RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: february 2008 ::
RMTnews
LEARNING IN THE HEART OF THE CITY RMT General Secretary Bob Crow joined Workers Education Association general secretary Richard Bolsin recently to open a new TUC Education Centre a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street station in London The Workers Education Association has opened what will be a key learning centre in the heart of the City of London, accessible to thousands of trade union reps. The WEA, supported by unionlearn the TUC’s learning and skills organisation, is building on a solid foundation of training London Underground reps and working together with TUC Education to offer courses to trade unionists throughout the capital and beyond. Bob Crow said that the WEA had a great tradition of providing education for many RMT members and he was delighted that many more trade unionists would benefit from this new unionlearn learning centre. “Education is a vital part of ensuring that everyone is able to play their part in society and to enable them to progress and move up in life," he said. BENEFITING MEMBERS RMT member Peter Norfolk, a member of the teaching team at the centre, said that the WEA is amongst the most successful providers of TUC-accredited courses in London and the South-East. Peter received the Jack Evans award from the RMT Fleet Branch in recognition of the
contribution of the courses to the work of trade unions on the London Underground. Skills learnt on trade union courses also helped learner Martin Valente win the Union Representative of the Year award from the RMT London Transport Region. Martin’s award came as a result of his success in recruiting union members at his workplace Grant Rail, and gaining official recognition of the union from the employer. “The courses pointed me in the right direction and showed how to run meetings and organise members – it’s been great to be able to bring what I’ve learnt into real life,” he said. EDUCATING WORKERS Workers Education Association general secretary Richard Bolsin said it was great for the WEA to be working with the TUC and unionlearn to strengthen the support and education we provide for London’s trade unionists. “Union learning is having a significant impact on workplace education and we are delighted to be playing a part in this,” he said. Richard said that nationally over 9,000 learners per year currently engage in
workplace learning through the WEA. Courses at the centre are provided by the WEA for trade union representatives, safety reps and union learning reps. The vast majority of the courses are part of the TUC’s national programme, and all are externally accredited. The aim of the union representative courses is to help reps better defend the rights of their colleagues in the workplace through negotiating and organising skills. Other courses at the centre are specifically aimed at helping safety representatives maintain health and safety standards in the workplace – often an area where union reps and members are the first to identify problems that put public safety at risk. The courses for union learning representatives help them raise awareness amongst colleagues of education and training opportunities available to them. WEA courses have changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across the country since the Association’s foundation in 1903 by developing education that is local to them and based on their needs and interests. “We will continue in our commitment and radical mission to engage with trade union partners to help them and their members meet the challenges faced in today’s world of work,” he adds. Contact: For further information contact WEA London Region on 020 7426 1950 or london@wea.org.uk.
L-R: Monica Gort, Phil Hood, Brendan Barber, TUC; Bob Crow, Anthony Samaroo, Peter Norfolk, Chris Ford, Anne Casey, WEA Strategy Manager and Dave Wilde
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