post-WULF will ensure the continuation of the union led learning agenda.

4. Defining the Barriers in Engaging the Hard to Reach Worker The Rolph Review was somewhat sketchy on defining the hard to reach worker, though did identify some inhibitors and barriers to their engagement in learning activities, such as the lack of equality policies, the lack of community policies and whilst there had been some development, the lack of policies for migrant workers (see p 4). For example, on equality there are barriers which affect women more than men, particularly in relation to child care, and perhaps there is a need for women only courses. However, a useful starting point here, however, is to define the hard to reach worker as someone not engaging, for whatever reason, in any workplace based or initiated learning. This research, together with the Pilot Project which preceded it, extended the definition by reference to a number of barriers as follows:

• Structural • Personal • Occupational • Continuity • Work-based • Providers and Funding

The research explores the many and various ways trade unions have addressed these barriers, with, in general, a long list of success stories, identifying the type of participatory activity necessary to reach such workers. To a large extent, the Pilot Project was an extended preface to this main Report, and in undertaking the research

20 as the basis for this Report, some of the categories have increased in importance, whilst others have been considered to be less significant in this fuller analysis.

However, before defining more specifically these categories, a major issue needs to be examined as a potential barrier for trade unions in engaging with the hard to reach worker. This paradoxically arises from the nature and the structure of the development of support for the learning agenda through the Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) itself.

4.1 WULF as a Potential Barrier With respect to the structure of WULF, the analysis starts with the situation before the evolution of ULRs, the supporting legislation, and the Welsh Assembly Government initiatives through grants from WULF, supported by the Wales TUC. At this time, many workers would not be engaged in any learning at the workplace, and thus could be classed as the hard to reach worker. Whilst the union movement has a proud history of providing learning and educational opportunities for its members who may have missed out on their first phase of education at school, the current focus on workplace learning is extending opportunities to a wider audience than ever before.

This proud history in Wales can be traced through the various deductions from workers’ salaries, for example the miners, to create the Miner’s Institutes, the support given to the emergent University of Wales, and the support from colleges such as Harlech and Alt-yr-Yn in Newport, where many union members and lay officials could seek educational opportunities in later life, and in some cases obtain degree level qualifications and change career. Many Labour Members of Parliament and full-time union officials are testament to the success of these initiatives. (Similar routes exist elsewhere in the United Kingdom through, for example, Ruskin College, Oxford and Northern College.) These endeavours deserve the many plaudits they have received, but their provision was limited (often because of resources) and could not address the lack of learning opportunities for the vast majority of the work force.

The proud history was also exhibited in many trade union developed educational colleges or centres, and also through the extensive development of training activities

21 for shop stewards and health and safety representatives in colleges such as those in Bridgend, Deeside and Newport, and elsewhere in Wales.

The current explosion of learning activity posited by unions is of a different nature with its focus on engaging with ordinary members, not only to provide learning opportunities to all of the membership, but in so doing help address the skills gap prevalent within Wales and the UK, and extensively documented by the Webb and Leitch Reports respectively. These new initiatives relate to a much wider audience and extend well beyond the specific provision of skills training to be a shop steward or a health and safety representative, or in allowing a pathway for those seeking educational advancement having missed out for whatever reason on school based provision. Those initiatives are often described as an educational pathway, and the TUC nationally has developed such a pathway for shop stewards and health and safety representatives, and is currently extending that to include ULRs.

The current provision applies to all workers, but as Rolph acidly identified even with such widespread union initiated activities there may be gaps where the hard to reach worker unfortunately does not become engaged in this new era of learning activities. A useful starting point relates to pre-ULRs, pre-the 2002 legislation and pre-WULF. Apart from the initiatives mentioned above, most union members could be placed in the hard to reach category due to a lack of engagement in learning activities. With the onset of ULRs and in particular WULF, these members are easily reached and any perusal of the quarterly returns from WULF projects will quickly identify a significant number of workers engaging in learning activities. In Wales, there have been over 135 WULF Grants and there are approximately 1,000 ULRs. If each ULR organised one course for ten members, then the numbers transferred from the hard to reach category to engaging in learning activities is of the order of 10,000. However, this must be a considerable underestimate, as in many workplaces ULRs will organise a series of courses ranging from basic skills to computer programming, to appraisal/team working activities through to leisure activities, and in the years since WULF started many of such courses would have been held on a regular basis. The likelihood is therefore that a realistic estimate may be as high as ten times that mentioned above. Under any definition these learners would now easily fall into the easy to reach category.

22 A major issue, however, follows from this analysis which can be summarised as follows: pre-WULF, hard to reach; intra-WULF, easy to reach; post-WULF, hard to reach again. The issue is central to the continuity or sustainability of learning activities, as it is all too easy for discontinuity to occur. The initiatives of WAG through WULF readily deserve the support and accolades of praise given to them, not least because in their own way WAG, through unions, may be achieving more in addressing the skills deficit widely noted by Webb and Leitch rather than the employers, and other agencies to whom the responsibility for the redress of this problem was placed. Indeed, it has been strongly argued that none of the official Reports mentioned have given enough recognition to union initiated learning activities, and in some of the Reports the contribution of unions has been ignored.

However, to rely only on WULF may lead to WAG itself not addressing as completely as it could not only the Webb and Leitch Agenda, but also the broader objectives of extending the learning activities and ultimately improving the climate for upskilling so demanded and central to the Webb and Leitch proposals.

The key issue here is that WAG, through WULF, and the support for the Educational and Learning Services divisions of the Wales TUC has allowed trade unions to move a significant number of workers from the hard to reach category to the easy to reach category with the creation of a significant number of learning opportunities. However, as WULF grants are limited currently to a two year period and further WULF funding cannot be used for the same purpose, then there is a grave danger that this cohort of workers who have become easy to reach, will revert back into the hard to reach category. This research covers this particular aspect, and identifies a number of instances where in the post-WULF period a learning centre has fallen into a degree of under use or simply complete disuse, in many respects because of the end of resource funding from WULF itself, and because of a reluctance by employers to maintain the learning activities. The importance of what is called the ‘employer buy- in’ is highly significant here in maintaining the delivery of the learning agenda, and is analysed in the first section on overcoming barriers to engaging with the hard to reach worker.

23 4.2 The Need for Continuity and Sustainability The research will also point to other areas where a degree of continuity and sustainability has been more successfully managed, often with the support of project managers/workers overseeing developments of learning activities in a number of post- WULF situations. However, there are other initiatives undertaken by the Wales TUC to support learning activities in the post-WULF era. In particular, the Wales TUC has developed the ‘Networks of Excellence’ with an identified support worker (albeit on a part time basis) providing a network of mechanisms for ULRs to obtain and utilise information about courses, tutors and potential funding for learning activities. Further support has been given by this Network through quarterly regional meetings of ULRs, together with an annual stakeholder and union learning representative conference. Whilst these initiatives started slowly in the take up by ULRs, by 2009 all places available on quarterly meetings were filled very quickly, and the support network allowed for an exchange of information not only between the network and individual ULRs, but also between ULRs themselves.

Whilst this network has been extremely successful, and further information about it will be contained later in the report, nevertheless it operates very much at a national and regional level, and because of a lack of resources cannot provide detailed local support for the continuity and sustainability mentioned earlier, but increasingly necessary to maintain the momentum of the learning agenda.

This is also true of the Wales TUC staff engaged in Learning Services, particularly the Development Officers and the Project Workers. These support staff have specific duties concerned with initiating and developing workplace learning initiatives both through supporting ULRs when appointed and providing the necessary support for WULF projects. In these activities, the staff undertake a significant role in developing union capacity to deliver the continuation of the learning agenda, and in this way perform an important function in sustaining affiliate unions’ learning strategies. Whilst there is a support role for the Wales TUC staff in the post WULF period in workplaces in terms of employer engagement and some liaison with ULRs, it is time consuming, and is generally not part of mainstream funding, though of course amongst their myriad duties this may occur should time and resources allow.

24 The staff in Learning Services at the Wales TUC comprise the Head, five Development Officers, 2.5 full time equivalent Project Workers, and an Administrative Support Worker. The main duties of the Head of Learning Services is concerned with Policy and Strategy Formulation, liaison with unions, liaison with partners and stakeholders, management of the team of Development Officers and Project Workers, agreeing contract with WAG and annual operating plans. The five Development Officers’ role includes liaison with Union Officers to identify workplaces where learning initiatives can be established, approaches to management, particularly to develop a partnership approach to learning between managers and unions, supporting recruitment of ULRs, advising on ULR training, assisting with WULF bids, supporting WULF projects, advising about provision and funding, and introducing Basic Skills Employer Pledge. The 2009 Estyn Report recognised the contribution of both the Wales TUC staff and that of union officers, though more particularly of ULRs;

“Key to the implementation of WULF is the strong partnership working between unions, employers and employees. Trade union project managers and union learning representatives (ULRs) effectively facilitate these partnerships. In the best cases, they work very closely with employers to enable employees to have good access to a wide range of courses in their workplaces. (My emphasis) (Estyn, 2009, p.6)

The Project Workers also cover the whole of Wales and their main duties are to provide WULF administrative support and guidance on the various projects as they arise, liaise with partners on operational matters, conference and seminar organisation, WULF Project Managers' co-ordination, ULR support, advice and guidance; ULR cluster development, ULR seminar and conference arrangement, liaison with partners on operational matters. The Administrative Support Worker provides secretarial support to the Head of Learning Services, accounts management, conference and seminar organisation, database management, and office management. Whilst a small proportion of their duties have a degree of relevance to post WULF situations, such as involvement in ULR cluster development (ULR Forums), supporting WULF Project Managers co-ordination and ensuring the Employer Pledge is successful, this can only be additional and peripheral to their main duties as outlined above. However, on the last issue of the Employer Pledge, the Wales TUC

25 has taken an important step in attempting to ensure its success with a year long project in conjunction with Basic Skills Cymru.

4.2.1 Wales TUC Cymru: Basic Skills Cymru – Building Basic Skills Provision through Union-led Learning This is a year long project funded by the Basic Skills Cymru arm of Welsh Assembly Government to deliver the Basic Skills Employer Pledge in trade union recognised workplaces throughout Wales in line with the Welsh Assembly Government’s Basic Skills Strategy “Words Talk – Numbers Count”. This will be achieved by working within existing union led learning structures and agencies including Wales TUC Learning Services staff, trades union officers, union learning representatives, employers and providers.

The main focus of the project will be those private sector employers in Wales who have, or who are developing union led learning arrangements within their workplace. While it is recognised that scope exists to increase the number of Employer Pledge signatories from among this cohort, greater emphasis should be placed on the delivery end, ensuring that existing signatories carry out all necessary processes associated with the Pledge to maximise the number of basic skills learners benefiting from the Employer Pledge scheme. In addition, the project will develop the provision of the Wales TUC Rapid Response Initiative to support workers in union recognised workplaces who face the threat of redundancy by brokering basic skills support. Finally, the project will support ULRs in developing their understanding of Basic Skills needs and provision.

Many may argue that to ensure the continuity and sustainability of learning activities the trade union should put their own resources into these endeavours. Whilst most trade unions have educational officers who support the development of learning activities and the application for WULF grants, and in some cases have been very active in supporting the continuity of the learning agenda, nevertheless, trade unions do not have the resources to actively engage in the continuity of the learning activities. Indeed, the very reason for the intervention by the Government through WULF was because there was an absence of such learning activities at the workplace, and in any case to not address this problem is to miss a key factor from the strategic

26 development seen in the Leitch and the Webb Reports. Thus, the argument presented here is that WAG, through WULF, has initiated learning activities, transferred a considerable number of workers from the hard to reach to the easy to reach category, but is in danger in each post-WULF situation of allowing such easy to reach workers to return back to the hard to reach category. This sentiment was expressed very strongly by BECTU in their Evaluation of a WULF grant between 2004 and 2006, titled, ‘BECTU Freelance Learning Advisors’,

“Although lessons have been learnt, and the project has identified that through the development of a network of freelance Union Learning Reps., supported by a dedicated project worker, a pro-active learning culture can be developed in this sector, without ring fenced funding this is unlikely to happen.” (BECTU, 2006) (p. 10) (my emphasis).

A review of the post-WULF activities should identify where good practice has been pursued, particularly with ULR forums, that is regular meetings of the ULRs within particular unions, and also in allowing project workers to maintain some contact with the workplaces in the post-WULF situation. However, in all too many cases such support mechanisms are not sufficient to maintain the energy for any activities first achieved through the initiatives funded by WULF. An area of concern relates to the interaction between those initiatives developed because of WULF and the linkages with the providers of the learning materials, particularly further education (FE) institutes. With a closer alignment between workplace learning and these FE institutes a significant boost to sustainability could be achieved; in essence union led learning could bring people to level 1 or even level 2, allowing existing government funding arrangements to develop learning/training to higher levels.

In this case it would appear reasonable to suggest that WAG should consider whether some extra funding to encourage the sustainability and continuity of learning activities is an appropriate way in order to maintain those learning activities which, it will be argued in this Report, have become a necessary forerunner in many workplaces to the creation of a climate in which the upskilling, so central to the Webb and Leitch agendas, can be achieved. To ignore this issue is tantamount to a refusal to continue the learning agenda created by WULF funding, and thus undermines the

27 very real learning influences developed during any project funded by WULF. Webb was very clear on this, for in the Report in paragraph 5.4 it is stated;

“Individuals may not see such learning as an investment, but it is an investment from a government perspective. Viewed as a public investment, the greatest benefit is to be obtained from focusing funding on an expansion of opportunities for the most needy: not on those who are already self- confident learners. The neediest are those adults who have achieved least in formal education…..to make these needs requires effective targeting of expenditure and presents considerable challenges to the Welsh Assembly Government, but it fits well with a focus on basic skills and disadvantaged learners.” (p.55) (my emphasis)

This applies equally to the need expressed by the Government through Leitch/Webb to upgrade skills amongst that part of the workforce who have completed formal education but have not obtained skills at Level 2, particularly in numeracy and literacy. In considering many of these barriers, trade union learning activities have introduced many workers to the benefits/experience of learning providing a necessary basis on which further skill training may be undertaken. Without the initial learning activities organised by the union, many of these low skilled workers would never have engaged in skills training, hiding behind the barriers that prevented their learning/education activity both in pre-work days and during their working career. Overcoming such barriers is of immense benefit to achieving Government targets associated with Leitch/Webb, and providing the necessary platform for upskilling seen as vital in competing in a globalised economy.

5. The Barriers to Engagement 5.1 Methodology The methodology employed in this research builds upon the structure of the Pilot Project published in 2007. In essence, that Pilot identified a number of ‘barriers to engagement’, and listed within each broad category many sub-categories. This research provides the substance of evidence in many of these categories where unions had engaged with the hard to reach worker, and provides extensive detail of these success stories and indeed others. In this way, the research is essentially qualitative in approach, eschewing quantitative approaches which were thought to be inappropriate to describe the variety and depth of many of the learning approaches.

28 The evidence presented here could be easily replicated many times throughout Wales, and thus what is presented is a sample of the extensive activity of trade unions and their representatives engaging with the hard to reach worker. As such, therefore, this provides the hard factual based evidence not only of the success of the Wales TUC and its constituent unions in providing learning activities, but also in addressing the view given in the Rolph Report of continuing their achievements in, “engaging hard to reach non traditional learners” (p. 15). In developing the research design, a need was identified for further funding, possibly from the Welsh Assembly Government, to ensure the sustainability of the activities so strongly endorsed by the Rolph Review, referred to in the Webb Report, and one of the key recommendations of the 2009 Estyn Report.

5.2 Structural 5.2.1 The Employer Buy-In The Pilot Project identified a considerable number of categories termed ‘The Barriers to Engagement’. These were listed as structural, personal, occupational, continuity, work-based, providers and funding and other issues. In particular, in the first category, structural, a key barrier is concerned with the ‘employer buy-in’, in relation to the way in which not only the trade union engages with the employer, possibly through a partnership arrangement, but also in terms of the employer’s attitude towards the learning agenda. This also has a direct relationship to the employer’s understanding of the need for training, and indeed the up-skilling mentioned in the considerations of the Leitch, Webb, and Francis Reports. In short, if the employer has a positive attitude to the learning agenda, then it is likely that a learning agreement will be signed, a learning centre developed, and the issue of sustainability of learning activities successfully addressed. (See Simpson, 2007, p. 22). In analysing the approach taken by the employer, three typologies can be identified; active, passive and negative.

Clearly, the first of these allows a genuine partnership to create a good learning agenda, but there can be significant problems when the employer is firmly routed in the latter two categories, more often seen in the private rather than the public sector, and thus being a significant barrier to engaging with the hard to reach worker. In

29 some cases, the TUC staff report, the trade union and ULRs need to openly prove that learning brings benefits widely listed in this Report. In other instances, because of the negative attitude of employers, whilst WULF has been obtained despite employer resistance, experience indicates the employer waits until the grant is exhausted, before assessing if the learning agenda should be supported. This view is supported by the Estyn Report which states;

“Many projects make slow progress during their first year….It also takes a long time for project managers and ULRs to liaise with employees to identify their needs and interests before they can start recruiting on to specific courses.” (Estyn, 2009, p. 6).

This is in sharp contrast to the Leitch proposals in which employers would achieve all that is required in the learning/training arena to meet government targets.

