10.16 The active involvement of trade unions will assist in legitimising the purposes and processes of workplace learning in the eyes of their members facilitating take up of learning and the development of learning partnerships at work. They can be particularly useful in stimulating the motivation to learn amongst those in their membership in order to increase demand and encourage individuals to take ownership of their own lifelong learning for personal growth, the acquisition of new skills and continuing career development.
10.17 Many examples of successful innovation through partnership already exist, and examples of good practice should be disseminated. For example, Ford EDAP and Unipart University in the private sector, the UNISON/Employer 'Return To Learn' partnerships in the public sector, the TEC 'Key Worker' programmes in the public and private sectors, the Tinsley Wire industry/schools/community link scheme in Sheffield and many more. Networks of partnerships could be created in order to explore the best means by which dissemination and emulation could take place. In particular, such networks could provide invaluable assistance to SMEs and others lacking the resources for innovation. Trade unions should seek to extend learning for their members in their own provision, through collective bargaining and collective agreements and in forging links with appropriate funders and providers.
10.18 In order to play their full role, trade union representatives need information and support on lifelong learning so that they can work in partnership with employers. The TUC-TEC National Council Bargaining for Skills projects are playing a key role in raising awareness among trade unions of the need for lifelong learning and helping trade unions and employers to reach agreement on the delivery of high quality learning opportunities at the workplace. The recent evaluation of the projects provided evidence of their positive impact.
10.19 The TUC and individual trade unions have a long tradition of delivering their own education for their members. There are long-standing partnerships between trade unions, residential colleges, colleges of further education and the WEA. The TUC Education Service has considerable experience of widening as well as increasing participation in learning. A high proportion of participants in union programmes lack formal qualifications and, for many, trade union education is their first experience of formal learning since leaving compulsory education.
10.20 Trade unions should make Bargaining for Skills central to their strategies. They and should use this approach to improve the learning opportunities for the least skilled workers they represent. They should also continue to promote lifelong learning, and pathways into a wide variety of learning settings, through the provision of their own courses, in conjunction with other learning providers.
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