NEWS IN BRIEF

A survey for unionlearn, the TUC’s learning and skills organisation has shown that 55 per cent of employers say that their employees have improved their qualifications, thanks to union-led projects.

As a result, nine out of ten say they will continue to be involved in union learning activities in the workplace. Two-thirds said there had been a benefit to the organisation and eight in ten said there had been a benefit to individuals.

The survey, conducted by the Centre for Employment Relations Innovation and Change at Leeds University, is the largest ever of employer attitudes to union learning activity. The 415 employers, which employ about one million employees between them, were evenly split between the public and private sectors and covered a wide range of businesses and organisations.

Among other things, the survey showed that Union Learning Fund projects have had a positive knock-on effect on employer-employee relations, on staff morale and health and safety in the workplace. Almost a third of employers said that organisational performance had increased and 42 per cent said that levels of trust between management and unions had improved.

Union Learning Fund projects have encouraged four out of ten employers to make a financial contribution to union learning activities (the average investment was £23,000); however many more provided contributions in kind, for example equipment, office space and time off for reps and employees.

The report shows that unions have a role to play with employers “to help them navigate economic uncertainty and prepare for better times”. Joint working with unions increased at almost a third of workplaces as a response to the recession.

The biggest hurdle for union learning projects has been securing time off for staff to take part in learning and for reps to carry out their functions, as well as getting funding for the projects.

You can download the report at: http://lubswww2.leeds.ac.uk/CERIC/index.php?id=373