From the union’s perspective waiting for the employer buy-in takes time, and with WULF limited to two years can effectively terminate employer participation quite quickly. The general view from the Development Officers of the Wales TUC is that funding for the continuation of successful WULF projects more often that not would move the employer from negative through to passive and in many cases they would become active. In this way, the initial WULF grant would become more cost effective, as indeed would be the case if further WULF funding was available, particularly in relation to the hard to reach worker.

However, it should not be concluded from this that all success in the learning agenda is down to the employer, for it is the trade union which has initiated the learning activities, and where the employer is noted as passive or negative, the union has developed ways to overcome such barriers. Through engaging the employer in various types of agreement the trade union has ensured employer support for the learning agenda and an understanding of the benefits from it in terms of the various key components of business success, such as improved productivity, increased quality levels, reduced absenteeism and turnover, and greater job satisfaction expressed by employees. In this way, the union has ensured that hard to reach workers become the easy reach workers.

30 This particular section will highlight four major case studies where the learning agenda has been very successful and progressively introduced within each organisation. These four examples are Cardiff Bus, Memory Lane, SEWS Europe, and Princes Soft Drinks, with the first three having very active employer approaches and the last one somewhat passive, though the trade union has evolved strategies to overcome this barrier. It will be noted that this choice of examples covers both the public and the private sectors, and essentially addresses what many consider to be a superior advantage for the public sector, in that there are more resources available for, for example, the release of union learning representatives for training, and also the release of employees to engage in learning activities within the learning centre. That there are examples of private sector companies engaging fully in the learning agenda suggests that with appropriate agreements negotiated with trade unions, and with appropriate attitudes provided by employers, the employer buy-in in the private sector becomes a significant step forward in overcoming any barriers to engaging with the hard to reach worker.

From these case studies, there is clear evidence to show that where the employer truly engages with the union workplace learning model, it ensures the longevity and organisational impact of any initiative. The examples also demonstrate that the learning agenda adds many dimensions in terms of its activities flowing from the employer buy-in. In particular, the issue of sustainability is addressed, which was seen as one of the major problems associated with WULF funded projects, particularly in the post-WULF period. In many cases, obtaining a WULF grant allows for the initiation of the learning agenda through learning activities, but the momentum to develop these often takes some time, particularly as the activities are relatively new, and personal barriers need to broken down.

This is clear in areas of employment where employees have traditionally felt that they did not need any learning or further training (perhaps because employers never encouraged them to undertake this), or felt they were either too under-qualified or indeed over-qualified to have a need for any kind of learning or training. Given that WULF grants are currently only for a two year period, this means that the learning agenda may only just be developed by the end of the WULF grant, if the momentum at the start is quite naturally somewhat slower than would be anticipated, and thus

31 without any positive support from the employer the learning activities, in particular the use of a recently created learning centre, could come to a halt.

This problem was identified earlier in this Report, and there are further examples within this research which show a change of attitude from an employer allowing a learning centre which had fallen into disuse to be restarted and create that sustainability which is necessary for the longevity of learning activities. Therefore, the issue of the employer buy-in allows for a joint ownership over learning initiatives, which in some cases may allow for employers to suggest particular courses which both benefit employees and the company, but also allow for joint participation by both employees and managers. A clear example of this would be where a company is foreign owned, and the language of the host country is taught through the learning centre. Further, with the employer buy-in, the workplace union learning representatives have the ability to think longer term, rather than attempting to create enough courses in a short space of time. Another example was identified in earlier research (Simpson, 2006), where the workforce, in a cardboard producing factory, satisfactorily progressed through the basic skills course organised by the ULR, and then being considered computer literate by the management allowed the employer to develop courses on training the staff on the quality and safety systems, as these were computer based. Without the union inspired basic skills courses the quality and safety training courses would not have taken place.

The employer buy-in also would generally make it easier for ULRs to obtain release for their training in order to obtain accreditation in that post, and also for the release of employees to undertake learning activities. A favoured model is where employers perhaps give one hour of time whilst the employee provides the other hour of time to allow a particular learning activity to be undertaken. This also has an impact on workplace culture, in which employees who previously had not undertaken any form of training and learning, now find their objections to such activities to be overcome, and they begin to be aware of the opportunities provided by learning, whether this be in terms of pursuing hobbies, becoming more involved with their own children’s school work, or more generally becoming more confident and thus adept at their own job.

32 Earlier in this Report, it was noted that there was a relationship between trade union recognition and the amount and length of training activities. There is evidence in the case studies that with the employer buy-in, with a partnership agreement and joint ownership of the learning activities, a basis is created to enable the employer to not only identify new training activities, but also to break down the barriers which may have previously existed where employees were reluctant to undertake that training, or come forward with their own training needs. In short, this helps create a culture where it is viewed as normal to engage in training.

The issue of management buy-in is vital to the long term success of any workplace learning initiative. It is not simply about winning the business case argument as this can and has been done in many workplaces but sometimes has not necessarily lead to the employer undertaking a level of ownership that is so important. Equally, it is not necessarily about an employer supporting a learning initiative in a financial way, although in some cases this can be beneficial to both sides, it is more concerned with ensuring that there is employer responsibility (particularly in the light of the Leitch, Webb and Francis Reports) for the up-skilling issue, and as has been strongly argued here that the creation of learning agenda is often a necessary precondition for that training to create the climate up-skilling. Thus, the employer buy-in will see the employer becoming more engaged with true communication with the union at workplace level, with shared objectives and mutual understanding.

This is key to the development of a workplace learning culture where hard to reach learners begin to feel it is the norm to access learning and take responsibilities for their skills. Workplaces where this is evident almost always have a well organised structure in terms of formal committees and agreements. With a developed learning agenda in conjunction with the employer buy-in significant benefits accrue to both sides. Labour turnover decreases, sometimes dramatically, absenteeism is reduced, productivity increases, more opportunities for promotion are created, and ULRs and managers report increases in levels of job satisfaction. (see Basic Skills Agency, 2007, p. 9). This in total nurtures harmonious workplace relationships allowing for the easier introduction of change involving new technology, and on any management or government abacus signifies the cost effectiveness of the financial support for workplace learning through unions and their ULRs.

33 5.2.1.1 All Management to Buy-in to the Learning Agenda One caveat, however, must be mentioned, and that relates to all management taking part in and agreeing to the principles of the employer buy-in. During the research, some examples were found of total employer support, from Director and senior management level (sometimes with headquarters based outside of Wales), including the signing of the employer pledge, but when learning courses were arranged opposition was met from the middle and lower tiers of management. In one case at Anglesey Aluminium some members were prevented from attending courses by shift managers who claimed they could not release such workers as the shift would be under staffed. In such cases, ULRs will have to ensure the employer buy-in percolates throughout all levels on management. This problem has been identified by others. Smith (2003) encountered this issue, but also noted some possible solutions,

“Middle management were identified as being reluctant to allow time off for learning in working time, even in cases where senior management had embraced the learning initiative. Several of the learning representatives had sought solutions to rectify the problem, many of them novel and inspired. Some of the learning reps had arranged meetings which bring together middle management, senior management and the learning steering committee wherein middle management were ‘encouraged’ to arrange cover and release for those who wish to attend courses. Other learning reps had addressed the shift workers release problems by obtaining provision for 24 hour opening of learning centres wherein e-learning could be accessed at any time.” (p. 7) (see also Munro and Rainbird, 2003)

Increasingly, the importance of the employer buy-in is being recognised nationally, particularly where a learning centre is established in the workplace. Recent work by Bacon and Hoque (2009) found, “ULRs are more likely to report a positive impact on employer-funded training leading to nationally recognised vocational academic qualifications, basic literacy and numeracy skills training and personal interest and leisure where there is a learning centre at the workplace.”

These sentiments were also expressed in the earlier research, ‘Union Learning Representatives: an Evaluation of the Wales TUC Training Course’ (Simpson, 2007) which found that in workplaces where there was a joint approach with management more learning activities were undertaken, this having a significant impact on the type

34 of activity undertaken by ULRs and indeed other union representatives in that they expressed a greater competence in dealing with management, in giving advice to colleagues, in conducting an interview and in developing a learning plan. That research concluded, “the support of the employer is important in ensuring a learning centre continues to operate” (p. 22), which then has significant impacts on the development of an action plan for further learning. Further, by creating an atmosphere in which union members become more enthusiastic about the learning agenda, which as has been mentioned previously is the necessary precursor to engaging in extensive training.

5.2.1.2 The Employer Pledge and Sector Skills Councils One way in which trade unions can ensure the employer buy-in is by persuading the organisation to sign the employer pledge. The employer pledge in Wales emanates from the Leitch Review, but has been developed as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s National Basic Skills Strategy, ‘Words talk, numbers count’, essentially to address the substantial number of adults in Wales with poor literacy and/or numeracy skills. This strategy is overseen by Basic Skills Cymru, and the role of trade unions in organising courses of this nature results in this broad partnership approach to addressing the problems identified with Leitch.

The pledge is intended for all private and public sector companies and organisations and allows them to demonstrate their commitment to the National Strategy in a concrete way. Once the senior executive of the organisation has signed the Pledge, Basic Skills Cymru (BSC) assists the organisation to develop an action plan, which will include basic skills courses, support for accredited courses such as NVQs, and how the plan will relate to recruitment, induction, performance management and workplace documents. Employers who have signed the Employer Pledge can also obtain funding of up to £10,000 from BSC for basic skills courses, and employers are more likely to apply if they have developed a partnership agreement with their recognised trade union. BSC will monitor developments by regular visits. If, therefore, a trade union can persuade an employer to sign this pledge, then this is a useful lever to ensure not only the employer buy-in overall, but also to provide a greater chance that there will be continuity of the learning agenda in any post-WULF situation.

35 A considerable number of organisations have committed themselves to the employer pledge, and by doing so it helps such organisations to achieve the following:

• Improve quality • Increase accuracy • Improve customer relations • Deliver better team performance • Encourage initiative and innovation • Meet legal as well as health and safety requirements.

Clearly, all of these objectives are ones which can be used by trade unions to persuade employers to support the learning agenda, in particular where it creates that climate for enhanced training activities, by breaking down the barriers as mentioned earlier. Examples of how employers have used the employer pledge in developing both learning and training activities can be found in two publications, one from the Wales TUC ‘Employers Guide’ (2008), and one from BSC, ‘Words talk-Numbers Count in the Workplace: Basic Skills Employer Pledge Case Studies’ (2007).

Whilst much of the above should be regarded in a very positive way, during the research some caution was expressed in respect of some employers using the Pledge more for publicity than direct action. Thus some employers would sign the Pledge, but fail to deliver on all aspects of the Action Plan. It is in these circumstances that trade union workplace organisation can be most effective, particularly through the development of learning agreements and learning centres. With such ULR focussed action, the employer pledge can be used to ensure that workers in such organisations do not retain the hard to reach badge.

The employer pledge is supported by Wales TUC, CBI Wales and the Sector Skills Councils, and during the research the role and intervention of the latter were mentioned by many union officials and ULRs. In many cases, however, there was some scepticism or indeed confusion about the kind of role that Sector Skills Councils played in enhancing both the learning and the training agenda, although the concentration is essentially on the latter. In many of the WULF Projects, Sector Skills Councils were listed as one of the partners in developing the learning agenda, though often comments were made during the research that whilst the Sector Skills Council

36 had their name on the project and its evaluation, their role was not clearly enumerated and their participation was often very limited, and in some cases did not occur at all. Further, in one particular case seen later in this research relating to BECTU’s roving ULRs, the Sector Skills Council initially acted in such a way to stifle the activity of the roving ULR in developing learning and training activities. Fortunately this was resolved, and the Sector Skills Council in relation to BECTU, and indeed the other unions in their latest WULF Project, now works more in partnership and the initial problems have been resolved.

Overall, all of the 25 Sector Skills Councils have an Action Plan with the Wales TUC, though a few have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding. In the Action Plans many have included ULRs and union learning as one of the specific priority areas within their sector skills agreements. One example provides a good role model for trade unions, the Wales TUC and Sector Skills Council to develop partnerships such that the learning agenda of the trade unions can be integrated with the training agenda of the Sector Skills Councils. This interrelationship becomes a good partnership, and there is no suggestion that trade unions through ULRs will undertake the training which employers have a duty to complete themselves. The arrangements ensure that if workers who were previously hard to reach come into the easy to reach category they continue to remain in that category supported by the partnership arrangements with the Sector Skills Council.

The example given here is of the Go-Skills and Wales TUC proposed Sector Skills action plan for Wales. The plan recognises the responsibilities and roles of both the Sector Skills Council and the Wales TUC, but with clear duties and activities in terms of the integration of the learning and training agendas. In particular, whilst the plan recognises that ULRs are trained union officials with a specific remit for advice, guidance and support on learning and skills development in the workplace, it is recognised that there could be potential for joint working with the Go-Skills SSC including: • Inclusion of sector specific information in the initial ULR training course and any follow-on courses; • Development of bespoke training materials for relevant ULRs specific to the passenger transport sector;

37 • Go-Skills could provide relevant information to ULRs by sectoral and regional forums, briefings and seminars using the TUC ULR database; • To jointly develop basic skills learning materials specifically to meet the needs of the passenger transport sector; • To promote engagement in generic and key skills in the workplace allowing the progression of specific pathways on an educational ladder.

In developing these partnership approaches, momentum could be established to develop workplace initiatives to pilot new schemes and collaborate on developing best practice in terms of delivery, demand and supply for learning. One key area within such an arrangement is the ability of the Go-Skills Sector Skills Council to work in partnership with ULRs in terms of allowing those working within the sector to update their qualifications, particularly when law or indeed European law changes requiring further accreditation.

Developments of the partnership between ULRs, trade unions and SSCs together with the employer pledge can ensure that trade unions utilise their influence to ensure the continuity of the learning agenda, and thus allow that any hard to reach worker who became easy to reach is retained in that category.

5.2.1.3 The Employer Buy-in Case Studies The key issue here is not only of negotiating employer support, but also of avoiding the descent from easy to reach workers (with a WULF grant) to hard to reach (after the WULF grant). Of course, the employer buy-in can occur irrespective of WULF funding, though many of the examples covered in this research centre around the continuation of the learning agenda post-WULF. The case studies cover four different work situations, indicating that best practice from one workplace is unlikely to be the exact model for other workplaces, although the principle of the employer buy-in percolates through all four cases. Three of these involve an active or very active employer engagement, and one with a passive response from the employer, though this barrier has been overcome by the union. First, there is Cardiff Bus which has had a developed learning agenda for a considerable period of time. Initially, the workforce here had a number of issues with basic skills and this became the starting point for the development of more advanced courses, also involving family members.

38 The second case study, Memory Lane Cakes, involves a considerable number of migrant workers, thus posing different issues for ULRs. However, ESOL courses have been very successful, but with the employer buy-in education and training has been built upon the development of the learning agenda, with external qualifications being obtained through NVQs, and even up to postgraduate degrees. The third case study, Princes Soft Drinks also poses different problems, most significantly in persuading the employer of the benefits of the learning agenda, and thus obtaining support. Initially this was not forthcoming, but the ULRs persevered, obtaining a WULF grant, and gradually convincing the management that learning activities were beneficial and obtaining some support.

Finally, the case study at SEWS Europe provides another contrast with a degree of concentration on computer aided design (CAD). Whilst some problems had been identified with basic skills, nevertheless a considerable amount of learning activity has been undertaken in conjunction with the Swansea CADCentre to ensure and maintain a highly skilled professional workforce. This has been achieved not only with a WULF grant but also because the genuine commitment to learning by both the union (AMICUS, now part of UNITE) and the employer in a partnership agreement.

5.2.1.3.1 Cardiff Bus Cardiff Bus is responsible for operating the bus network within the Cardiff and surrounding areas. It employs 750 people, with an annual turnover of approximately £27 million. The workforce is represented by UNITE and UNISON. When the unions wanted to begin developments in the learning agenda, they initially appointed two ULRs who attended the Wales TUC training course. These ULRs were the two long standing shop stewards (who were also Branch Chairman and Branch Secretary) who initiated the learning agenda within their workplace. They had a long experience of bus drivers asking for help to complete various forms, such as accident report forms, divorce papers, and family credit forms. From this early experience, they knew there was a basic skills shortage, information which they passed to management. However, whereas the employees felt able to approach the two representatives who were well known and trusted, they would not have felt as able to approach management.

39 At this time, a steering group was formed working in partnership with the company, with support from the Wales TUC. Their first steps following completion of the ULR training course was to apply for funding from WULF, though this first application was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the partnership arrangement between the union and the employer lead to the development of the learning agenda, the creation of the Learning Centre, with in addition, the involvement of the Cardiff Basic Skills Service in the design and setting up of the initial courses. This is a good example of the fruits of the employer buy-in, and such developments led them to be in a much stronger position with their second application a year later, which was successful.

The learning centre was set up on site with a fully equipped IT room, and a tutor was identified from a local training provider, the Priory in Cardiff. It was agreed that those attending learning sessions would be entitled to matched time and the two representatives ensured that this was enshrined in a workplace learning agreement. The courses were very successful and quickly became over subscribed. Building on this success, the facilities of the learning centre were extended to the families of Cardiff Bus employees. The two ULRs were keen to pass on their learning role once the learning agenda was fully established, and four new activists were recruited to develop and thus continue the learning activities. As one of the original ULRs stated, ‘Our intention is to get lay members to take up the role. We are quite prepared to support them. If we don’t get anyone to take it up then we’ll stick with it ..... but we’ll always have an active role as we’re prepared to support the new ones’.

