LEARNING IN THE WORKPLACE

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: september 2009 :: RMTnews 23 A s an RMT lead Union Learning Representative (ULR) for the past three years, John Dougherty has been at the forefront of pushing the union learning agenda forward at Merseyrail. John sits on the Learning Steering Group and encourages others to attend courses and develop their knowledge and skills. But now John has embarked on his own learning experience by enrolling on a new university course for trade union activists. The Certificate of Professional Development in union learning studies is a two year course delivered in London by The Working Lives Research Institute (London Metropolitan University). The CPD course was developed following research done by the Working Lives Research Institute (WRLI) evaluating the impact of union learning on the trade union movement. The course will enable John to build up 60 credits which can lead to access on to a degree-level course. RMT bursary John won funding for the course from the RMT bursary scheme. The RMT fund was set up to encourage RMT members to develop their skills and knowledge and make sure that course costs don’t act as a barrier to personal development.* “I am really enjoying the course and it has given me the opportunity to work and share best practice with other union activists from a variety of different trade unions. “It has raised my awareness about how the learning agenda can have a positive influence on other areas of trade unionism such as organising and bargaining,” he said. EDUCATING AND ORGANISING The CPD course is aimed at all union activists including ULRs. The Institute developed this course due to the huge growth in trade union involvement in learning and the rise of the learning rep. Designed in consultation with trade unions, the four course modules focus on union learning as part of the struggle for worker’s education and the history of trade union education, globalisation, change at work and the role of union learning, how and why workers learn and upon how ULRs fits into union strategies and organisation at the workplace.** The ULRs on the course each wrote a case study about their own experience in their workplaces and the course tutors were so impressed with the content that this material will now be published. This will be the first collection of case studies published by ULRs and focusing on the experience of linking the educational and organising agendas. John said that the course had enabled him to take his own personal development to the next level. “I have improved my academic research skills and gained more confidence when producing objective writing such as the case study,” he said. Since starting as a guard with Merseyrail in September 2000, John was recruited on to the educational development programme to provide information and advice to schoolchildren about anti-social behaviour and their responsibilities as passengers on the Merseyrail network. The Company Council rep then alerted John to a vacancy for a ULR. “I’d always had a belief in the benefits of education but I didn’t know too much about the ULR role at the time,” John said. This inspired him to start a new learning journey as an adult. Just like many working adults, John left school with no formal qualifications. After attending the trade union education courses for his new ULR role he took the opportunity to gain other qualifications in literacy, numeracy and IT. John is now keen to promote the benefits of the union learning agenda to other reps. “The Union Learning Rep role has changed my perceptions of trade unionism and provided me with a far broader understanding of labour history and the objectives of the organised labour movement,” he said. John is keen to encourage other union reps and activists to attend similar educational programmes. “By using education as a tool for personal development we empower ourselves as trade unionists, giving members more focused and pro-active representation,” he said. * For more information about the RMT Bursary Scheme contact the RMT Learning team on 0207 529 8820 or e-mail a.brattle@rmt.org.uk ** More information at www.workinglives.org LEARNING IN THE WORKPLACE RMT learning rep John Dougherty embarks on a university course of his own