photo John Harris/ reportdigital.co.uk

Union learning reps

Union Learning reps help your union to organise around learning and skills issues in the workplace, and can help secure direct benefits in terms of training, personal development, career enhancement and new skills for you and your colleagues.

Union Learning reps are responsible for the promotion and representation of the collective and individual learning needs in their workplace. This may include activities such as negotiating with an employer for learning facilities or supporting someone learning a new skill.

The Employment Act 2002 now gives statutory recognition to Union Learning reps and rights to time off. Under the new law Union Learning reps will be entitled to reasonable paid time off for:

• Analysing their members' learning or training needs
• Providing their members with information and advice about learning or training matters
• Arranging learning or training for their members
• Promoting the value of learning or training to their members
• Consulting the employer about carrying out these activities
• Preparing for carrying out any of the above activities
• Undergoing training relevant to their functions as a learning rep

Union Learning reps who have already been trained sufficiently by their union or the TUC will gain these rights when the law comes into force (likely early 2003). New learning reps will need to be trained in order to gain these rights.

The TUC and individual unions provide a wide range of courses to train new and existing Union Learning reps. For more information about TUC education course to support Union Learning reps, please click here.

You can find out more about TUC learning services and the support that is available to Union Learning reps in your region, at our Learning Services website

Become a rep

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Union Learning rep for your union, then click here.

Fact sheet (400 words) issued 16 Oct 2002