The management at Cardiff Bus had always been in favour of the learning agenda, and in 2002 signed the ‘Employer Pledge’ with the Pledge Award being achieved in 2004. It soon became apparent that ULRs and the Human Resources Department saw themselves as working in partnership to benefit both the employees and the business. It was clear from this partnership arrangement that there was great encouragement for employees within Cardiff Bus to undertake some of the learning courses arranged in the Learning Centre, but also using this as a basis for further learning and up-skilling.

Some of the courses provided included the basic skills course covering a computer application to address numeracy and literacy problems, the use of the internet, the

40 learning of Welsh, and further developments in literacy and numeracy courses. As one of the ULRs indicated, ‘Quite a few of our blokes have got learning difficulties, we’ve seen it through the course of our union work and it’s to give them a chance. A lot of them won’t go outside to do it, so it’s to give them a chance inside the workplace where they’re more likely to do something about it’. In addition, at induction, the employer encourages new employees to become involved and helps to reduce any stigma that they may have in developing learning activities and, as mentioned, training activities.

The impact of the learning activities has been seen in staff turnover being reduced from 25% to 12%, and it is apparent that many employees see the benefits of developing skills which enable promotion opportunities with a likelihood of increased responsibility. Indeed, such has been the reputation of Cardiff Bus and its learning centre, it has been a source of visits by many trade union officials and employers to obtain details about how such learning centres and courses can be started in their own organisations. The company also suggests special projects from time to time with quite recently one of the employees winning a £2,000 prize for developing a business plan for his bus route.

Cardiff Bus is also covered by a Sector Skills Council, Go-Skills, and they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wales TUC, and indeed have produced a draft proposal to link the union learning activities with training for specific sector skills. In particular, this has been the development of programmes to gain appropriate NVQs in driving, not only allowing for the upskilling of the workforce, but also providing ways in which skills can be obtained to meet an increasing amount of legislation emanating from the European Union.

The success of the learning agenda at Cardiff Bus is shown in the number of adults returning to learning, written reports being much improved and fewer complaints registered about written instructions not being understood. The development of the strong partnership approach with the company has not only provided substantial benefits for the organisation and the individuals working there, but of more importance has created a sustainability of the learning agenda such that once hard to reach workers are now firmly in the easy to reach category.

41 5.2.1.3.2 Memory Lane Memory Lane is a large employer with a diverse workforce, comprising many different nationalities. They identify themselves as having a good learning culture with support from senior management. Twice a year staff are given the opportunity to update their knowledge and skills, and are given time off the production line to attend Health and Safety, and Food Hygiene supplemented NVQs. This ensures that staff are up to date with practices and legislation in the sector.

In 2000, the Bakers’ Union approached management at Memory Lane with a WULF application, aimed at developing learning at the workplace. The management recognised the need to develop their workforce and identified barriers to learning in different forms. Fifty per cent of employees were not British, so communication was an important area including the language barrier for many foreign members of staff. As a result of the diversity of the workforce, Memory Lane now have Urdu, Arabic and Polish speaking trainers during induction training, and they are also used as translators for those struggling with English.

As well as the language barrier mentioned above, other problem areas were identified by the ULR through training needs analyses, including literacy, numeracy and IT skills. This was viewed as important by the HR department, which recognised the need to increase the skills of their workforce in order to allow progression within the company, as well as affecting the productivity of staff. Memory Lane signed the Basic Skills Employer Pledge and act in partnership with ULRs to promote learning in the workplace.

ESOL courses are now an important part of the training of migrant workers, and in addition one hundred and twenty employees have obtained NVQs in food manufacturing. The HR manager was surprised by the interest not only of staff but also of their friends and families. A ceremony now takes place at the end of a course in which employees are presented with their diplomas/certificates, and family and friends are invited to attend. Such achievements, together with family support, was unexpected, and was explained by the HR manager as linked to many employees’ lack of success in school and the pride in their achievements.

42 The barrier identified here was a lack of confidence among the many young employees who did not do ‘well’ in school, and may feel shame associated with their need to improve literacy and numeracy skills, and will try to avoid being identified by not applying for promotions or extra responsibilities. ULRs have a strong role to play as they spend more time with other employees in comparison to management and may therefore notice staff with needs more readily. They are viewed as providing an important link giving encouragement to staff on the shop floor. Memory Lane recognizes there is a greater stigma attached to literacy rather than numeracy and has used computer-based training (under the guise of ‘understanding your pay slip’ or ‘helping your children with their homework’) to encourage people to learn. This has been very effective as generally employees more readily admit to poor computer/IT skills, than if the terms literacy and numeracy are used. In this way, barriers to participation, and perhaps training, are overcome by the work of trade unions and ULRs, an example which has been replicated a significant number of times across Wales.

High turnover was a problem at Memory Lane, leading to high recruitment costs. The company has identified training and learning as a way to reduce this, and has successfully reduced turnover by half since 2000. The investment in staff (often termed human capital in the academic literature) has impacted on productivity, absenteeism, and costs of recruitment. Training needs are now assessed through an annual TNA carried out by HR, which in turn may be used to identify those employees suitable for management development. Learning takes place in offices on the premises, reducing restrictions on participation related to travel, and other associated costs such as child care. Learn Direct also visit the premises on an annual basis to promote their courses, which may be less vocational than those run through work, but highlight learning opportunities that are available outside the workplace.

In Memory Lane, as with Cardiff Bus, matched time is given by employees, so those on courses are expected to give some of their own time in order to learn, though fifty per cent of learning is given as time-off from the production line. This has worked well, though line managers sometimes act as a barrier to learning as they may be reluctant to allow workers off the line when orders need to be satisfied. Rather than

43 using outside providers, Memory Lane funds six full-time trainers through their training budget and will bring in external providers where necessary. The success of Memory Lane can be partly attributed to the supportive learning environment. Over 50 employees have been helped with their basic skills and over 100 have improved their language skills.

Memory Lane does not only focus their efforts on basic skills of numeracy and literacy, they also support higher levels of training. For example, a few members of staff are currently completing MBAs, and one is being funded on a doctoral programme (PhD). Whilst they find some employees more than willing to learn new skills, they have used line managers as a group to identify those workers that are hard to encourage (‘reach’), with responses such as ‘I don’t need it, I already have the skills to do my job well’. However, with a learning culture that has developed over a number of years they have found that momentum has gathered for support and involvement of employees and feel they are seen as an employer who will support staff in their learning agenda.

Year on year, the HR department must justify their spending and are struggling with the rising costs of raw products. They must convince the Board of Directors of the impact of training with hard figures on reductions in turnover, absence, and ‘softer’ measures of work effort, engagement and discretionary effort. Justifying the allocated training budget may be particularly difficult in the planning for the years to come due to the current economic climate. However, the impact of training is supported by figures; employee turnover has more than halved from approximately 50% to 20% since the introduction of the learning agenda in 2000, whilst absence has reduced from 10% to 4%, thus adding significantly to the business case for supporting the learning agenda.

The development of the learning agenda initiated by the trade union and the ULRs, but now in partnership with the management at Memory Lane has led to further training for many employees, some through work, and others independently. Whilst some of this is job specific, other courses at Memory Lane are clearly aimed at improving skills that can be understood as encapsulating a life long learning agenda.

44 Language, literacy and mathematics are skills that will enhance employees working and personal lives and can lead to the pursuit of further learning and development.

5.2.1.3.3 Princes Soft Drinks Princes Soft Drinks employ approximately 100 workers at their Cardiff branch, many of whom work on the production line. UNITE are the recognised union at Princes and have helped to establish the learning agenda in the workplace. Using the typology described earlier, this employer initially had a negative approach to the learning agenda, but through persuasion and negotiation, and some degree of persistence, the union managed to move the employer’s attitude through passive support to an active involvement.

In 2005, a shop steward was approached by his regional branch secretary and encouraged to train as a ULR, and after completing the Wales TUC ULR training course he discussed with his employer the development of a learning centre for the organisation. He proceeded to undertake a training needs analysis (TNA), not only to assess the needs of employees, but also to encourage his employers by demonstrating the potential and importance of the creation of a learning centre. During meetings with his HR manager and factory manager he was frequently given responses such as ‘we’ll have to get back to you’, or ‘can you give us more information on…’. As the workplace in Cardiff is a branch site of the main organisation, management had to obtain clearance from head office, and this hindered progress toward the establishment of a learning centre. The employer created a difficult environment for the ULR to promote learning in the workplace from the beginning of the process, and was reluctant to invest any funds or provide space for a learning centre. The ULR had to persist in his efforts to tackle the employer’s negative and questioning responses.

The ULR found that in order to keep momentum it was necessary to repeat the TNA survey of employees twice, as almost a year had passed since the first approach to management about the learning centre. He wanted to ensure that there was still support and interest from fellow union members, and to indicate to management the importance of the learning agenda. He faced further obstacles, for example, not being given time off to undertake ULR duties, and he became rather somewhat disillusioned due to the lack of progress and the barriers that he faced. However, with the

45 encouragement of other ULRs, union members and the enthusiasm and inquisitiveness of his colleagues he persevered. He arranged for his managers to visit the established learning centre at Cardiff Bus and demonstrated an example of what could be achieved through management and employee support. Approximately a year and a half later from the first discussions, the company agreed to allow three rooms on the premises to be used as a learning centre.

Whilst this was a major step, the employer was neither willing to fund any of the refurbishment of the premises nor provide any contributions towards the purchase of necessary equipment, such as desks, stationary and computers.

With the help of TUC Development Officers and Project Workers, the ULR made a WULF application and was successful in securing a limited amount of money which was used to refurbish one of the rooms provided. However, it was still necessary to obtain equipment, particularly as the TNA identified requests for ICT training, which presented another major obstacle. The TUC intervened and donated second hand computers, and a tutor from Coleg Glan Hafren, funded by WULF, visited for two hours, once a week, to aid members in their learning. Obstacles of shift working and the fact that employees must learn in their own time resulted in the tutor visiting at a period when workers could visit the learning centre before or after their shifts. Weekend learning courses were also not possible due to the shift patterns. These are barriers that could possibly be tackled with help from the employer by allowing time off the production (as at Memory Lane), or by looking at the shift patterns.

The learning centre opened in 2006 and the ULR organised open days in order to encourage employees to take part in the courses. The courses focused on IT skills and the Welsh language, skills that are not directly job-related, but this has provided a basis for training on computer-based learning and skills development. Over 75% of the workforce have been involved with the learning centre, and approximately 80% of those who have taken part in IT courses (including line managers) have expressed interest in further learning, for example the European Computer Driving License (ECDL). There have also been calls for vocational training, for example, engineers at the company would like to undertake CAD training, and migrant workers, who have been an increasingly a sizable portion of the workforce, would like to take part in

46 ESOL courses. There has also been interest expressed in courses that are less computer orientated, but as yet these are still in the planning stage. Part of the reason for this is the limited funding gained from WULF and the lack of continued investment, but also the lack of ability to develop the other spaces provided in the learning centre. Because of a lack of funds and cooperation from management the ULR has been unable to refurbish the other two rooms provided.

So, whilst the employer provided space for learning to occur, funding was not provided for other necessities. WULF provided funding until early 2008, but from then continuing the learning agenda has become more difficult to maintain. From April 2008, some funding has become available from UNITE’s ‘Step up to learning’ fund. Without employer support, or further funding from WULF or other government support, it is proving difficult and stressful for the ULR to maintain the learning agenda and sustain the continued use of the learning centre.

The ULR is hopeful that changes in management, namely a new HR manager and a new factory manager, will mean that the learning agenda can be pushed forward. Provisional talks with the new HR manager have indicated that they are supportive of the learning centre, with the hope that a learning agreement can be signed. The ULR would like to be able to provide a wider range of courses for workers, and would like to see the employer allowing workers to learn during work time (for example with one hour of the employees time matched by one hour of the employers time), or help to secure more funding. This investment could be used to develop the space that is currently unused, to widen the learning agenda and to continue to support the work of the ULR.

However, by 2008/9 a significant breakthrough had been achieved by the union, with the employer now taking an active role in supporting the learning agenda. The employer has offered paid release for learning, has signed a learning agreement with the union, and the ULR received the ULR of the year award.

5.2.1.3.4 SEWS Europe Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems Europe (SEWS) is based at Ystradgynlais in West Wales. It is concerned with automotive, electrical and electronic systems, and

47 one of its specialities is to take recently crashed new motor vehicles, and remove all the electrical wiring systems, redesign them more efficiently and sell that design back to the motor manufacturer. At one point the company employed more than 2,300 workers, but with the transfer of manufacturing to Eastern Europe from 1999 onwards, the number of employees at Ystradgynlais has fallen to just below 100.

The union at the company, AMICUS (now part of UNITE) had developed a learning partnership with the company prior to receiving its first WULF grant. Essentially this consolidated the learning agenda at SEWS, and in due course the union obtained a second WULF grant from 2007.

Many of the employees at SEWS utilise fairly intensive and specialist skills, such as computer aided design, though this does not apply to all of the employees. Indeed, the first WULF project had the objective to complete a learning needs survey and then ensure that around 15% of the workforce obtained NVQ Level 2, 10% of the workforce to obtain NVQ Level 3 and above, with the rest being trained in basic IT skills. In addition, other aspects of learning were undertaken through the WULF Project, with around 30 family members also taking part.

The first WULF Project involved developing an onsite learning centre where local providers delivered top quality learning provision, one of them being the Swansea CAD Centre which is described by AMICUS as, “one of the most prestigious training providers focused on today’s industry, business and community”. The objectives as laid out above were all achieved, and most of the employees began to attend other courses besides those listed in the original objectives. Employees were given the freedom to choose which learning courses they wished to study, though most chose vocational and IT programmes. An important feature of this WULF Project was not only the involvement of families, but links being made with the local school giving young people the chance to learn vocational skills on site. Other partners in this learning initiative included Swansea Institute, Swansea College, Neath Port Talbot College and Learndirect.

48 The second WULF Project built upon both the excellent work undertaken since the first WULF Project and the partnership for learning established with the company. In particular, the project had four main objectives:

1. To allow all personnel across the site of SEWS Europe access to the training facility that had been created; 2. To allow trained personnel the opportunity to continue and utilise their knowledge and new-found skills; 3. To continually develop the ten ULRs; 4. To encourage personal development of all employees.

Case Study 1 Two case studies of union members at SEWS give a good insight into the development of the learning agenda at the company. The first one concerns Karan who had been working for the company for 13 years on the shop floor as an operator, and generally had the attitude to let others take the lead on events occurring within the company and the union, in particular because as she suggested, “she lacked confidence at work particularly in the classroom”. This is a classic problem for many union members who have not undertaken any learning activities since leaving school, and probably had a poor experience during that time. It also reflects the principle outlined earlier that unions addressing individuals such as Karan through the learning agenda can provide the climate in which further training can take place.

In Karan’s case, the project leader on the first WULF grant, Brian Westall, persuaded her to attend one of the first learning opportunities offered in the learning centre, though this was a difficult task because this particular course involved some written work, which Karan saw as a barrier to her involvement. Nevertheless she took on the challenge and enrolled in this introductory computer course on basic skills which she enjoyed, and with support from the ULRs at SEWS she then began to partake in a series of other ICT courses. She also took part in many learning courses on leisure and hobby pursuits, particularly in terms of sugar craft classes at her local college and now uses her new-found skills to make novelty cakes for family and local charities.

This particular case study shows how union activity can change a person from being someone who would sit back and not get involved to someone who is now at the forefront of the learning agenda and indeed is the person persuading others to

49 undertake courses. Her individual attainments are also quite impressive in that she has completed a modern apprenticeship with the Swansea CAD Centre which includes an NVQ Level 2, Performing Engineering Operations and Level 3 Technical Support.

Case Study 2 The other case study concerns the project leader, Brian Westall, who had worked at SEWS for a number of years. When the plant was downsized following the transfer of the manufacturing operation in 1999, Brian felt he needed to develop his own skills to make himself more employable, and undertook to study for an NVQ Level 4 in management. He was the driving force behind the WULF grant and the learning partnership with the company, encouraging others to undertake courses to improve their own personal skill levels, but also aiding the company in being amenable to any training activities which were required. By December 2004, Brian had gained an NVQ Level 5 and a City and Guilds graduateship. He is described by Marion Burke, the WULF Project worker as follows, “he is an excellent role model and leads by example. His supportive attitude to learners has been instrumental in encouraging some employees back to learning for the first time since leaving school.”

Finally, Kevin Williams the TUC Development Officer, sums up the success of this partnership at SEWS, ensuring workers who may otherwise have been hard to reach, are now in the easy to reach category undertaking many learning and indeed training courses. Kevin states, “the Project at SEWS Europe is an excellent example of what can be achieved where union and employer share a genuine commitment to learning and build a learning partnership at the workplace. The union learning representatives on site have done a brilliant job of promoting learning and have succeeded in engaging the majority of the work force in some type of learning, in many cases people have taken advantage of two or more courses provided on site”.

