TUC Strategic Framework Partnership Arrangement Report

TUC Strategic Framework Partnership Arrangement Report

April 2007

Introduction

In July 2006, the TUC signed a three-year Strategic Framework Partnership Arrangement (SFPA) with DFID with the aim to increase the engagement of UK unions with DFID and build individual union capacity to internationalise their agenda.

The project is now approaching the end of its first year. It has created a lot of interest and since the last report is continuing to progress very well. Areas of recent progress include: the successful application of the first four unions to the International Development Learning Fund; a TUC Conference which highlighted the need for and best practice examples of unions and NGOs working together on development issues; the publication of a slave and forced labour fact file and poster; and the holding of an introduction to development training course for TUC tutors and union officers and tutors.

International Development Learning Fund (IDLF)

Through the IDLF, unions are continually encouraged to raise development awareness amongst their membership and/or to develop partnership work with developing country trade unions. Funds are available for the TUC to work with affiliates to develop their capacity in these areas and to help them access funding from the DFID Development Awareness Fund (DAF) and Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF).

Funding is also available for mini-grants to help TUC regions and affiliates progress their development awareness strategies by developing education materials, running seminars and hosting trade unionists from developing countries.

Progress

Under the guidelines for the IDLF, published by the TUC in September 2006, the TUC identified criteria to select four unions per year to develop their strategies, whilst at the same time providing advice to all affiliates interested in progressing work on international development. The decision-making body to approve funding under the IDLF is a sub-committee of the TUC Aid Trustees.

Discussions have taken place with around sixteen affiliates and have been followed up by meetings in the case of ten affiliates. In these initial meetings, Gemma Freedman, the Project Officer, explained the scheme in more detail, explored affiliates' existing work on international development and encouraged affiliates to organize internal union discussions on whether the union would wish to work towards accessing the Development Awareness Fund or the Civil Society Challenge Fund. The importance of any activities forming part of an overall union strategy is always emphasized. These meetings were used to establish a baseline of the affiliate's existing situation regarding engagement on development issues and to explore learning from involvement with mini grants or learning fund bids under the previous arrangement with DFID, the TUC Strategic Grant Agreement.

When the unions had developed outline proposals, they were invited to follow-up meetings with Gemma and with Annie Watson, TUC Adviser on International Development, who is closely involved with the implementation of the SFPA. These sessions are organized to provide feedback, drafting assistance and to assist affiliated take a strategic approach to their development work. Practical advice has also been provided about budget preparation, making links with Global Union Federations and sister unions and about the importance of the involvement or a wide range of union departments and the leadership in the development of proposals. Although the TUC's brief under the SFPA was to work with four unions per year, meetings have taken place with a greater number of affiliates. It took some time before it became clear which unions were ready to proceed with their proposals in an agreed timetable for year 1.

With assistance from Gemma and Annie, the following unions submitted proposals to the International Development Learning Fund for year 1 and were formally approved by the TUC Aid Trustees on 12 March 2007:

§ Prospect: a membership education project to demonstrate how a corporate social responsibility workplace policy can contribute to the international development agenda. Prospect plan to apply for a DAF during 2007;

§ Amicus the Union: a varied membership education programme to build, on existing international links and amongst other things enhance AMICUS's policy making structures in relation to international development. Amicus plan to apply for a DAF during 2007;

§ National Union of Teachers (NUT): to develop a component on international development as part of the union's Continuing Professional Development programme for teachers. The NUT plan to apply for a DAF during 2008;

§ Britain's General Union (GMB): to work towards developing a solidarity programme with workers engaged in ship-breaking in India. The GMB plan to apply for a CSCF during 2008.

The SFPA is continuing to encourage and assist affiliates interested in applying to the IDLF during year two of the SFPA.

IDLF Project Training

The SFPA is currently offering affiliates training on project design, management, monitoring and evaluation in order to improve union access to DFID funding schemes. The first training day will take place in Congress House on Tuesday 12 June and will be 'An introduction to Project Design and Log Frame Analysis'. The date has been chosen to suit the two unions - Prospect and Amicus - that will be submitting bids to the Development Awareness Fund in October 2007. However, the course will be relevant for all unions planning to submit bids to the DAF and/or the Civil Society Challenge Fund in 2008 and in the future. The training will be developed in partnership with BOND, along the lines of training usually provided to development NGOs but specially adapted to be relevant to trade union projects.

