SAVE UNION LEARNING

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2020 :: RMTnews 10 The TUC has received notification from the Department for Education that it would cease to finance the Union Learning Fund from March 2021. This fund allows the union and other TUC affiliates to support members and reps in accessing learning, education and training. This has been done successfully since 1998, widening access to workers. It’s been financially supported by all governments during this time. Last year the ULF supported over 200,000 workers. The TUC has been lobbying politicians and government ministers about the decision, calling for it to be overturned. Today, to support those efforts, the TUC and our unions have launched the #SaveUnionLearning campaign. Both RMT and the TUC will be lobbying politicians nationally and regionally, sharing case studies and the experience of learners, and showing the wide levels of support. The campaign asks RMT members to help with in the ways set out below. TEACHING KEY WORKERS In 1999 a damning government report concluded that an incredible 25 per cent of British workers re functionally illiterate. This prompted the setting up of the Union Learning Fund for trade unions to set up learning projects, to address the issue through the workplace itself and the official recognition of Union Learning Reps were delivered under the 2002 Employment Act. In the intervening 20 years RMT ULRs provided learning opportunities for thousands of members in a huge variety of ways despite an ever more hostile attitude from government. ULRs bore the brunt of this cut back, losing widespread support, communications and resources. The number of active ULRs dropped by around 40 per cent within two years. In 2019 there was a change in the way outcomes were counted and the RMT Learning project put in a more ambitious bid of £1.6 million which received approval for a team of six project workers over a three year contract to revive the ULR network and build a more resilient model. Then Covid-19 hit and, true to form, the project adapted and overcame putting together learning packages for all members, online supporting staff with learning opportunities whilst they struggled with furlough and isolation. Then we were asked to develop further by the Government through the TUC to provide support wrapped around Covid-19 issues, mental health, change and even redundancies working alongside RMT regional organisers. Now, after having received widespread praise from the government with RMT particularly being mentioned, the same government has unilaterally and arbitrarily decided that it no longer wishes to support the trade unions and lifelong learning’s most effective source of adult learning and development. RMT national education officer Andy Gilchrist said that this arbitrary and predictable attack on the trade union movement by a callous and indifferent government proved that it wanted to crush any hope of raising individual aspirations or providing SAVE UNION LEARNING Government launches attack on key workers educational opportunities