This is a successful partnership and the implementation of a successful learning agenda such that it has become a focus for visits by many other ULRs in order to gain insight and learn from the experience achieved at SEWS Europe.

5.2.2 Small and Geographically Isolated Workplaces

50 5.2.2.1 Overcoming the Barriers In respect of small and geographically isolated workplaces, unions have to overcome some considerable barriers to engage with the hard to reach worker. In short, those working in such workplaces are by definition hard to reach, in comparison to workers operating in larger organisations in the major centres of population. Nevertheless, simply to be in small or geographically isolated places should not be seen as a major impediment to engaging in the learning agenda, and the research covered a number of areas where unions have been highly successful in reaching out to their members in such workplaces, and in some circumstances engaging with members of the community to allow the learning resources to benefit the society in which these workplaces are located.

Within the Principality, there are particularly small and isolated workplaces in West, Mid and Northwest Wales. However, examples were found where both union officials and Wales TUC staff engaged with their members to provide a linkage towards engaging in the learning agenda. In some cases, this involved particular provision and help by full-time staff, as in some of the smaller workplaces whilst a ULR may have been appointed, pressure upon time often did not allow them to undertake some of their basic tasks, such as a training or learning needs analysis. Elsewhere, where ULRs were some distance from the major colleges providing the TUC training course (these being primarily in Newport, Bridgend, and Deeside) arrangements were made for tutors to travel to these workplaces and isolated areas in order to deliver the particular course, sometimes with arrangements which would suit the shift patterns and other working arrangements of the trade union members. In addition, there were examples where whilst one organisation could provide five or six ULRs, this did not meet the necessary minimum number for many colleges on a financial basis, but by inviting ULRs from smaller organisations, but within the geographical area, the minimum numbers were established.

The first example covers Anglesey Aluminium, which is located just outside of Holyhead, and whilst once its learning centre had been established and ULRs had been trained they made use of tutors from Coleg Menai, based in Anglesey, nevertheless to insure that the ULRs became accredited by undertaking the appropriate Wales TUC training course, a tutor from Deeside College visited the

51 workplace and delivered the course there. However, Anglesey Aluminium only had six ULRs, and thus invited other ULRs within their locality from the Post Office, from Eaton Electrics and from the Snowden Mountain Railway to join the course, thus making it financially viable. In this way, the flexibility provided by both the tutors and the ULRs at Anglesey Aluminium allowed for the training of other ULRs in smaller workplaces, who without this cooperation would not have been able to attend the Wales TUC training course.

In another example, unrelated to Anglesey Aluminium, the Snowden Mountain Railway Company only had a relatively small workforce of 14, and by its very title is clearly isolated geographically. Initially, there was some disquiet about the development of the learning agenda both from the employer and from some workers who felt they did not need to engage with such activities. Nevertheless, once the ULR had completed the training, a training needs analysis was undertaken and members were persuaded of the potential benefits of being computer literate to understand their children’s schoolwork and even to use eBay. With the help of full-time officials from UNITE, in particular Charlie Jones, learning courses were established within the learning centre on basic computer applications, a health and safety course, and some courses in literacy and in learning Welsh. In addition, in the same geographical area, Charlie Jones was able to support the learning agenda at Irish Ferries based in Holyhead, and at Seika Tools based in the Lleyn Peninsula, where a variety of learning courses were established. The same was true of a number of workers employed in care homes within the same area.

There are also examples of UNISON engaging with many of its members in the voluntary sector, most of whom tend to work in fairly isolated circumstances in small groups, or even alone. In addition, the GMB has effectively developed a learning agenda for many of its members working in care homes in the Port Talbot area.

5.2.2.2 BECTU and Multiple barriers Perhaps the most significant approach undertaken to engage with workers in isolated workplaces comes from the activities of the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU). In short, BECTU’s membership works in small workplaces, often geographically isolated because of filming or other duties

52 on location, and is essentially a kind of transient workforce, in that they move from location to location. Thus, BECTU had an enormous number of barriers to overcome in order to develop the learning agenda amongst its members. Nevertheless, it overcame these barriers creating ‘roving ULRs’, and developed the learning agenda both in terms of individuals learning needs, but also the amount of training they required to maintain their professional standards. This is a clear example of the integration of the learning agenda with continuous professional development (CPD) which has also been the case with some education unions in their learning activities.

Moreover, there is a further complication for BECTU members in that most of them tend to be free-lance and self-employed, and thus there is not an employer to whom they can approach for the upskilling they require to maintain such professional standards; on all counts they are an atypical workforce. One example involves the enhanced skill required by make-up artists as the move toward high definition television takes hold within the United Kingdom. The success of BECTU in Wales in developing the learning agenda led to a WULF application which was successful, but was combined with other unions in the cultural and media industries. These were Equity, representing performers, National Union of Journalists, the Musicians’ Union, and the Writers’ Guild, and together they obtained their WULF under the banner of the Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU).

However, the driving force for the establishment of this learning agenda came from BECTU, and whilst the case study unashamedly goes into great depth in terms of the activities that have been undertaken, it starts very much with the ‘Vision’ of BECTU itself, particularly in terms of its learning and training approaches. This vision incorporates the role of ULRs in developing the training needs analysis for their members, and in many cases attempting to share the learning experience from more experienced members to those who have recently joined the profession. In addition, the vision is concerned with delivering training at a local level to create what BECTU calls capacity building which involves developing a local network of quality trainers, mentors and role models. Their role in developing the learning agenda, however, goes beyond simply the skills required to undertake and develop their professional role, but includes what they term ‘a freelance survival kit’ involving negotiating and marketing skills, health and safety, web and IT awareness, and financial management.

53 Many of these skills are required by BECTU members as they move from contract to contract, and have to negotiate rates of remuneration and market their own skills. The other areas are equally important as members are often working in different locations and health and safety issues can be significant, and computer skills are a requirement for employment by an increasing number of their members.

The case study is presented in two major parts; one, on the development of the learning agenda and how BECTU managed to deal with the barriers to engaging with what are essentially hard to reach workers, and this one includes some of the development of the relationship with the Sector Skills Council, Skillset Cymru; and second, the development of the WULF Project integrating with other unions within the cultural and media industries, with a prime aim to engage with the hard to reach worker.

5.2.2.2.1 The Creation of Roving ULRs BECTU represents around 1300 members in Wales, 600 of whom are freelance. Many of these work for major broadcasting corporations such as the BBC, S4C, and Channel Four, though such companies often contract with smaller satellite companies for technical help and assistance, such as camera work, make up provision, and production and development. These satellite companies then engage with many of the freelance technical workers to provide the appropriate manpower for the major broadcasting corporations. Not only does this create a degree of uncertainty in the continuity of employment, but also provides a major vacuum for many of these technical people in keeping their skills up to date. This latter is a crucial issue for many of the members of BECTU given that they work in an industry in which technology is changing very quickly. This situation also exists if, for example, companies making feature films locate them within Wales. In addition, the BBC has undergone a number of changes in the last 10-15 years, by sub-contracting, through a tender process, a significant amount of its programme making, thus creating an extra demand for freelance BECTU members, though as a consequence having a negative impact upon continuity of employment.

A further complication to the training arrangements is found in the role of the Sector Skills Council, Skillset Cymru, which initially appeared to compete with the union to

54 provide training, and a training company initially funded by S4C called Cyfle, and whilst this provides opportunities for training, it is often led by employers, rather than for the needs of employees.

BECTU nationally was aware of this training and learning need, but being a relatively small union had limited resources to employ its own dedicated officers in these functions. Prior to the creation of BECTU, which occurred through the merger of BETA and ACCT, the latter during the 1980s and 1990s did have an equality officer and a training officer, both of whom arranged creative activities to serve members' needs. However, with the creation of BECTU some of these functions gained less representation, and for example, there was only one training officer based in London, although that person was extremely successful in obtaining union learning fund grants within England. These were short courses for freelance BECTU members, although much of this was used to provide training for members to become union representatives.

In Wales, much of the momentum for engaging with the learning agenda came from Siân Gale, a lay representative, who was also Chair of the South Wales Freelance Branch. In around 2003, she initiated a questionnaire amongst freelance members, called BECTU Listening, to identify possible demand and to develop training/learning courses based upon members' needs. Like many new initiatives on the ‘Learning Agenda’ the response was less than anticipated, though of the few responses obtained many appeared to relate to enhancing skills for freelance workers involved in make up. In particular one member, Ros Wilkins, acted as a conduit to network a number of other freelance make-up artists and identified the demand for courses.

Some of these courses were already available, but many occurred during weekdays, were conducted over a lengthy (for example 5 day) period, and in many cases were quite expensive. Given that freelance workers could not rely upon employers to pay the cost of training this could prove to be an expensive impediment to the development of the ‘Learning/Training Agenda’. However, through discussions with providers, particularly through Cyfle, a course was developed over two days on a weekend with some assistance from various bodies to ensure that there was grant assistance for what was a fairly hefty fee in the region of £300. The course attracted

55 eight people and was concerned with airbrushing, a skill which many of the make-up artists needed to enhance because of the increasing demands of television and other production companies (for example, production in HD).

The success of this course led Ros to network more widely and to develop further courses meeting the needs of other members. In addition, Siân Gale began to undertake a training needs analysis with some of the members on these courses, and then developed that technique when companies were on location, filming or making programmes. In discussions with producers it was announced she would be available for consultation during the lunch break to discuss training needs for BECTU members. The demand was immense, and Siân found that there was a queue of people often wishing to express their concerns over their needs for training. Further demand for courses for make-up artists was identified together with the need for specific courses for those involved in costumes, for post-production editing, and for production and direction.

At around this time BECTU applied for a WULF grant and was successful in obtaining funding. This enabled Siân Gale to be funded on a number of days a week to engage in facilitating training activities, as indeed was her compatriot in North Wales, Ann Jones. Also, it allowed more freedom for Ros Wilkins essentially to become the first BECTU designated learning representative. In reality, the position of both Siân Gale and Ann Jones was that of being a kind of super union learning representative, essentially taking up a roving role, moving from workplace to workplace, that is from location to location, or production company to production company, to talk to members and identify their training needs, and then discuss with appropriate providers on the provision of such courses. This opened up a new world of opportunity for BECTU members, and as many of these courses were already in existence at the University of Glamorgan, at the University of Newport, and Coleg Gwent, provision was more easily arranged.

The learning agenda was then widened beyond those BECTU technicians servicing broadcasting companies to, for example, desk top publishing and even amongst a number of members identifying the need for upgrading in IT literacy. The momentum for learning, therefore, within BECTU had now been established, and following this

56 first successful WULF application a further application was submitted together with Equity in 2006, though this unfortunately was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, in 2008 BECTU along with other unions were successful. This marks a new development in the approach taken by unions to address the learning agenda, as this multi-union application covered not only BECTU, but also the Musicians' Union, Equity, the National Union of Journalists, and the Writers' Guild of Great Britain.

The success of BECTU is particularly encouraging for many unions who represent workers in small isolated workplaces, or even in geographically isolated workplaces. BECTU managed to overcome this issue and create a model where the ULR would go to individual members and travel to their workplace to identify needs, which is a different approach from a static workplace, where essentially members could approach the ULR and courses could be run in-house, and often with the encouragement or buy-in of the employer. This latter, of course, was something certainly excluded from the freelance workers within BECTU.

However, all was not plain sailing for BECTU, as there were still issues to address within those employers in the major corporations, such as the BBC, and also the attitude of the Sector Skills Council, Skillset. Initially, Skillset was attempting to take control of the burgeoning demand for training, by using some HR people to act as a mirror to the roving ULR. This did create some tension, but fortunately this has been overcome, and there now appears to be more cooperative working between the Sector Skills Council and BECTU. Nevertheless, problems still do exist, for example many of the satellite companies which contract to major organisations, such as S4C, have generally been successful in excluding BECTU from recruiting membership amongst the freelances who are then subcontracted to the satellite companies.

Overall, therefore, BECTU provides a useful example of good practice in addressing the needs of workers in isolated situations, with essentially what could be called atypical workers. This example provides a good model for other similar union members to consider such as, for example, construction workers, or isolated workers in schools or the Health Service, such as district nurses.

5.2.2.2.2 The BECTU WULF Project

57 Whilst BECTU together with the other culture and media unions successfully applied for a WULF grant from 2008, BECTU has also had two previous WULF grants; one, between 1999-2000 concentrating on providing training, creative advice and a guidance scheme; and two, to create a number of Freelance Learning Advisors with a grant running from 2004-2006. In addition, there are further barriers in that many of their members work on short-term contracts which can be as short as one day or as long as three months, often for multiple and generally small employers. Whilst BECTU has recognition, this generally does not extend to including facilities for paid time off for union representation, or for the training so essential to their jobs

The new WULF Grant running between 2008 and 2010 extends the activities that BECTU has undertaken for its own members to those members in the other four cultural media sectors, who together employ approximately 5,000 people in Wales. They also suffer the same kinds of barriers that BECTU members have had.

Thus, the objectives of the Project were as follows: • one, to establish a brokerage system between freelancers across the industry and the providers of education and training; • two, to identify a new generation of trainers/champions across the industry in Wales to ensure that key, niche and new skills can be identified and shared; • three, to develop a bespoke freelance development kit, essentially both for learning and training taking into account the nature of the employment undertaken by the members of these unions; • four, to develop key partnerships with Sector Skills Councils and other agencies such as the Broadcasting and Training Skills Regulator.

In developing this project, BECTU identified specific needs that could be met if the objectives of the project are successful. In particular, a survey of the Skillset workforce in 2003 found that 94% of freelancers had experienced barriers to receiving training, and that 79% had never received structured career advice or guidance. In addition, there appeared to be considerable barriers in accessing relevant information regarding learning opportunities and learning providers, which not only relates to the lack of funds available, but also the lack of those who could facilitate these learning and training activities. Thus, a key issue was to develop a cohort and network of ULRs to ensure that training and learning opportunities can be delivered within these cultural media industries.

58 In more detail one of the key approaches undertaken by these five unions, based upon BECTU experience, is to have a roving ULR who can travel to various workplaces at various locations to engage with members over a short period, for example during a lunch break and undertake training needs analyses in order that demand can be gauged and provision arranged. In terms of this provision, BECTU is aware that it needs to be delivered flexibly because of the nature of the employment of the membership within the five unions and thus the kinds of learning activities suggested include online learning, vocational training courses, workshops and master classes, training the trainer, supervision skills, online networks, and the development of champions and personal learning objectives.

BECTU and the other unions are aware that WULF funding is limited and to ensure sustainability in the learning and training activities the unions are very keen to develop the partnership with the appropriate Sector Skills Councils in order that the significant work undertaken during the period of WULF can be continued thereafter, both meeting the individual needs of the freelancers, but also the needs of the sector itself.

5.2.2.3 The Musicians Union and Learning Advisers Under any definition members of the music industry must be counted as the hard to reach worker. In many cases they perform together for a short period of time, such as those in bands and orchestras, or work as individuals, often in isolated circumstances, such as teachers of music. In addition, most are self-employed and thus have no employer to offer learning activities or up grade skills, and this is further complicated as they generally have no permanent workplace. However, these barriers have been overcome by the Musicians Union, in part by creation of a network of Learning Advisers, their name for ULRs. In Wales this development has been given a significant boost by the Musicians Union participation in the BECTU driven WULF project described above.

The Musicians Union has always had an interest in the learning agenda, but resources in such a relatively small union meant combining such activities with health and safety. However, with the onset of the learning agenda nationally, the union began to develop courses on how to write a curriculum vitae, how to market personal skills,

59 how to deal with music publishers and more contemporaneously, how to use new digital mediums. These became recurring themes, and by holding such courses the union through evaluations at such courses could undertake a kind of training need analysis of members, and begin to develop new learning themes.

Three courses on offer in Wales give a good indication of the work of the union in engaging with these hard to reach workers:

• The Rights Stuff A course giving members advice on rights, royalties, copyrights, income streams and musical partnerships; • Managing Your Music A workshop on contracts and deals, management, music publishing. Licensing, press and publicity; • Child Protection awareness A one-day ‘good practice’ course for teaching members or those who work with children.

In addition to the above and perhaps with some influence from the basic skills approach of the TUC, the Musicians Union has developed courses on numeracy and literacy. However, the courses are tailored to the needs of the members in clear support that the ‘one size fits all’ approach is wholly inappropriate. The ‘Figure it Out’ course looks at the practical aspects of being a musician, focussing on the financial skills needed in the music industry, such as calculating royalties and tax, and planning budgets. The ‘Put the Word Out’ course concentrates on developing writing skills to create an effective on-line profile, the use of language specific to the music industry, and the use of ‘My Space’ as a platform for networking.

Finally, the union has been careful to ensure the continuity of the learning agenda, not only with the role of the network of learning advisers, the evaluations/TNAs conducted at each course, but also through Learning Adviser Events (the equivalent of ULR Forums) and the creation a Directory of Web sites providing information on learning courses and providers.

5.3 Personal 5.3.1 Migrant Workers 5.3.1.1 Migrant Workers in Wales

60 This section includes the way in which unions have made major strides in addressing the problems encountered by migrant workers, many of whom have come to Wales in search of employment with higher wage levels than they could obtain in their host countries. These are generally from the newly ensconced countries within the European Union following its expansion in 2004, though there are a number of migrants from Commonwealth and other countries.