There will be a second training event on 'Developing a Full Project Proposal' during the week beginning 9 July, date to be confirmed.

Development Education

The 200-year anniversary of the abolition of the Slave Trade presents an opportunity to raise awareness about international development and to take advantage of this opportunity, a development education Fact File charting early to modern day slavery and an accompanying poster was launched in February. The Fact File can be found at http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/slaveryfactfile.pdf.

A three-day Officer and Tutor training course was organised for 2-4 April. The course which had attendance from PCS, NUT, GMB, CWU, FBU, NUJ and the POA, as well as a number of TUC tutors, is focused on enabling people to explore globalisation and development, refugees and migrant workers, trade, corporate accountability, the slave trade and core labour standards and within that, the role of trade unions. The course also focused on practical action, assisting attendees to understand how they can contribute to international development through their union work. Further training events are being planned.

EUIRD and the SFPA have also jointly run two out of three pilot international sessions during each year at the TUC's Organising Academy.

International Women's Day Celebrations

This years IWD reception at Congress House took place on 8 March. The event, which saw over 120 people celebrating the successes and challenges of women around the world, focused on the Millennium Development Goals which this year, are at their midway point and for which the speakers asked 'what progress has there been for women and girls?'

Hosted by Kay Carberry, TUC Assistant General Secretary, speakers included:

Megan Dobney, SERTUC Regional Secretary, Sophie Mawanza from the Malawi TUC, Mireya Rodriguz from SITRAP Costa Rica, Kathleen Charles from the Sierra Leone Teacher's Union and Luzia Laffeux, formerly from Forca Sindical, Brazil. Maracatu Estrela do Norte provided excellent music and dance entertainment and sticking to the theme Brazilian food and drinks were served. Finally, Thompsons Solicitors were thanked for their continued sponsorship of the event for the fourth year running.

International Development Conference: Union/NGO partnerships

Around 80 people attended an SFPA organised International Development Conference from over 15 unions and even more NGOs on 26 March at Congress House. The conference focused on how trade unions and development NGOs can best complement and strengthen each other's work. With TUC President Alison Shepherd Chairing the plenary of the day, the audience first heard from Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary and Mike Battcock from DFID who both outlined their vision of trade unions in development and the importance of unions and NGOs working together.

This was followed by best practice examples of union/NGO partnerships from the Communication Worker's Union and One World Action; Amicus and Action for Southern Africa; the General Agricultural Worker's Union, Ghana and WOMENKIND International; Banana Link; Labour Behind the Label; the International Metal Worker's Federation and CAFOD; and the Ethical Trading Initiative.

A number of NGOs presented ideas about what other projects they might like to work with unions on and three workshops in the afternoon focused on drawing out the secrets for successful partnerships on development campaigning; development awareness and working with unions in developing countries.

There were also helpful contributions from the two other Chairs during the day, Conny Reuter, General Secretary of Solidar and Paul Talbot, Assistant General Secretary, Amicus.

Designed for use as a practical tool to assist and encourage future union/NGO partnerships, a full report of the conference will be available during June.

Relationship with DFID

TUC General Secretaries or their nominees have the opportunity to meet three times a year with the Secretary of State for International Development. The Forum offers the trade union movement the chance to discuss with DFID Ministers and Officials matters of mutual interest and concern. The last Forum met on 1 March 2007 and the topics discussed included:

§ How to Work with Trade Unions: progress review;

§ DFID/TUC Strategic Framework Partnership Agreement: Progress review;

§ International Financial Institutions: Promoting more and better jobs;

§ TUC report of the Nigeria Labour Congress;

§ Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.

The next Forum will take place on 7 June 2007.

For further general information on the SFPA, the Project Assistant, Aisha Latif on 020 7467 1239 or alatif@tuc.org.uk or for more detailed enquiries, the SGA Project Officer, Gemma Freedman, on 020 7467 1233 or gfreedman@tuc.org.uk.