Most of the information below was taken from the main ASLEF website.

Rail Union Learning

Learning and Skills is the key to an employee's progression at work and better life chances. What happens at the workplace is crucial to whether union members access learning or not. That is why unions are putting and skills high up on their agenda. Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) are doing much to build a learning culture at work. They are unique and have the confidence of their members, the recognition of their employer and the support of the union. They have also had the training to carry out their many roles.

The Government has given ULRs statutory recognition on the same basis as union reps as a whole. That recognition is a tribute to the ground-breaking work of the ULRs. Just as health and safety representatives have helped make the workplace safer, ULRs are helping to make the workplace smarter.

What is the Union Learning Fund?

The Union Learning Fund (ULF) was set up in 1998 by the government as a source of funding to help trade unions promote and organise learning opportunities in the workplace.

Our success has been marked by a remarkable 600% increase in the value of the Fund since its inception in 1998, from a mere £2 million in 1998 to £14 million in 2004. However, the scale of the challenge we face cannot be underestimated. Almost a third of the workforce - over 7 million people - do not have a Level 2 qualification the foundation skills for employability, and around half of these have literacy, numeracy and IT needs.

The Skills Strategy launched in July this year creates a true social partnership between Government, employers and unions that will help us improve the nation 's skills levels, and the Union Learning Fund (ULF) is an important catalyst for this partnership for skills.

Together over the last six years unions, employers, learning providers and many others have developed over 400 innovative and imaginative ULF projects. A impressive 36,000 people have completed learning courses and employers, employees and their families are benefiting from over 180 learning centres in workplaces and communities across the country.

The ULF has helped support and train the ever-growing army of over 6,500 Union Learning Representatives (ULRs). The Statutory Rights now awarded to ULRs will help this army grow and we look forward to seeing a national network of 22,000 trained ULRs helping over 250,000 workers a year into learning by 2010.

For more information about the Union Learning Fund visit their website at www.unionlearningfund.org.uk

For more information about Rail Union Learning visit their website at www.rul.org.uk

ASLEF's Union Learning Officer

ASLEF is committed to the education and skills agenda which has many benefits to ASLEF members. As well as traditional trade union education ASLEF is at the forefront of the Lifelong Learning agenda through the Rail Union Learning Programme.

My name is Shirley McCrory and I am the Learning Officer for ASLEF. Learning Officers were introduced with the new Rail Union Learning Programme bid which started on the 1^st April 2006. The two year bid (funded until 31^st March 2008 by the Union Learning Fund) aims to make the Lifelong Learning Agenda, through the democratic processes, an integral part of ASLEF business.

The Rail Union Learning Programme was established in 2004 after the three rail unions were awarded funding from the government. Although we have been successful in gaining funding to support learning activity we need to work hard now to make Lifelong Learning and the role of the Union Learning Representative sustainable for the future, giving us the opportunity to strengthen and build on our trade union position.

My job aim is to embed Rail Union Learning (RUL) into the union structures, working towards making the Learning Officer role an integral part of the Union. This will involve working in partnership with a range of different individuals and organisations to ensure RUL meets its objectives. It will also involve ensuring that Rail Union Learning is of benefit to the union and its members. The role will work closely with the Learning Officers from the other rail unions and the Programme Manager of the Rail Union Learning Programme.

Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any issues on learning. I can be contacted on 07739473174 or alternatively you can email me on shirleymccrory@rul.org.uk

What is a Union Learner Rep (ULR)

Union Learning Representatives are appointed by recognised trade unions with certain rights concerning learning in the workplace, as outlined in the Employment Act 2002.

A Union Learning Representative is a trained union member who promotes learning within the workplace and supports those members interested in learning or who are undertaking a learning activity.

A ULR would undergo training within six months of being elected / appointed to the role.

In your training you will look at the type of activities you will carry out, which varies from workplace to workplace. These would typically include: talking to colleagues about learning; interviewing individuals about their learning needs and aspirations; speaking to local learning providers such as colleges; and liaising with ASLEF Learning Officers to gain information about courses.

Role of a RULR

The Role of the Rail Union Learning Representative is to:

Identify members' learning needs
Develop awareness and knowledge of learning opportunities available
Work with employers to plan learning and skills programmes
Provide initial advice
Signposting to other sources of advice and guidance
Give support to members
Advocate or speak up on behalf for members
Represent members on learning with employers
Gather and record organizing information
Work with other union representatives
Work with providers and other partners
Develop awareness of government policies and priorities
Investigate skills needs of local/sector labour markets
Negotiate about learning and skills as part of the bargaining process

The Statutory Rights of RULRs

In the past ULRs have had difficulty in obtaining time off from employers to carry out their duties and to train for them. That is why the TUC and its unions persuaded the government to introduce statutory recognition that gives ULRs similar rights to union representatives as a whole.

The Employment Act 2002 gives rights to paid time off to ULRs provided:

they are in independent unions - such as those affiliated to the TUC
are in workplaces where unions arerecognisedby the employer for collective bargaining purposes

The rights to paid time off for ULRs are:

to carry out their duties
to train for such duties

ACAS has published a booklet called 'Time off for Trade Union duties and activities' which gives detailed information on the Code of Practice and the law, responsibilites of employers and trade union rep entitlements.

Union members needing to access their ULR have the right to do this in work time but the employer does not have to pay them during this time. The way these rights can be implemented is set out in the ACAS Code of Practice on Time Off for Union Representatives. The following provisions need to be observed if the ULR is to secure paid time off:

the union needs to let the employer know in writing the name of the appointed ULR
the ULR needs to be sufficiently trained to carry out his/her duties either at the time of the notice or in normal situations within 6 months
Whether training is "sufficient" is determined by the union and should cover the functions set out in the Employment Act. It need not lead to a qualification although that would be desirable. The employer would have to pay for the time that the ULR is trained
the union/ULR should inform the employer either of the training undergone or to be undertaken

Once the employer is notified of the ULR, his/her past training or intention to train, then the employer is obliged to recognise the ULR by providing paid time off to carry out the duties and in respect of any required further training.

The amount and frequency of the time off has to be "reasonable" in all circumstances. For example, when a ULR arranges to have a meeting with members it must be at a time which does not undermine the safety and security of other workers in the production process. Employers also need reasonable and ensure that ULRs are able to engage with hard-to-reach groups such as shift workers, part-time staff and those employed at dispersed locations.

ULRs should provide management with as much notice as possible of the purpose of the time off, the location and the timing and duration and the contents of any training course.

Employers should consider making available facilities necessary for ULRs to perform their functions such as rooms for meetings/interviews, office space
and the use electronic access such as the Internet and emailing.

When a union feels that an employer is being unreasonable and refusing to grant paid time off for ULR duties or training, or enabling union members to access ULR services then the union can make a complaint to an Employment Tribunal. A formal agreement between a union and an employer on time off can avoid misunderstanding and ensure fair and reasonable treatment. It could specify:

the amount of time off permitted
the occasions on which time off can be taken
in what circumstances time off will be paid
to whom time off will be paid
the procedure for requesting time off
the facilities available

Such an agreement could be part of a wider learning agreement