Migrant workers when they first arrive to work in Wales can be firmly described in the category of the hard to reach worker. Many of them will have difficulties in understanding the language, both in terms of being able to read signs or instructions and also to communicate their own wishes or demands. Many unions have addressed this barrier by organising ESOL courses, which are often seen as central to such migrant workers obtaining citizenship. Whilst migrant workers who register with the Home Office receive a TUC leaflet in their own language, which gives advice on employment rights, there is the difficulty of enforcing such rights and in many instances there are a number of workers who are unregistered and therefore uninformed. It is true that many migrant workers coming to Wales establish themselves after a period of time, for after all they have taken the initiative to travel from their home country to a foreign country in search of work. However, this still leaves them incredibly vulnerable during their first few months or even years where they attempt to settle within the Principality and establish their employment rights. Many employers feel them to be a transient population, which increases their vulnerability, and requires a degree of continuity in monitoring their situation.

This part of the research could list a number of success stories where trade unions have assisted migrant workers and helped them to establish their rights. A considerable amount of work has been undertaken by the GMB union in the Bridgend area, where much of the union’s literature has been translated into appropriate languages in order to aid the newly arrived migrant workers. Further, UNITE has been very active in helping migrant workers in the Llanelli area. In mid Wales, in a relatively small foundry the union, Community, in attempting to develop a learning agreement and persuading the employer with the assistance of the Wales TUC staff, has in the interim developed learning courses off site. As many of the workers are migrants, ESOL courses have been organised in the local catholic church with the use

61 of tutors from Coleg Powis. In addition to the specific projects undertaken by trade unions, a considerable degree of continuity has been developed by the creation of Migrant Workers Forums. In all of these, trade union officials take an important role, supporting initiatives to help migrant workers, to take part in research projects and to provide representation in enforcing their employment rights. One such Forum is Public Action Without Boundaries (PAWB, see their website for further details), founded in 2002, and one of the founding Directors was Siân Gale (who was featured earlier in this Report). PAWB has formed connections with local councils such as RCT and Merthyr, with several trade unions, including the GMB and UNISON, and has recently linked with the Wales TUC on equality at work.

However, this part of the research is to concentrate on migrant workers who are recruited to work largely in the food processing industry in Anglesey and in the Wrexham area. It centres on the work of three key personnel, Charlie Jones from the T&GWU section of UNITE, Barbara Hale of the Wales TUC and Anna Gomes, a tutor from Coleg Harlech who was based in the Bangor area. The research also concentrates on two WULF Projects: one beginning in 2003 entitled, ‘Access for All, Working with Migrant Workers in Wales’, though largely covering Anglesey and Gwynedd; second, a further WULF Project entitled, ‘Access Across Wales’, expanding the work of the initial WULF Project from North Wales to the whole of Wales.

The story begins in 2004 when the European Union enlarged to include new member states from Central and Eastern Europe. Being member states, workers from those states, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia had rights to travel to other European Union countries to seek work. At this time the British economy was relatively buoyant, and there were considerable labour shortages in many low paid unskilled industries, particularly in respect of harvesting agricultural products and, in this case, in the food processing industry. Many of such workers who eventually ended up working in Anglesey and in the Wrexham area were recruited by labour agencies, many of which were based in the sending country. Whilst this appears to match the unemployed with jobs available, nevertheless it creates the first barrier to trade unions to engage with such workers, for such agencies are effectively the employer of these workers, and not the food processing companies.

62 5.3.1.2 Migrant Workers in Anglesey In the research, horror stories were told of the working conditions and other aspects of the exploitation of such migrant workers. The workers were recruited by the international recruitment agencies which would charge excessive fees for travel and indeed for arranging accommodation. In addition, there were many “examples of hourly rates of pay being lower than promised or lower than those paid to British workers, and of non-payment for some hours worked. In some cases, wages had been reported as withheld for months.” (TGWU, 2006, p. 3). However, the exploitation did not end here, for many of these agencies apparently also became involved in fraudulent activities by keeping tax rebates which should have been paid to agency workers, who initially would have been on an emergency tax code. Again, it must be remembered that the agency was the employer, and not the food processing factory. In addition, the agencies continually moved the migrant workers from factory to factory, breaking stability, and inhibited, or indeed by these activities, prohibited such migrant workers developing their own community support networks. Thus, besides a degree of difficulty because of different cultures and different languages the exploitation was rampant. Because of the constant moving of migrant workers after a few months work, this stopped the migrant workers obtaining rights to permanent employment, which had been promised after six months continuous work. It appeared that the agencies acted in this way with the full support of the employers.

The living conditions were also very poor, with overcrowding, and in once case when some of the migrant workers had heard of trade union involvement and a union official visited the house, the agency became aware of the visit and all such migrant workers were immediately dismissed, and having no employment rights from a lack of continuity of employment because many of them had not been in continuous employment for a year, this exploitation now became discriminatory. In other cases, the agencies had taken the passports of the migrant workers in order to ensure their full compliance with the demands of the agencies and the employers.

Despite all this exploitation help was at hand, initially through the provision of courses in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). In particular such courses were being organised by Anna Gomes from Coleg Harlech, though often based in

63 Bangor. Whilst initially the contact with migrant workers was to provide assistance in learning a new language, nevertheless an incident at a workplace led Anna Gomes to recruit the help of Barbara Hale from the Wales TUC and Charlie Jones from the TGWU section of UNITE. This worker, called Maria X in Access For All (TGWU, 2006, p. 13) had an accident at work and sought advice from her tutor in ESOL, Anna Gomes. Initially this was advice about appointments, the medical condition and other aspects related to her accident. However, Anna Gomes perceived there was a need for further help for not only Maria X, but for other migrant workers working in the food processing industry in the middle of Anglesey. Through enlisting Charlie Jones and Barbara Hale, Maria X was given information on what services could be provided by a trade union, and increasingly the Transport and General Workers Union began to become involved in recruiting and representing the interests of migrant workers.

However, the intervention of the TGWU went beyond simple representation, as they began to develop a learning programme for the migrant workers to allow them to better understand their employment conditions, and begin to enforce the employment rights to which they were entitled. Initially, the first stage was to expand activities in ESOL, but later the union engaged with other agencies to provide further learning activities, particularly in terms of the basic skills approach provided by Basic Skills Cymru. In addition, Anna Gomes began to provide a drop-in centre with crèche facilities allowing workers to seek advice from her, and indeed Barbara Hale and Charlie Jones on Saturday mornings. From these beginnings, the assistance provided by the trade union began to develop by persuading some migrant workers to become ‘training and learning champions’. In addition, the TGWU obtained WULF funding, and began to provide residential courses covering particular skills required by migrant workers in a foreign country, together with an understanding of UK trade union issues including employment law and developing further learning activities in respect of numeracy and literacy skills and providing contact with various agencies such that rights could be enforced. These would include the Commission for Racial Equality, together with the North Wales Race Equality Network, the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE), Citizen’s Advice Bureau, the Police, the local councils and so on (more information can be found in the TGWU booklet Access for All, 2006).

64 The key issue here is that the first initiative to help migrant workers came from the trade union, and in the research it was found that other agencies (such as housing associations, local authority equality officers, Careers Wales, Womens AID, Barnados and other charities) only began to become involved following trade union activity, and indeed the agencies mentioned above began to interact with the migrant workers only because the trade union had made the first approach and broken down the barriers toward engaging with these hard to reach workers. Indeed, such was the success of this initiative that it became widely known with Charlie Jones and Barbara Hale giving evidence to the House of Commons Select Committees and to the Welsh Assembly Government.

5.3.1.3 Migrant Workers in Wrexham There is a similar success story with migrant workers in Wrexham called the Caia Park Initiative. Again, migrant workers had been recruited by agencies to work in the food processing industry in this area, and many of them were housed in this very run down area of Wrexham. However, there appeared to be an increasing number of complaints by the migrants, and the police became involved through their Diversity and Equality Programme, and in conjunction with Charlie Jones, the TGWU began to develop learning agendas for these migrant workers mirroring much of what had occurred in Anglesey. Initially a local church was involved providing accommodation where migrant workers could call in and find out aspects of their rights, and surprisingly local solicitors provided a lot of office furniture to enable this advice and guidance to be given. From this, a number of advice and guidance meetings were arranged particularly through the North Wales Race Equality Network, where drop-in centres were established in Conway and Llandudno.

Both of these examples of trade unions engaging with hard to reach migrant workers are only a small reflection of the activity undertaken by trade unions in working with migrant workers throughout Wales. Whilst by 2009, some of these migrant workers have begun to return home due to the recession within the United Kingdom, nevertheless this should not detract from the very successful interventions by trade unions to engage with this workforce, and is indicative of the kind of routes the trade

65 unions take to ensure their assistance and advice can be accessed by all, whether they be the indigenous workforce or in this case the migrant workforce.

5.3.2 Attitude The Pilot Project highlighted this category as being a significant barrier for unions in engaging with the hard to reach worker. Essentially, there are many workers who feel that undertaking learning (or indeed training) is not for them. They have gained this attitude through a number of avenues; either they feel that they have never needed to undertake any kind of educational or training activity, having perhaps been less successful at school than would otherwise be the case, or have been placed in jobs where such learning or training activities have not been deemed necessary for continued employment. Within this category there are many variants, for example, where employees feel themselves to be too old and have never had the need for training or learning, or indeed where they are too young and feel that the escape from school was necessary for their own personal development and to return to a classroom situation is akin to a return to hell.

For many workers who have undertaken their job duties successfully over a number of years, they question whether there is a need for any kind of learning activities, or indeed up-skilling, as they feel that they have adequately performed over their period of employment. However, this may unfortunately isolate them from technological changes which may make them less attractive in the employment market should, for example, the company be overtaken by the effects of recession, or where new technology is introduced. This situation was described in the introduction to this Report, particularly where many employees do not feel comfortable with engaging in new training for fear of exposing their lack of competency in acquiring new skills, or even in basic numeracy and literacy which may be required as a job evolves from the initial basic requirements.

Somewhat paradoxically, there are also categories where employees feel themselves to be too highly skilled and thus not requiring any kind of learning and training, though more often it is the case that many of such workers, whilst having acquired the skills earlier in their career because of a lack of utilisation of them have found that such skills have become not only dormant, but in need of essential updating. This

66 section of the Report highlights how unions have engaged with many of these workers, mostly union members, who because of their personal attitudes towards the learning and training agenda have placed themselves in the hard to reach category.

The case studies provided, covering in some respects broad areas rather than specific companies, are but an indication of the general approach that trade unions have taken within Wales to address the learning agenda for the hard to reach worker, and to repeat the message well developed within this Report, that creating participation in the learning agenda provides a break-through for many employees, thus giving employers the opportunity to begin the up-skilling of the workforce crucially central to the Reports examined in the first part of this research.

5.3.2.1 Textron Kautex is part of the Textron group located in Ystrad Mynach with approximately 200 employees represented by the GMB. In 2004, the union obtained a WULF grant which led to the creation of ‘a state of the art’ learning centre with 10 personal computers connected to the internet. The company supported this endeavour by providing the room for the learning centre, though was less supportive of giving time off for the two ULRs to undertake the training needs analysis of their members. The two ULRs had attended the Wales TUC training course and thus were aware that their first task on returning to the workplace was to undertake a training needs analysis. This they did, though the response initially, as with many other workplaces, was less than enthusiastic, with very few people responding. Nevertheless, there were enough to initiate a basic skills learning course at the start of the WULF grant. As with many learning agendas the momentum was slow to begin at the start, however, by the middle of the WULF grant there were waiting lists for employees to join the courses on offer. Indeed, the ULRs expressed the view that by the end of the WULF grant in 2006 the learning agenda was firmly planted within the company.

However, at this time with the WULF funding being exhausted, the learning centre fell into disuse. Thus, within this case study there are a number of workers who are in the hard to reach category, move into the easy to reach category, and then fell back into the hard to reach category, as the WULF funding stopped. Nevertheless, there had been a significant initiative undertaken by the ULRs, through the GMB, to

67 provide a continuity following the period covered by the WULF grant to re-engage with the learning agenda by a re-use of the learning centre.

At this point, the attitude of the employer was less than enthusiastic to develop the learning agenda beyond this initial enthusiasm created by the WULF grant. However, within 18 months of the end of the WULF grant, the parent company of Kautex had felt that one part of its mission statement, in terms of developing the skills and learning aspects of its workforce, was not being addressed, and thus contacted the local management to initiate a restarting of the activities within the learning centre. In many ways, the attitude of the individuals working within Kautex was eventually to encompass the learning agenda, though with the ending of the WULF grant their attitude then became less enthusiastic until the support from the employer.

The employer, however, really had little knowledge of how to develop a new learning approach, and thus engaged with the union to restart the activities within the learning centre. In particular, there appeared to be some unused WULF money, and the company said they would match this funding. At this point, the learning centre became more active again and some of the courses which had been in existence prior to the cessation of the WULF grant began to be restarted, in particular, through a basic skills course utilising staff from the Ystrad Mynach College and developing new questionnaires on a training needs analysis basis to provide a better action plan for the future.

There were some problems associated with this, in particular the shift patterns as the company worked a 24 hour three shift operation, and thus there was a need to put courses on at different times. Nevertheless, in partnership between the ULRs and the company a number of courses began to be reinitiated, in particular courses in Welsh, German and IT training. The number of people attending the courses increased dramatically, with 8 people taking IT levels 1 and 2, 7 on a basic IT course, 10 on a German course, 10 on a Welsh course and 16 on a basic IT course (this being the basic skills course). In addition, many of the people attending these courses were from management, as the holding company was German.

68 This is an example where the attitude of the workforce initially was sceptical of the learning agenda, and whilst developments were initiated by the ULRs through the WULF grant, when that finished those courses also finished. However, through an arrangement with the employer the ULRs were able then to re-engage with the union members to overcome the barriers that they had to undertaking learning courses, and now the company is moving ahead very quickly with many courses in language and IT. In this way, hard to reach workers in the pre-WULF era became easy to reach during WULF, and back to hard to reach following the ending of the WULF grant. However, with the support of the company together with the expertise of the ULRs, union members were persuaded to re-engage with the learning agenda, and thus through an attitudinal change helped sustain the learning activities.

5.3.3 Qualification and Skill Level Throughout Wales there are a considerable number of workers in occupations with relatively high qualification and skill entry levels, and ostensibly utilising extensive skills in their day to day work, but who have undergone a de-skilling process because of the way jobs have been redesigned and reconfigured over a number of years. In these cases such workers become hard to reach, for while there is a learning/training need such workers do not always recognise they have a skills need and therefore do not come forward to acknowledge any skills deficiencies. Employers do not identify any such needs; after all such workers have high qualifications, and the working practices often mask any skills deficiencies.

The example provided here gives strong evidence of this de-skilling, but notes that any solutions to the problems emanates more from trade unions than from any other agency, including the employer. The group of workers covered here in the civil service are members of a trade union which has a number of barriers to overcome to engage with such hard to reach workers. A number of key principles of the learning agenda are central here. The first concerns the deficiencies in numeracy and literacy skills arising from the de-skilling process, and implying that the Wales Employer Pledge agenda appears not to apply in the civil service because Cabinet Ministers in London have signed their departments to the Leitch pledge. This leads to many civil service department heads in Wales feeling they do not need to sign the Employer Pledge. However, this has created problems with funding, as whilst the Leitch Pledge

69 supports training up to level 2, because of devolvement on educational issues it does not apply in Wales.

Second, the example demonstrates the union acts as a trustworthy ‘friend’ to allow the problems of numeracy and literacy to be addressed; as with many other instances both in the public and private sector, recourse to the employer would be unlikely, indicating skills levels are below those allegedly required in the current occupation. Third, the example shows how unions can interact with other agencies such as Job Centre Plus and Learn Direct to pursue the learning agenda. Fourth, the issue of total management buy-in to the learning agenda is crucial, for if middle managers do not act in accordance with the with the wishes of senior management then any agreements of pledges made at this level would not be worth ‘the paper they were written on’. Finally, there is the issue of what could be called the post WULF ‘blues’, which occurs after the end of grant funding, and without full employer buy-in or some form of continuity funding, the success and sustainability of the learning agenda is called into question.

5.3.3.1 PCS and the Civil Service

PCS is the fifth largest trade union in the UK, with over 300,000 members. They represent workers throughout the civil service and in government agencies, making them the largest civil service trade union. Whilst most members are considered to be well-educated, it has been recognised that de-skilling of jobs and a lack of skill use means that qualifications may not always reflect the skill levels relative to current jobs.

In Wales, ULRs have been used to identify these gaps in skills and to develop learning initiatives. A gap was identified amongst civil service workers at Level 1 and Level 2, with many who have attained Level 2 or higher qualifications currently working at Level 1. So, whilst the civil service has long been hailed as a good employer, perceptions of the civil service is not what it once was; with low pay and deskilling, the ‘model job/employer’ may not be the case anymore.

Members of PCS who took part in literacy and numeracy tests, as part of training needs analyses organised by ULRs, indicate that automation of tasks has led to deficiencies in employee skill levels. High percentages of those who are meant to be

70 working well at Level 2 or above (according to their educational attainment) are actually working between Level 1 and 2 according to their literacy and numeracy scores.

