FROM CLEANER TO HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISOR– A LEARNING JOURNEY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: july/august 2011 :: RMTnews 32 Those attending RMT’s ninth hugely successful annual garden party for Cuba in London recently enjoyed the usual sunshine as well as the tastes and music of the socialist island. Speakers included Luis Marron of the Cuban Embassy. He outlined the situation in the country, pointing out that the economic changes currently taking place were not ‘liberalisation’ characterised by Western investors taking over public services. “The changes taking place are part of the Cuban revolution which is an ongoing progressive process,” he said. Funds raised at the popular and packed event went towards the Cuba Solidarity Campaign. Music was provided by Cuban band Raises Cubanas and The Alabama 3. R MT member Vitalis Ndeda was recently, after a long learning journey, was presented with a regional individual award by David Attenborough in London. At the ceremony Vitalis, who came to the UK as a cleaner, said that learning had empowered him to be in control of his destiny. “This came about largely as a result of trade union learning where as a union rep I started on a series of TUC courses. “I soon became a Union Learning Rep (ULR) so that I could help others to access learning like I had,” he said. He said that he wanted to give people validation in the jobs they were doing and to help them move on through promotion or into other jobs. It gave him the confidence to negotiate with his employer to provide accredited training in- house which would be recognised elsewhere. The workforce really appreciated this as they could take their qualifications to other jobs in difficult economic times. Health and safety became his speciality and he achieved NVQ level 4 in Occupational Health and Safety and also became an assessor/trainer and a professional health and safety advisor for the company. His learning provided improvements in his life and work. He did not sit back but continued in his trade union education until he had achieved a wealth of certificates. He is currently completing his Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector and working towards the chartered membership of IOSH. London Underground Engineering Branch secretary Paul Jackson said that Vitalis was a great supporter of the union and a credit to the role of ULR. “We hope that his success will be an inspiration to other members and encourage them to start their own learning journeys,” he said. FROM CLEANER TO HEALTH AND SAFETY ADVISOR– A LEARNING JOURNEY SUN SHINES ON RMT GARDEN CUBA PARTY SOLIDARITY: L-R Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, John McDonnell MP, RMT president Alex Gordon, Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly, RMT general secretary Bob Crow, Luis Marron of the Cuban Embassy.