Research shows that people with recognised and up to date skills
have better job prospects; better job security; better pay and a
better work-life balance. Things that are important to Unite
members.
The LLL agenda is aimed at getting universal access to good
quality training and education for members. It therefore goes
hand in hand with organising for any other improvements in the
workplace.
The principles of organising are taught & well known to all
Unite learning - and other - reps. They include:-
- Identifying issues that affect members in the workplace.
For LLL, especially issues around lifelong learning and
training.
- Developing a plan of action to achieve members aims
and get LLL & training issues resolved.
- Building a workplace team to help achieve these aims.
- Communicating with other reps, the union and keeping members
informed about what they are doing and how different groups
can get involved and support each other.
The aim is to build an active and sustainable
organisation within the workplace, which can gain the
benefits of learning and training for all our
members. It is founded on the principles of improving
working conditions and pay; better work-life balance; equality and
dignity for all at work - achieved through the process of
democratic collective activity. These are Unite principals
and values.
None of this is new. It has been at the heart of the trade
union movement since it began. The principals now need to be
applied in new ways because of changes in employment patterns
and practices such as - new 24 hour shift patterns, increased
internet working, transfering work to sites abroad etc.
Map the Workplace & Existing
Resources
Mapping builds up a detailed picture of the workplace.
Identify the key
learning/training issues and needs.
We organise to address the issues that are important to
Unite members in the workplace. Reps are a central part of
identifying from members what these issues are.
A learning needs analysis is a particular tool used by
learning reps to help identify issues around workplace training -
from the members perspective.
Develop a lifelong learning
team.
This is often made up of all the existing workplace
reps - learning reps, industrial reps, health & safety reps
- plus any other activists and members who want to get
involved in lifelong learning/training issues within the
company.
Once the LLL team is established, it can then start to work to
develop an organising strategy.
Develop an organising &
negotiating strategy.
An organising & negotiating strategy is a plan to
help people work together - not just the LLL team - to achieve
improvements at work. The improvements are those identified by the
members. The strategy often includes:-
- Examining the issues & resources available.
- Setting priorities.
- Networking with others.
- Calling and running meetings to keep communication going.
- Setting up e-mail distribution lists & telephone contact
trees to keep contact.
- Negotiating of Learning Agreements.
- Setting up a Learning Committee.
- Talking to management, HR & training departments.
- Organising and facilitating collective action – including on
other workplace sites - as needed.
- Contacting outside resources and activists as needed.
- Contacting the press and politicians in support of the
campaign.
- Contacting the press to publicise learning/training
achievements by workers, and the benefits gained by the
company.
A one-to-one approach can also be important to successful LLL
organising. Learning reps, like other reps, discuss
things in confidence with individual members. These issues can
often also turn out to be issues for many other members.
Building activity and
campaigning to support your strategies
The strategic goals will stay broadly the same, but as things
change and move forward, so will the plan. Activists can
also help by offering personal skills and by encouraging
others to become involved in both the LLL issues and the union.
To run an effective campaign the strategic plan will need to
be reviewed and adapted by the LLL team over time. So
back to the beginning
Remember
Unite is the members.
It is as strong as the membership is organised. The more
people who are active in the union then the stronger the voice
calling for improvements of all kinds at work.