Tables 1 and 2: Percentage working below their stated skill level

Table 1 Results by current qualification level - Literacy

Volunteer stated they were qualified to: # checked < L 1 At L 1 At L 2

L 1 47 1 = 2% 35 = 75% 11 = 23% L 2 191 2 = 1% 115 = 60% 74 = 39% L 3 123 0 53 = 43% 70 = 57% L 4 71 0 25 = 35% 46 = 65% L 5 5 0 0 5 = 100% None/NS/Other 37 0 19 = 51% 18 = 49%

Table 1 shows that 35% of those who have attained Level 4 qualifications are working only at Level 1 for literacy. However, 23% of those who state they are currently qualified to level 1 are actually working at level 2.

Table 2 Results by current qualification level - Numeracy

Volunteer stated they were qualified to: # checked < L 1 At L 1 At L 2

L 1 46 2 = 4% 33 = 72% 11 = 24% L 2 188 13 = 7% 112 = 60% 63 = 33% L 3 121 0 57 = 47% 64 = 57% L 4 69 2 = 3% 28 = 41% 39 = 56% L 5 5 0 2 = 40% 3 = 60% None/NS/Other 36 2 = 5.5% 27 = 75% 7 = 19.5%

71 Table 2 shows that 39% of those who have attained Level 4 qualifications are working at only Level 1 for numeracy. Again there is the intriguing discrepancy where 24% of those who state they are currently qualified to level 1 are actually working at level 2.

The corresponding results for Level 2 and Level 3 workers show that 60 per cent and 43 percent respectively, are working at only Level 1 in literacy, and 60 and 47 percent respectively are working only at Level 1 in numeracy. This shows that there is a clear need to develop literacy and numeracy skills even in areas where qualifications and expectations presume that these skills will be present.

A number of barriers to engaging these people in the learning agenda were identified in interviews with Anne Jenkins and Jayne Smith. Resistance from adults in admitting problems of literacy and mathematic ability were often at the forefront. The need for training in numeracy and literacy is not distinguished by age groups, though those over 45 and those under 25 can be highlighted as having poorer numeracy skills

The learning agenda promoted by the union has helped to overcome a general apathy towards learning as members realise that they are not alone. For example, PCS ULRs have worked in partnership with organisations such as Job Centre Plus and Learn Direct to encourage employees and employers to become involved in learning initiatives, such as ‘learning at work’ day events. It was also noted that the union can act as a gateway to engagement as workers are more likely to approach the union to get help with skills gaps rather than their employer, where they may be fearful of repercussions in admitting their deficiencies.

PCS identified the increase in the de-skilling of jobs, for example, the use of standard letters and forms of the ‘tick box’ variety, rather than job roles that involve using literacy, communication and mathematical skills. Work organisation can also have an impact. For example, workers in call centres are particularly difficult to reach due to ‘measurement’ of breaks, and performance. Highly monitored situations such as these mean that workers are often inaccessible to ULRs during office hours.

PCS are using ULRs to overcome these problems and help their members to improve skills they may have lost. WULF grants have played a major part in starting up learning projects for PCS members in Wales. At a Cardiff worksite (Llanishen Tax

72 office) WULF helped to set up a learning centre where training and learning could be carried out, and was maintained by a further WULF project grant. The success of the centre has meant that the organisation now funds the centre with ULRs voluntarily running it, creating an additional responsibility and consumption of time.

At another workplace, ULRs have successfully organised basic skills courses, with support of the Directors. However, the management structures again proved a barrier. Poor communication between senior and middle management meant that securing staff release by line managers was prolonged and courses had to be postponed and rearranged. Communication between management levels is vitally important to a project, and this, as well as ensuring providers can accommodate ‘unfriendly’ hours/shifts, can make a huge difference to the success and perceptions of the project.

At some workplaces, WULF grants have begun to impact on workplace culture and a learning environment has flourished, only to be cut off at the end of the funding. Workers were described as ‘disillusioned’, ‘in limbo’ after WULF projects finish. Learners were said to ‘raise their expectations and capabilities’ only to have the possibility of further, continued learning taken away as a result of the ending of funding. In the current climate more people will need to be ‘re-skilled’ due to high numbers expecting or fearing redundancy. Help is needed to protect the workforce for the future, though at present most of this appears only to be emanating from union activity on the learning agenda.

5.4 Occupational The Pilot Project identified a number of occupations where there are many barriers to establishing the learning agenda in respect of the hard to reach worker. In many cases these occupations were relatively low skilled jobs with wages being paid generally at or just above the minimum wage level. Earlier in this Report, research was covered which identified that many of the jobs in these sectors had been subject to deskilling by the way in which employers had configured the content of the jobs, and this had lead to a general opposition by employers to engage in the learning agenda, as they felt it was neither necessary in itself, nor as a basis for training, as this was not required because of the way jobs were organised. The attitude of employers in these circumstances generally was reflected by many employees feeling there was no need

73 for any learning and training, providing the self feeding cyclical argument for the maintenance of low skill and low paid jobs. The consequence of this is that such workers in such occupations became the hard to reach worker.

Elsewhere, there are many occupations which most would argue have relatively high skill levels, and thus engagement with the learning agenda is deemed irrelevant. Earlier in this Report evidence of this was provided in respect of ‘skilled’ civil servants, many of whom would benefit from learning activities, but the issue of low skills permeates many other occupations. A brief survey at a Wales TUC ULR Conference revealed gaps between educational attainment entry levels and actual skill levels used. Occupations mentioned were accountants, prison officers, those in the fire service and bookmakers. In respect of prison officers, learning activities were supported by the employer, but only if the providers (tutors) had been engaged to deliver courses to inmates. At other times the lack of management funding lead to courses being discontinued, despite a high level of interest amongst employees. In the fire service many additional barriers existed because of rural locations, regular shift working, and for retained firefighters, irregular or part time working. However, the Fire Brigades Union has overcome such barriers to arrange a wide variety of learning activities including understanding body language, report writing, time management, managing stress and a number of language courses. In addition, it has made use of Individual Learning accounts (ILAs) and has created a learning pathway on ICT courses with progression from an Initial stage to Intermediate studies, and then on to Advanced work.

In addition to the above, there are many success stories of trade unions engaging with hard to reach workers in these low skill occupations, creating a learning agenda, both enabling such workers to acquire new skills, but also to allow them to access training by the employer, which in some cases would lead to the reconfiguring of jobs with a higher skill content, and as was mentioned earlier in this report initiate a positive impact in terms of reduced labour turnover and increased job satisfaction. Some of these low skill jobs are similar to those covered in the research by SKOPE, for example in hotels, catering, retailing, the caring professions and, in addition, call centre workers. In this section of the Report coverage, will be made of trade unions

74 creating the learning agenda in retailing, in the caring profession and for call centre workers.

5.4.1 The Retail Sector On the first of these, in retailing, there is a significant distinction between the distribution centres and the retail shops. Taking the retail shops first, there are considerable problems in establishing the learning agenda, most notably that employers appear to be against supporting such activity, thus there is no employer buy-in. This is exacerbated by evidence that the jobs are low skilled and low paid, that there is high turnover, with many transient employees, particularly from the student community. Whilst the employer pledge has been utilised by some trade unions, particularly USDAW, nevertheless this appears, at least in the big four supermarkets, to be undertaken store by store, rather than nationally. Indeed, because the big four wish to concentrate on national negotiations, it is difficult to engage with the managers of each particular store to obtain a local buy-in to the learning agenda, if the policy of the supermarket nationally is not to engage in this learning agenda.

A further problem is that most of the stores have shift patterns which make it difficult to engage with these workers, although it must be remembered that there could be some movement in establishing the learning agenda if there was a true management buy-in. Another barrier has been created when funding provided to supermarkets in England is not available to counterparts in the same organisation located within the Principality. In November 2008, Sainsbury’s proudly launched a learning programme to allow employees to obtain Maths and English at GCSE grade D, though ULRs for the company at a Wales ULR conference later that month explained the scheme did not apply to Wales.

There is a management buy-in, however, in the distribution side of retailing and it is here that many success stories have occurred throughout Wales. Firms such as First Milk, Kelloggs, OP Chocolates, Saint Merion Meats and Capper in Llantrisant have established effective partnership arrangements with USDAW to develop a learning agenda. The example given here, that of Capper in Llantrisant is one which is similar to the arrangements in the other distribution centres listed.

75 5.4.1.1 The Learning Agenda at Capper Capper and Company Ltd is based in Llantrisant and supplies the Spar Stores network with goods and groceries. It operates the distribution centre in Llantrisant and also one in East Sussex. The staff at Capper are represented by USDAW, and following union involvement there is a positive management buy-in to the learning agenda, which has allowed the union to develop an agreement with the company to establish a learning agenda. In part, this is because the company states on its website that it is, ‘constantly striving to develop its greatest asset, the people who work in the business, through well developed information systems, procedures and through ‘our putting people first’ philosophy we are able to plan with increasing confidence in a rapidly changing market sector.’

The aims of the learning agreement are as follows:

• To build a partnership at Capper and Company to encourage the workforce to participate in lifelong learning; • To provide access to lifelong learning where possible using on site facilities; • To make best use of available funding and resources (internal and through government and other initiatives) to provide a range of opportunities which are both affordable and accessible; • To work with organisations such as the Sector Skills Council, TUC Learning Services and other relevant bodies to ensure the partnership is a success.

The union and the company through this agreement established a joint union/employer Learning Partnership Committee which is responsible for the introduction, implementation and the monitoring of learning initiatives. The Committee is comprised of both ULRs and the management representatives at the depot and where necessary full-time officials from USDAW. The main responsibilities of the committee are:

• Supporting ULRs in identifying learning needs; • Identification of those groups and individuals who are to benefit from the various learning initiatives; • Producing a realistic learning plan, prioritising learning, setting goals and targets for learning provision; • Identifying appropriate facilities for the delivery of learning; • Determination and monitoring of the provisions available;

76 The union and the company have the responsibility to disseminate all of this information about the learning agenda to all employees and to ensure that there is equal access and thus equal opportunities for all union members. This ensures that the specific needs of individual employees are taken into account, though also allows for the ULRs to undertake training needs analyses and provide the advice and guidance for their members in participating in the learning agenda.

5.4.2 Care Workers By any definition those working in care homes are in the category of the hard to reach worker, for unions face a considerable number of barriers in engaging with such workers to initiate the learning agenda. Such barriers are identified as high turnover of staff, many staff being part-time, wage levels at or just above the minimum wage level, a high percentage of female staff (who generally have family responsibilities) and a somewhat ambivalent management in their attitude towards the learning agenda. In addition, because of legislation which requires 50% of staff in a care home to have a NVQ Level 2 qualification and because the training of under 25s can be achieved at no cost, this has created a major problem for the over 25s. Many of these would have been employed in a care home for a period of time, though in many cases would have had problems with numeracy and literacy, the basic skills issue, mostly because the employer had not in the past engaged in any training, and now because of the cost would not train them in the future. Thus, in such care homes there is a great danger that the employer will attempt to ‘squeeze’ out the older staff and recruit younger staff, and therefore would have no cost implications in terms of training to meet the requirements of legislation. A further barrier is that workers in care homes have been notoriously less than keen to join trade unions.

However, all of these barriers have been overcome by the GMB in their approach to developing the learning agenda in a series of care homes in South Wales owned by Southern Cross. The key aspects of the developments are in part through a WULF Project details of which are provided below, though common with many of the case studies provided within this Report there is the post-WULF drop in both the learning and the training agenda not only because of the ending of funding, but also because

77 the management buy-in during the period of the WULF Grant diminished considerably after that funding had finished.

5.4.2.1 GMB and Care Homes Because the Care Homes Act of 2000 placed a legal requirement on all care home managers to ensure that half of all care staff were qualified to at least NVQ Level 2 by 2004, the GMB were concerned that many of their members in Southern Cross who were over 25, and thus may well be costly to train to this level, may well be driven out of employment in favour of younger employees, for whom the training cost would be zero. The GMB had had a national recognition agreement with Southern Cross for a number of years, and in the light of the new legislation was clearly concerned about their members who were over 25. Accordingly, through the efforts of Kelly Andrews, they developed a WULF application to cover eight care homes in the South Wales area, to develop a small network of ULRs, create a relationship with a provider (Olympic Training) to deliver the NVQs, and thus begin to develop basic skills support for all candidates, particularly those over 25, so that no one would be at a disadvantage.

The Project was extremely successful and recruited well over the original target of 80 learners, but in addition had considerable effects upon the culture within care homes, as the Project created a learning culture very early on, and the courses soon became over subscribed. In addition, because those over 25 gained the qualification ensuring their continued employment, this reduced turnover, a significant benefit to the employer as well as providing that degree of permanency for employees in an occupation where turnover is traditionally very high. A novel innovation in this WULF Project (in part reflecting what occurred in the BECTU Project) was the creation of a roving ULR. Experience of work in a care home means that it is difficult to find time to attend learning courses, or for a ULR to undertake training needs analysis and address the needs of the members. However, one individual was tremendously successful in promoting the Project and supporting participants, and a steering group, which included representatives of the Sector Skills Council, decided that one key ULR should be allowed to travel between homes to support learners. Time off was negotiated in the union/employer partnership and the policy proved to be successful.

78 The WULF Project lasted for two years between 2004 and 2006, but had a significant effect not only on the learning culture within Southern Cross but also on union policy on promoting qualifications to members in their care centre. From the Project, the GMB formulated a strategy to engage more disadvantaged learners in the workplace and provide detailed support wherever possible. In addition, the union was able to disseminate information to other unions who also organise in this sector, to inform them of their successful union learning strategies.

Their success was also seen in the way in which partnerships were formed between the care staff through their union, the GMB, together with the employer, Southern Cross which is one of the major employers in the care sector, but also with other representatives from the Care Council of Wales. Indeed, as part of the dissemination of the information a small conference was arranged in 2005 to provide information to small private employers in the care sector about how to address the issue of meeting the demands of the recent legislation.

There is no doubt that this particular Project overcame the barriers in engaging with the hard to reach worker. In this way, a number of workers who would never before have taken part in the learning agenda were now given that opportunity, and thus the project widened access to non-traditional learners. The Project was also important in establishing a good partnership with the employer, which is key to ensuring a degree of sustainability post-WULF. Indeed, ensuring that the WULF Project provided an affordable route for employers to allow them to meet with the demands of the legislation provided a useful negotiating position for the GMB to encourage financial support from employers to help during the WULF period, but also once the funding had ended.

Whilst the partners in the Project, including the learners themselves, all reported positive experiences, the issue of sustainability still remains. Although important barriers were overcome in engaging with the hard to reach worker, as the final evaluation report of the Project said, “When the Project funding which had helped to overcome the barriers faced by those part-time, temporary and older staff ceases to be available, it unfortunately results in the barriers becoming re-established and therefore

79 progression becomes difficult” (GMB, 2006, p.10). This is again another example where the issue of some kind of continuity funding would ensure that the benefits gained through WULF are maintained, rather than allowing workers who entered the easy to reach category fall back into the hard to reach sector.

5.4.3 Call Centres Workers at call centres are notoriously difficult for unions to engage with. Generally, call centres have a high turnover of labour, some workers are part-time, there is often a young workforce who may feel they do not wish to engage with the learning agenda, and there is close monitoring of the activities of the workers, by supervisors, and by the nature of the job and the equipment they use. Add to this the location of call centre in a relatively rural location and the barriers become quite considerable for unions to overcome to engage with such workers.

5.4.3.1 USDAW and Shopdirect, Newtown Call Centre However, USDAW has overcome all of these barriers in engaging with workers at a call centre located in Newtown in Mid-Wales. Shopdirect, Newtown (formerly known as OCS/Reality) employ approximately 250 people at their call centre here, of whom over two-thirds are members of the union. The union, with the support of a WULF Grant, has developed a well equipped learning centre which is open daily from 12noon to 2pm, where workers are able to access the internet and email using the computer equipment. In addition, there are a considerable number of learning courses arranged through the centre in accordance with the Learning Agreement signed with the company. The arrangement of time off is generally on a 50/50 basis, although for some courses staff can be given paid time off where the learning is related to their job, and although other non-job specific courses are available, staff can participate in these in their own time. An interesting feature of this learning centre is the provision of wider community opportunities for members and their families in reading, writing, computing and non-work related courses.

A further useful aspect of this learning centre is the way in which sustainability has been achieved by a partnership agreement with the employer, which allows for employer support to continue the good work initiated during the period of the WULF Grant. This together with the dedication and commitment of the USDAW ensures

80 that the learning centre and the learning agenda has a significant degree of continuity. The Learning Agreement is very detailed and provides a useful model for others to reflect on how to develop appropriate agendas for learning, particularly when so many barriers exist.

First, the agreement gives a statement of intent in that “both parties are committed to working in partnership to promote and support lifelong learning at Shopdirect, Newtown and ensure equal access to learning opportunities for all employees.” This statement is reflected in the aims of the agreement which is to ensure a considerable number of learning and development opportunities, together with encouragement of employees to access such learning and development and establish a learning culture within the workplace. The partnership approach has led to the establishment of a Learning Committee, with both union and employer representatives, together with others who can contribute to the development of the learning agenda, such as the Wales TUC project workers, learning providers such as Cambrian Training and union full time officers.

