BGCM Motions 2019

GFTU BGCM 2019 MOTION 10

SUE – Society of Union Employees

Expanding Access to Education.

Notwithstanding the excellent high standard and comprehensive expansive learning and education courses that the GFTU delivers to ensure that the current generation of affiliates is equipped to deliver trade union values in very uncertain times. SUE notes that the current GFTU education access to its courses is somewhat limiting especially to minority groups. The current education programme delivered at the Quorn Grange Hotel in Leicestershire, with its excellent facilities has the limitation of being the sole location for a national course. SUE believes there is a need to have a centralised HQ for the GFTU to meet the demands of affiliates The education programme is delivered predominately in block courses. This can be extremely restrictive to a candidate wishing to apply to the courses ie women/men who have family commitments, single parents/candidates with parent caring responsibilities. For a candidate who has family responsibilities to make arrangements for caring responsibilities to be covered for nearly a week or an event which is three days, is nearly or in some cases completely impossible. Opening up the scope of access to education in GFTU will encourage new individuals the opportunity to gain access to trade union education and engage with a whole new generation of activists to be qualified and empowered in dealing with employers, industry and politics in a post brexit world. To open up the education access to all countrywide will equip the GFTU for the future in addressing the increasing and progressive power of the trade union movement.

Therefore SUE requests that:

 A feasibility Working Group is created to work towards opening access and removing barriers to education at the GFTU and especially those who are unable to travel to Leicestershire for block courses

 Regional areas to be selected as pilots to deliver a new way to access trade union education with the GFTU

 Expanding the online learning pool modules, to look at the feasibility of a designated regional mentor for support when completing online courses.