Report of Next Steps Seminar - Trade Unions and Development

Report of a TUC 'Next Steps' Seminar

held on 20 October 2006

prepared by Gemma Freedman

Attendance: Polly Jones, Unison; Joni McDougall, GMB; Ruth Blunt, NUT; Beverley Hall, Prospect; Rachel Cashman, NASUWT, David Ayrton, NUJ; Helen Oswald, NUJ; Patrick Styles, CWU; Neil Alldred, NIC (ICTU); and Rob Copeland UCU; Annie Watson (TUC); Gemma Freedman (TUC).

The aim of the seminar was to review the lessons learnt from international development awareness raising amongst the TUC's affiliates during 2003-2006 and look forward to the new funding opportunities that the TUC's Strategic Framework Partnership Arrangement (SFPA) offers.

The first half of the seminar , Chaired by Ruth Blunt, NUT, shared lessons from the SGA and development awareness in general:

• Rob Copeland (UCU) presented the successes and challenges of his union's Mini Learning Fund project, which focused on researching and raising awareness about the causes and consequences of academic brain drain in Higher Education in Africa. The project illustrates how with the right set up, it is possible to carryout 'non-core' work during internal upheaval - such as a union merger.
• Beverley Hall (Prospect) presented how the Mini Grants can be used to tap into member's interests and therefore lead to new policy and decisions within a union to pursue an international development agenda.
• Polly Jones (Unison) shared how development education can be enhanced through development campaigning and which, if addressing appropriate industrial and other interests of the membership, can also gain interest from the unions 'self-organised' groups.
• Gemma Freedman (TUC), shared a number of lessons learnt from the SGA, including:
• - how success is not proportionately related to union size or funding level, but to the right idea, leadership buy-in, a strong and committed steering group with active cross-departmental representation and appropriate NGO involvement.
• - unions need to specify how much time their officers will be expected to allocate to programme implementation and think how the programme will be managed if faced with personnel change, strike action or a merger.
• - the best results of Union/NGO partnership working arises when the NGO has offered its expertise in assisting the union to build their experience and capacity, rather than doing the work for them.

Following the presentations, a discussion took place and various points included: the lack of bureaucracy involved in the previous TUC Mini Grants and Mini Learning Fund; how the project should fit into the unions overall international strategy so that outcomes can be followed up; the need to manage expectations of the membership an/or visiting trade unionists; how it is better to do one activity thoroughly than too many.

The second half , chaired by Helen Oswald, NUJ, explored the future of UK trade unions in development, particularly building the capacity of the TUC's affiliates.

§ Gemma Freedman (TUC) gave an introduction to the SFPA, with emphasis on the new International Development Learning Fund (IDLF), Access Civil Society Challenge Fund / Development Awareness Fund and Mini Grants. The aim of the grants is to assist affiliates to build their capacity in development and in particular, the IDLF aims to build TUC affiliated trade union capacity to work on international development, raise development awareness amongst their membership and/or work in partnership with developing country unions.

§ Neil Alldred, (NIC/ICTU) presented on the development awareness initiatives that have taken place in Northern Ireland over the past five years, including their more recent work on Corporate Social Responsibility and a focus on Development Aid and their experience of applying for Funds from DFID's Development Awareness Fund.

§ Annie Watson (TUC), outlined the former Commonwealth Trades Union Council's DFID funded Civil Society Challenge Fund projects funded and made a number of points about applying for this Fund, including the need for:

• - a clear definition of the problem that needs resolving
• - a clear definition of the likely activities
• - the history of the relationship between and the full involvement of the Southern partner in the drawing up of the application
• - How the project meets the CSCF aims and the relevant Country Assistance Program
• - the added value (experience and expertise) of the UK (union) partner

§ Gemma Freedman then presented a broad procedural outline for how unions can access the IDLF including:

• - Unions to consider the type of work and level of commitment a project would involve and think about: a) when your union might want to make an application to DFID b) when you might be in a position to begin the process c) what help you might need from the TUC.
• - contact Gemma with a rough project idea and once questions are clarified, set up a meeting.
• - during the meeting, the criteria will be used as the basis for the discussion. The meeting outcome will each union design in partnership with the TUC, a tailor-made strategy that will lead to an application being put to one of DFID's funding streams or else plan for the union to engage in another way with the SFPA.
• - TUC Aid Trustees will make the final decision on which unions the TUC will work with in each year.

The feedback from the seminar showed a high level of satisfaction with the seminar arrangements, content and clarity and a good level of interest from affiliates in engaging with the IDLF in the near future.