A useful feature of the agreement, reflecting that which occurred at Anglesey Aluminium, and based upon a fairly liberal interpretation of the employer pledge is the creation of a Learning Fund. This is established at the call-centre for the purpose of making learning affordable for all employees on site, with contributions made from the company and where available from other sources from, for example, trade unions or other funding bodies. The fund is administered by the Learning Committee, and thus is a means by which the continuity of the learning agenda is maintained.

Thus, the trade union has overcome the barriers to engaging with these hard to reach workers and has ensured through an appropriate partnership arrangement an effective learning agreement which creates the continuity of the learning agenda in the learning centre, together with opportunities for participation by families, all supported by the learning fund.

5.4.4 Low Paid Council Workers Within local authorities, there are a substantial number of workers who could be considered to be traditional non-learners, many of whom are in the lower paid sectors

81 of employment. These include catering assistants, cleaners, road workers, maintenance workers, care workers and learning support assistants. On a number of grounds, such workers would be considered hard to reach, not only because they feel they have low educational attainment, but also because in their jobs they do not feel there is a need to upgrade their skills, which may be because the employer has either deskilled the jobs or because the employer has not encouraged any learning activities. If added to this, such workers are employed in largely rural communities where transport difficulties may prohibit attendance at courses and where there are relatively few training providers or opportunities, then the barriers become quite significant.

5.4.4.1 UNISON and the TULiP Project However, UNISON has overcome these barriers through two WULF Projects named TULiP (Trade Union Learning in Partnership); first, for Pembrokeshire County Council and second, for Ceredigion County Council. The first project ran between 2003 and 2005, and the second between 2005 and 2007. In both cases the target groups listed above were offered the chance to improve their basic skills and computer literacy, and indeed in the training needs analysis initially undertaken in both projects, it was discovered that very few of workers had been offered such learning opportunities in the past. Besides the popularity of these courses in basic skills, with some enhanced IT, courses were also organised on letter writing, assertiveness, and effective communication. For some other groups, for example, learning support assistants, courses on basic maths were arranged.

As both projects proceeded the employers became more interested and supported the learning agenda by signing the employer pledge. In addition, where courses were considered particularly successful by local training providers, it triggered action by the employers to continue these courses after the WULF funding. Indeed, through this partnership approach together with the support through the employer pledge a degree of sustainability to the learning agenda could be achieved. A key feature of these two projects was the way in which taster courses were offered in order to break down barriers, first to learning and then perhaps to training, but also to create that learning culture which once achieved, provides a momentum of its own for learning activities.

82 The two projects show that by effective organisation by UNISON through its ULRs, its branch support and its full-time officers could ensure the learning agenda could be brought to these hard to reach workers. There were, however, a number of difficulties particularly in terms of obtaining tutors to develop courses in these rural communities, as there was so much demand once the momentum of the learning agenda had been achieved.

The sustainability of the learning agenda in these councils was achieved both through the employer pledge and employers finding there were benefits from the development of certain courses, but also through UNISON’s structure and support, particularly in terms of education for members and the way in which it networked its information to all of its members. In addition, the use of project workers became a useful factor in developing courses post-WULF Grant funding. However, as with many of these projects a key conclusion is, “A two year cycle of funding again seemed too short— the project in Ceredigion was just gaining momentum and starting to establish itself when it came to an end” (UNISON, p.15). Whilst UNISON may have some resources to maintain some continuity, and whilst many feel that councils in the public sector have some degree of spare capacity to help with this, nevertheless it still points to this problem in the post-WULF era, for workers who move to the easy to reach category can quite easily, following the ending of WULF, move into the hard to reach category.

5.5 Work Based 5.5.1 Shift working During the research many ULRs commented that a major barrier to developing the learning agenda in their workplaces was because of the shift configuration worked by employees. In many cases, workers employed on night shifts, or alternating day and night shifts, or on early morning or late night shifts found it difficult to engage in the learning agenda, in comparison to other workers who worked a relatively normal day shift pattern. The problem was exacerbated if employees were on rotating or different shift patterns from week to week, meaning that attendance at appropriate learning courses was made more difficult because their availability from week to week was very different.

83 Whilst this has been perceived as a barrier and has certainly placed a number of workers in the hard to reach category, nevertheless many unions have engaged with employers through a partnership or learning agreement to ensure that there is a degree of flexibility in the way in which courses are arranged. For example, many ULRs in their learning centres have been able to arrange courses for early in the morning or late in the evening to the convenience of their members, which has often involved 6am or 9pm starts, outside the usual provider hours. This also indicates a further problem that of obtaining providers who are willing to be flexible enough to work unusual hour patterns to meet with the shift demands. The problems, however, are solved when employers themselves can be much more flexible, and clearly through developed learning agreements arrangements can be made to allow workers to attend the appropriate courses, and thus not be excluded from the learning agenda. Unfortunately, where such employer flexibility does not exist, then these excluded workers remain in the hard to reach category.

There are many examples throughout Wales where unions have engaged with employers to provide appropriate learning arrangements to meet shift patterns, particularly in the food and drink production industries and in transport. On the latter the research project has already covered the example of Cardiff Bus, which has had great success with its learning agreement and learning centre, with high participation of the union members working for that organisation. With regard to the former, there are a number of examples such as First Milk, based in Wrexham, and the examples of Memory Lane and the Capper Company covered earlier in this research. Elsewhere, the Communication Workers Union has arranged a number of courses for their members working night shifts at Royal Mail. However, the case study chosen here is that of Anglesey Aluminium, which arrived relatively late into the learning agenda, but managed to overcome the barriers to develop a strong learning agenda.

5.5.1.1 Anglesey Aluminium The production of aluminium at this plant is undertaken on a 24 hour 7 day pattern, with union members working a variety of shift patterns. For example, there is the pattern of two nights on followed by two days on, followed by four days off; a pattern of 12 hour staggered days, a pattern of 12 hour day shifts, and 8 hour day shifts, an 8 hour day/afternoon shift pattern and finally a shift pattern which rotates over a seven

84 day cycle. In many cases, some of these employees will change shift patterns and overall, this creates a considerable problem in developing the learning agenda for all. However, the ULRs at Anglesey Aluminium have overcome these problems and have developed a very strong learning agenda.

ULRs were first elected in March 2007, and there are now six of them distributed amongst the various shift patterns as mentioned above. The union involved, UNITE, supported a WULF application bid for the learning centre at Anglesey Aluminium in 2008, but unfortunately this was unsuccessful. However, they were able to use funds from a generic WULF bid by UNITE to support their learning agenda, with in particular on line courses in IT. In addition, the ULRs approached the company to develop a partnership approach to learning, which resulted in the company providing rooms for a learning centre to be established, and a budget of £5,000 to be utilized during 2008 to support learning opportunities and initiatives.

To manage this fund an agreement was signed based on developing learning at the company. The company, together with the ULRs, is committed to motivating the members/employees to deliver learning effectively. Part of the company’s mission is based upon the fact that people are the key factor in the success of any organisation and the skills they possess are vital to increase the productivity of the company and life chances for the individual. In addition, the policy states, ‘by working together we can help employees fulfil their potential by not only helping them in work but also in life. Lifelong learning can change people’s lives as learning empowers and nourishes both the individual and the organisation’.

The policy has specific objectives for ULRs not only to promote learning through a systematic longer term approach to this agenda but also of developing new and different innovative ways of encouraging learning and achieving different learning outcomes. Whilst the ULRs provide advice, guidance and support for learners, in partnership with the management, one of the key aims was to widen participation and, ‘break down barriers to learning in the workplace’ by overcoming problems of social exclusion and engaging with non-traditional learners.

85 The learning activities were based on two main approaches: one, that 50% of the course fee up to the value of £150 per learner per year could be made for a subject for which accreditation could be obtained; and two, 50% of the course fee up to the value of £50 per learner per year for a leisure orientated subject. In addition, immediate family members of employees of the company could also apply for such funding. A further objective for the ULRs was to support and foster effective partnership with learner providers, with community based organisations, and in particular with sector skills councils covering this area of production.

Therefore, despite the barriers because of shift working the ULRs at Anglesey Aluminium Metal Ltd together with a management buy-in have been able to overcome such difficulties and provide an effective and successful learning agenda together with a very active learning centre. One innovation undertaken at Anglesey Aluminium and in part because of recognition of the threat of closure with the possible ending of production of electricity at Wylfa nuclear station is that the learning agenda has turned towards providing courses for employees to obtain NVQs in various subjects to allow them to have a better chance in the labour market should the unfortunate occurrence of the closure of Wylfa, and indeed Anglesey Aluminium occur.

5.6 Sustainability A key issue for the continuity of the learning agenda within many workplaces is how to maintain the learning activity developed during a WULF Project; in essence to allow the learning agenda to be seen as a process rather than as a single event. The sustainability of the learning agenda is crucial to ensure that the easy to reach worker during the WULF Project does become the hard to reach worker immediately thereafter. Estyn also recognised this problem;

“Planning for the sustainability of projects following the end of WULF funding is weak. Project managers and ULRs can clearly identify which elements of a project have worked well and could continue. However, they are frequently unable to identify a viable way forward without ongoing WULF funding or funding from the employer. This means that learners and potential learners no longer have the opportunity to undertake education or training in their workplaces. In many cases, this also prevents employees who

86 have started a WULF course from progressing to the next level or completing their training.” (My emphasis) (Estyn, 2009, p. 7)

Some of the positive aspects to ensuring such sustainability have been covered extensively in this Report, in particular the employer buy-in, and some of the advanced approaches by trade union officials and ULRs to keep the learning agenda operating in their workplaces. Elsewhere, comments have been made about the need for the BSA and DCELLS within WAG to maintain the learning agenda and keep it developing. One novel idea centred on the use of local radio to provide a network of communication for ULRs, particularly where the learning agenda has spread to the local community.

However, in this section particular initiatives are covered to attempt to overcome the lack of sustainability common to many post WULF Projects. Three major areas are covered: first, project managers, which have become much more significant in recent WULF funding rounds; second, the development of ULR forums; and third, the Networks of Excellence. These support mechanisms have been recognised by Estyn when reviewing the WULF system;

“The establishment of networks of excellence and the running of ULR seminars by WULF has been a major development. These networks give ULRs the opportunity to identify and share best practice across Wales. They also help ULRs to develop their knowledge of education and training and to be a support for other ULRs across Wales. Union learning representatives develop good links with other unions and key stakeholders and partners, such as Basic Skills Cymru and other education and training providers.” (My emphasis) (Estyn, 2009, p. 8).

All of these have had a positive effect on the issue of sustainability, but do not necessarily solve the problem completely, as perhaps there is still a need for some kind of funding in a post WULF situation in order that the continuity of learning can be maintained.

5.6.1 Project Managers During the research many project managers were interviewed to obtain information of their role in maintaining and developing the learning agenda. The model for project managers in many instances flowed from some public sector unions, particularly

87 UNISON and PCS, but there have also been examples in the private sector particularly with Charlie Jones in attempting to manage projects concerned with the learning agenda for migrant workers.

One project manager, Ruth Gates, who was connected to a WULF Project with various partners including Bro Morganwwg Health Trust, Swansea NHS, Bridgend, Port Talbot and Neath and Swansea Councils in respect of their Social Services Department. She acted very much in a hands-on fashion assisting ULRs as they developed the learning agenda. Being close to the activity of learning she could provide direct assistance in giving information on particular courses that were available, engaging with tutors to deliver the courses, and where necessary provide advice on and even arrange additional funding to allow the learning agenda to be successful. By being a project manager, she was able to make a fairly wide range of suggestions on learning activities, beyond what many ULRs would have started with, which was the basic skills agenda. She would introduce courses on confidence building, stress management, team working, team building and for a hobby the introduction to the use of eBay. Her experience at this level was crucial to the success of ULRs in their activities. Further, she would also encourage the ULRs to engage in forums so that best practice could be exchanged between them.

The role of project manager, therefore, is crucial to the continuation of the learning agenda, and perhaps in terms of post WULF funding some arrangements, for example specific training courses, could be made for project managers to continue, perhaps managing several workplaces and attending them on a relatively regular basis, perhaps once a week or once a fortnight to oversee the learning agenda; the principle of secondment from one project to another possible on an all Wales basis, or from workplaces is worthy of serious consideration. In this way, project managers would be a very important link between the Networks of Excellence (see later) with all of its information and the ULRs within learning centres in workplaces.

This is also the case with another full-time officer who operated in a similar kind of fashion as a project manager for a number of WULF bids. Jackie Owen had acted as a ULR for a number of years, and had wide experience in the learning agenda, operating as a basic skills tutor, a voluntary worker and working for Basic Skills

88 Cymru on a European funded project. Because of her experience, she understood the rights that ULRs had, and could ensure that such rights were enforced, particularly in terms of time off to carry out their duties, for example, in terms of undertaking a training needs analysis. In addition, she also had some success in persuading employers to sign the employer pledge and to use that as a basis to obtain funding from Basic Skills Cymru. Further, she had gained experience of working with Sector Skills Councils, and earlier it was seen that where the memorandum of understanding between such councils and the Wales TUC can be developed into some form of agreement, there can be an integration of the kind of learning agenda so central to ULRs, and the training which Sector Skills Councils undertake to fulfil their duties. She was very keen to stress the building of partnerships between ULRs and trade unions and other organisations who could assist in maintaining the learning agenda, in particular, the Wales National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service, CVS, Workers’ Educational Association, WEFO, and many organisations such as colleges operating with community education projects.

5.6.2 ULR Forums ULR forums are generally quarterly meetings of ULRs working for the same or similar organisations. Great success has been obtained by some of these forums both in the public and private sectors, though in the former facilities for time off can be perhaps a little more generous than in the private sector, though this is not always the case. Unions who developed these forums include UNISON and PCS in particular, but there have been examples in the private sector, for example Remploy which until recently had some 13 factories within Wales, and the ULRs met on a quarterly basis to share good practice, develop new ideas, and generally plan to ensure that the learning agenda operated in a continued and sustainable fashion. For example, a recent meeting of the Remploy ULR Forum had the following agenda items. Besides minutes and correspondence, the Forum met with full-time officers of their union, the GMB, but also had guest speakers from Learn Direct, from Cardiff University, from Interwork and from Talk Training. In addition, they had reports from the learning centres in each of their locations, and thus could undertake that planning of the learning agenda so crucial to its sustainability.

89 One of the most positive endeavours in establishing ULR Forums emanates from the PCS. As a union they have taken very quickly to the learning agenda. By 2007 they had appointed 72 ULRs within Wales, and this number has grown to 170 by 2009. To facilitate a network of communication between these ULRs which was increasingly difficult through only the head office in Cardiff, the union established regional forums through which information could be delivered and experience disseminated. Initially, in 2006/7 there was only one forum covering the whole of the Principality, but with the growth in numbers of ULRs the union took the decision to organise such forums (or technically speaking fora) on a regional basis dividing their membership in Wales into three areas; North Wales, West Wales and the South of Wales. At the beginning the forums met annually but such was the demand for information and support these meetings now occur quarterly. One of the key purposes of such quarterly forums is to share best practice, be aware of recent changes in legislation, discuss training requirements, engage with learning providers and other learning organisations,

With such a network of ULR activity developing, the union took the decision to hold an annual conference to allow for the wider dissemination of experience of the work of the ULRs, but also to provide effective communication linkages for ULRs in developing their own learning activities. In addition, the union formed their own Wales Education Forum to oversee the activities promoted through the learning agenda, and to assess whether stated objectives were being achieved, and if not to consider how different strategies could be employed to meet them in the future. One particular aspect of their work is to ensure training needs analyses are properly undertaken amongst the membership to allow the learning agenda to meet the needs of members.

In order to integrate the learning agenda into the mainstream of union activity, the union established Branch Learning Coordinators, and these lay officers also developed their own network throughout the union, in particular to allow key issues affecting members to become part of the learning activities. One of the first topics placed in this programme concerned mental health and those members of PCS working in that areas

90 Finally, and directly in relation to overcoming barriers to developing the learning agenda to engage with the hard to reach worker, the Annual Conference focussed on three main areas and provided suggestions for the direction of future activity. (Many of these relate to the categories covered in this Report.) The three areas are developing the employer buy-in, enhancing union activity and the provision of greater Government or Agency support. a) Developing the Employer Buy-in • Ensure middle management support of learning/training; • Formalise time off provisions for learning, with perhaps block release; • Make learning centres permanent; • Organisations to accept that learning can improve self worth and self development, rather than total concentration on work related training. b) Enhancing Union Activity • The development of the TUC Climbing Frame (pathway to further education); • Ensure involvement of ULRs in development of Climbing Frame, together with the inclusion of mentoring/coaching skills; • Ensure ULRs can assist any learners who are struggling; • Provision of information regarding learning agreements, facilities time, learning centres, project management etc (this is being undertaken by the ULR Forums). c) Greater Government and Agency Support • Identification of partners for future projects; • Greater provision of information on funding to support cost of learning activities; • Better involvement of Sector Skills Councils and clarification of their role; • Using Welsh Employment Board to strengthen employer engagement.

5.6.3 Networks of Excellence Research completed for the Northwest TUC in 2006 examined some of the difficulties faced by ULRs when a WULF project funding ended, particularly in terms of a discontinuity of the learning agenda or even a total stoppage of the use of the learning centre. This Report has outlined the particular problem in that with a WULF grant hard to reach workers become easy to reach, but unless there is a degree of sustainability following the WULF funding then those workers become the hard to reach ones again. The research by the Northwest TUC noted problems with the employer buy-in, which has already been covered in this Report, in particular the way in which ULRs could continue to obtain facility time in order to be able to carry out their learning activities, in many ways as a reflection of the spirit of the Statutory

91 Rights. The research, however, felt that more could be done through the trade union movement to assist with this issue of sustainability, and suggested that there could be a crucial role for networks and forums to support ULRs. The issue of forums has been considered above, but the Networks of Excellence, which was started in Wales in 2007 as a response to this research in the Northwest TUC, has provided a strong support mechanism for ULRs.

The idea in Wales was to create both a web-based and a people-based network. On the first of these, websites were established by the Wales TUC, which provided a significant amount of information for ULRs, together with contact telephone numbers offering a confidential free and impartial advice service. The kinds of information placed on the web-based network are listed below:

• Information about providers of learning courses; • Information concerning funding to support the learning activities; • Information on developing learning agreements and the use of the learning centre; • Information on best practice occurring elsewhere, together with contact numbers; • Help, advice and assistance in developing new WULF bids; • Labour market information.

To support this web-based network, which could in many cases be seen to be impersonal, the Networks of Excellence created a people-based network, which was essentially a series of meetings of ULRs on a quarterly basis, based in the four regions of Wales, North, Mid, South and West. Further, the Wales TUC in conjunction with the project officer, Bernice Waugh, for the Networks of Excellence Project developed stake-holder conferences, where ULRs could meet with their fellow activists, but also be introduced to a wide range of agencies who could assist with learning, such as providing reading or book clubs, the National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education, Basic Skills Cymru and a whole host of other groups who could assist in the learning activities. In addition, the Wales TUC had an annual ULR conference, where a lot of this information could be disseminated, and essentially provided an interactive arrangement for ULRs on a personal basis, to add to the web-based network.

92 At the start of the people-based quarterly meetings of the Networks of Excellence, attendance was not as high as would have been expected. However, as the learning agenda developed throughout Wales, the popularity of the Networks of Excellence quarterly meetings grew, to the extent that all places on those meetings are now filled virtually within a day of being posted on the website.

Besides the information initially placed on the web-based network, further information grew from the quarterly meetings of ULRs. Not only were minutes posted, but increasingly information was given on, for example, a training directory, various activities at universities, for example at Swansea and Glyndwr, information about adult learners week, and further information from other websites including the union learn website which often posted detailed information about, for example, agency workers, health and social care aspects, and lists of courses available at local colleges. Whilst much of this information may appear to be fairly extensive particularly for new ULRs, nevertheless through the advice line, and through the quarterly meetings the various services that are offered can be explained to these ULRs.

In summary, then the Networks of Excellence has a wide range of benefits as follows:

• Extend and develop trade union education; • Develop learning opportunities for members; • Get the best training available at the best price; • Increase joint projects with employers and providers; • Information and data on the changing needs of local economies.

In addition to these benefits, by meeting with other ULRs best practice can be shared and ideas and experiences exchanged in order that ULRs can gain more confidence in developing the learning agenda in their own workplaces. The 2009 Estyn Report was equally impressed with the role and work of the Networks of Excellence by stating;

“The establishment of networks of excellence and the running of ULR seminars by WULF has been a major development. These networks give ULRs the opportunity to identify and share best practice across Wales. They also help ULRs to develop their knowledge of education and training and to be a support for other ULRs across Wales. Union learning representatives develop good links with other unions and key stakeholders and partners, such

93 as Basic Skills Cymru and other education and training providers.” (Estyn, 2009, p.6).

The Networks of Excellence also promotes its learning activity in terms of the benefits to organisations and managers. Thus in a report of the Networks of Excellence project, benefits to an employer were listed as the reduction in recruitment costs because of lower labour turnover, increased productivity and performance, creating the climate in which training can take place and improving morale and building constructive relationships. Thus, learning becomes a crucial factor that is fundamental to high performance and the involvement of employees in solving problems at the workplace. In this way, networks can involve managers together with employees, and ULRs to create the learning opportunities that become so necessary to create a climate in which training can take place.

To demonstrate the role of the support provided by the Networks of Excellence, it will be informative to consider some of the recent activities undertaken by the project officer, Bernice Waugh, and the kinds of information that has been passed to ULRs. First, in the middle of 2008 the Network asked all of the ULRs to complete a questionnaire on the nature and the details of their learning agreements. This mapping exercise was then analysed and presented to a national network meeting in Cardiff in early July.

Second, the Network provided a list of courses that were available at various sites throughout Wales with information on how ULRs or indeed union members could register. Such courses concerned a quick read seminar, resolving disputes at work, a youth weekend, world book day, work your proper hours day, and Inspire Adult Awards. Some of these courses are extremely popular and are discussed in some detail at ULR quarterly Network meetings and at ULR conferences. For example, the World Book Day on the 5th March 2009 was based on ten new quick reads being published and the Network provided information on not only the cost but how they could be accessed more cheaply. In addition, the Inspire Adult Learner’s Awards was essentially for ULRs to make a nomination of someone who deserved special recognition in terms of their learning achievements. This particular newsletter to ULRs also had a considerable amount of information and contact detail for those

94 ULRs who may wish to undertake study visits into Europe and how funding could be obtained.

Finally, and perhaps with a degree of contemporary knowledge, the Network has provided ULRs with information regarding a conference on dealing with the economic downturn. This is a one day briefing and training session covering what the downturn means for unions, preventing and coping with redundancy. The newsletter was also concerned with providing links to study with the Open University, to free benefits advice provided by the UNITE Union and by access to various aspects of training which may help people fight the effects of the recession should it directly effect them.

Despite all of this assistance given by the Networks of Excellence, the project officer running the Network, Bernice Waugh, is aware of some of the limitations in the social distance between the information she provides and the activities of ULRs. She explained that her role was essentially facilitating and administrating the Networks of Excellence so there is a broad support mechanism in place, which can be used both by project managers and by ULRs. She explained that when the Network initially started, the momentum took some time to build, but is now extremely strong in that all places on the quarterly meeting are taken very quickly.

A caveat, however, needs to be added to this success story in that whilst the Networks of Excellence have achieved all of the objectives set for it, of its nature, it is necessarily limited to providing information on websites, and quarterly meetings of ULRs together with annual conferences. What is missing in terms of the provision of ongoing sustainability is a more hands-on support approach at the local level in post- WULF situations. The Networks of Excellence undertakes a very thorough function in providing the information required for ULRs, but more often there is a need, as has been expressed earlier in this report, for some kind of funding to enable the continuity and sustainability in post-WULF situations, and to avoid that very critical problem of the easy to reach worker during WULF becoming the hard to reach worker post- WULF.

95 In terms of the social gap between her activity and that of ULR or project managers very much at the ground floor level, she thought there was a role for something like a continuity manager who perhaps could oversee a number of workplaces where there had been WULF Projects, to ensure that the learning agenda initiated during the WULF funding was continued thereafter.

5.7 Non Union Workers and Ripples of Learning Another potential barrier relates to the non-union worker, and whilst the Rolph Report focus was on trade union learning activities, the non-union worker represents a challenge for union organisation. However, this may create an unnecessary and illusory distinction. For instance, in workplaces where unions are recognised, the learning activities are available to all, a feature found by the Estyn Report, “Non- union members and union members have equal access to WULF education and training opportunities” (Estyn, 2009, p.8). In addition, the development of the learning activities creates an obvious example for non-union members to participate, and in many cases employees join the union to engage more fully in both the learning agenda and other activities. In other workplaces, where unions are not recognised the message of the activities of union based learning is carried by many organisations who have created links with the trade union movement. The following is not an exhaustive list (and there are many linkages with projects during the life of such projects), but include:

Open College Network (OCN) National Institute for Adult and Continuing Educations Cymru (NIACE), including NIACE Quick Reads Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) Basic Skills Cymru Quick Reads Project Welsh Books Council National Year of Reading in Wales Open University City and Guilds Ecotec Worker’s Educational Association Thompson’s Solicitors THE Group Swansea Business College Bridgend College Welsh Council for Voluntary Action

96 It is important to recognise that union learning activities interact with many of these agencies on a regular basis; they attend, and give presentations, at union learning representative conferences organised by unions, and likewise trade union representatives attend their conferences and workshops, and also often give presentations. Recently, this has been the case at Wales TUC Annual Conference, Wales ULR Annual Conference, 2008 OCN Conference, and 2008/09 NIACE Conferences on their research project on the hard to reach learner. In addition, some of the Wales TUC staff are members of the Boards of Management of these other organisations, such as the Head of Learning Services in respect of NIACE Dysgu Cymru.

In many ways, the trade union movement has acted as an initiating catalyst for learning activities creating what will be termed ‘ripples of learning’ engaging workers and others often some way from the centre of workplace union based activity. In many examples this would relate to members of the local community, though a very concrete example was provided earlier in the research relating to migrant workers. In short, without the involvement of the trade union at a very early stage such workers would have continued to suffer many forms of exploitation, and it needs to be stressed that such workers were initially not members of a trade union.

6. Learning and the Recession When this Research project originated the recession of 2009 was not foreseen by, amongst others, those concerned with the learning agenda in workplaces. However, it would be inappropriate to ignore the effects of the recession on the learning agenda, and how the development of the learning agenda can address some of the problems associated with the recession, particularly in terms of both job and skill retention.

A key starting point in addressing this topic is that skills training becomes more important during a recession, not only to enable workers who are made redundant to move into available jobs, but for those who remain in employment to take up the opportunities, once the recession begins to ease. In a Report published in 2009, the Wales Employment and Skills Board stated, “investment in developing people’s skills

97 should not be cut during the recession …and the Assembly Government (should) help people develop high level skills, which employers need in new growing industries, whilst also tackling Wales’ serious basic skills deficit” (BBC, 2009). This current Research on trade unions’ role in overcoming barriers to participation in learning has argued strongly that the development of a learning culture is often necessary for the creation of an environment in which training can take place successfully. Intertwining these two themes strongly indicates that the Welsh Assembly Government should not cut any funding supporting the learning agenda, and if anything attempt to make available further funds to boost the learning agenda in what has been termed here, the post-WULF era. Indeed, to aid the economy in the Principality to more quickly move out of recession, addressing the basic skills deficit, which the learning agenda does most successfully, needs to be strengthened and not reduced.

The Wales TUC has been active in providing advice to its constituent unions, in particular in relation to the learning agenda through ULRs. In workplaces where ULRs have been appointed, workers threatened with redundancy will benefit from the peer support and advice which trained ULRs can provide, including sign posting and liaising with a number of agencies in the provision of training from a range of providers. This finding reflects the Report from Estyn, “Employees facing redundancy from their jobs receive good support from ULRs. They receive training in job-seeking, applying for jobs and coaching in preparation for interviews.” (Estyn, 2009, p. 8).

Such information, advice and guidance (IAG) is part of the general role of ULRs and thus they are well equipped to be able to deal with many of the problems that occur because of the recession. Thus, where there needs to be liaison with agencies such as Job Centre Plus, Careers Wales and Basic Skills Cymru to assess the training needs of workers seeking retraining or upskilling in order to enhance their prospects of securing new employment, this is simply an extension of the kinds of activities that ULRs have undertaken in their role in the learning agenda. Through their training, and enhanced information given through the Networks of Excellence they have a wide experience in liaising with outside agencies.

98 In addition, unions are being given advice from the Wales TUC on the ReAct and ProAct Programmes of redundancy support in Wales. The strong message provided by the Wales TUC is that the current level of support for learning should not only be maintained but plans should be put in place to ensure it can be extended to cover and extend the activities through the WULF Programme, through ULR recruitment and development, and through the maintenance and developments of learning agreements in partnership with employers. Such ULR activity can highlight the role union learning has in signposting people to re-training and skills, particularly in the Further Education sector to redress the balance of ProAct and ReAct going almost exclusively at the moment to private, non-unionised providers. ULRs can work to link community and FE provision more strongly to the issue of skills.

To disseminate much of this information the Wales TUC, through the Networks of Excellence has organised conferences and workshops to provide appropriate information, together with a package of support material for representatives. The one day briefing and training sessions not only provide this information and but also support through workshops on the impact of the down turn for unions, preventing and coping with the redundancy, why skills matter in the down turn, and helping individual members deal with the downturn. These activities also provide a network of support allowing ULRs and other union representatives to share ideas and experience.

Part of this strategy involves enhancing the role of the development officers within the Wales TUC Learning Services, and these will be reconfigured in order to make them the key personnel providing redundancy advice and support, whilst maintaining their commitment to the basic skills employer pledge project targets. The Education Services within the Wales TUC is also playing its part by ensuring that course materials for ULRs are developed to cover industrial employment law issues relating to redundancy and to provide a pathway towards skills initiatives for ULRs in dealing with a redundancy event should it occur.

Finally, and in addition to the provision mentioned above, the Wales TUC in conjunction with Basic Skills Cymru has initiated a one year project, which whilst having its focus on extending the application of the Employers Pledge, nevertheless

99 given its introduction in mid 2009 has an awareness of the difficulties of the recession. Part of the description of the project involves the support of workers in trade union recognised workplaces facing the threat of redundancy by brokering basic skills support and provision as part of a Wales TUC Rapid Response Initiative.

7. Conclusion The broad conclusion to this Report is that trade unions are undertaking a vast amount of work in engaging with the hard to reach worker. This conclusion is firmly supported by the 2009 Estyn Report commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government evaluating the work of the Wales TUC through WULF grants. In particular, the Report points to the engagement of such non traditional workers in learning activities often because of the trust offered to them by the trade union ULRs, which allows then for the acquisition of a skills update so demanded of Leitch etc. The Estyn Report states;

“the Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) provides a useful contribution to supporting learning activities in the work place. Many employees and their families taking part in WULF programmes left school with little or no formal qualifications or have not taken part in education and training for a long time. They benefit from opportunities to improve their skills in a safe and supportive learning environment. Without this supportive environment, it is highly unlikely that they would have taken part in such activities. The education and training opportunities on offer help to increase the take-up of learning by non- traditional learners and to improve the skills in the workforce. (Estyn, 2009, p.6).

The examples covered provide a considerable insight into the many and varied approaches used by trade unions to initiate, develop and sustain the learning agenda. Each example provides a relatively unique strategy used by trade unions depending on the barrier confronting them. This indicates that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution to overcoming barriers, but rather a bespoke approach to reach an appropriate outcome, relying on the energy and ingenuity of ULRs and union officials, together with the support of the Wales TUC staff.

First, in addressing the role and attitude of employers, unions have developed detailed learning agreements with well furnished learning centres, though this was not just due to the generosity of the employer as ULRs and union officials had to negotiate such

100 advances, and maintain an active learning agenda to which the employer could add their support. In some cases, learning activities developed despite employer apathy. Though with the support of the Wales TUC, the lever of the employer pledge and in some case the involvement of the Sector Skills Council such apathy was overcome and the learning agenda established.

Second, in overcoming geographically and isolated workplaces, some unions, no doubt using a degree of lateral thinking, developed some ingenious ways to overcome the barriers to worker involvement in the learning agenda. Perhaps top of this list is the idea of a roving ULR visiting the isolated and often transient workplaces to engage with the membership, and identify the learning needs. Add to this the freelance characteristic of the membership and the need from technological developments to upgrade skills, then the activities of the roving ULRs deserve all the praise from their success. Again, this is not the ‘best practice’ that workers in other isolated workplaces should employ, but provides an example worthy of consideration to adapt to particular circumstances.

Third, the work of trade unions in meeting the needs of a vulnerable set of workers, mostly from the exploitation by employers also deserves high praise. Migrant workers are most susceptible when they first arrive, and without the initial support of various trade unions such susceptibility would have led to continued exploitation. It should also be remembered that other social agencies only became involved following trade union activity on the learning agenda.

Fourth, unions have successfully engaged with many hard to reach workers in occupations where the barriers are notoriously high. Whether this be because of employer hostility, high labour turnover, close management supervision or less than user friendly shift systems, the examples provided show the success of trade unions in overcoming these barriers. Finally, trade unions have initiated the ‘ripples of learning’ reaching other hard to reach workers through a network of linkages with other agencies. The Report also considered the continued need for learning during a recession, and stressed if anything such learning should be extended, and in some cases provided a very good opportunity for the retraining necessary as the recession begins to disappear.

101 However, perhaps the key message from this Report is that more needs to be done on continuity and sustainability. Through the development of project managers, through the growing organisation of ULR Forums, supported by the Networks of Excellence, the trade union movement has put in place means to aid the sustainability of the learning agenda, but a finding of this research is that more support is necessary. The creation of WULF was an enormous boost to the development of the learning agenda, and it most probably would not have developed in the way it has without it. However, as the grants are only for two years, and little funding exists post-WULF, to do nothing is to lose the impetus and momentum of the learning agenda. Unions have made great strides in aiding continuity, and some employers through union persuasion have helped, but often have only participated in learning activities because of WULF and have stopped once funding ceased. Therefore, some consideration needs to be given by WAG as to some post-WULF funding, as intimated by the Webb Report (p.6) and recommended by the Estyn Report (p.6), to ensure the sustainability of the learning agenda.

102