EC PAPERS NOVEMBER 2017

Education Officer’s Report – November 2017

The GFTU had a visible presence at this year’s Tolpuddle Festival; in terms of affiliates (the Bakers’ Union were there in strength); partners (such as the Radical filmmakers collective and Chris Jury & Liberating Arts); and the distribution of the ‘Liberating Arts’ festival flyer and the ‘Education for Action’ syllabus. The GFTU was involved in the running of the Radical History School, and the Education Officer spoke on five separate platforms over the weekend, including the Radical film network and the GMB Young Members’ School. In the wake of the festival, there was a discussion between GFTU and Nigel Costley, of South West TUC, that resulted in agreement over the TUC distributing materials and sending email shots to support the ‘Liberating Arts’ festival and to back further GFTU involvement in the Radical History School and the running of a Children’s film programme at next year’s Tolpuddle. Similarly, a GFTU course certificate has been designed that makes use of images from the Federation’s collection in the archives of the Bishopsgate Institute and contemporary photographs. GFTU facilitated at political day school – and open activists’ meeting - at Kings Lynn, hosted by GMB No.1 Branch. Work has begun on the Bill Ash archive, at Bishopsgate, to assist with the publication of his last novel, Heroes in the Evening Mist, edited by Doug Nicholls. The GFTU Education Officer has met with the GMB Midlands & East Coast Education Officer to discuss the promotion of the GMB Education programme, the use of Quorn Grange by the union (not least for weekend activists’ schools), and the training of reps. This has, already, resulted in increased GMB (internal) training at Quorn. The Education Officer is due to meet with the Regional Secretary and Education Officer of GMB Birmingham & West Midlands region, on 29 November, for similar talks. The visit of the delegation from the Vietnamese Trade Union Confederation has now been confirmed for 11 th -15 th December. The TSSA and GMB unions have offered assistance in organising workplace visits for the Vietnamese officials. The purpose of the visit, in line with the 2010 TUC resolution, is to focus upon Health & Safety in the workplace. While course enrolments have been good for the reps introductory, and advanced reps courses; and excellent for the training run for the TSSA and Bakers’ Unions, in London and at Northern College, respectively; the uptake of affiliates on the GFTU’s own courses at Quorn has been disappointing. The core GFTU courses were cancelled, in May 2017, due to a lack of uptake (with only 1 or 2 applications per course). Work has begun on extending and developing the existing GFTU tutor pool.

The hard figures, since then, are as follows:

New Reps Development, Quorn Grange, 19-20 June – 12 participants (ran)

Effective National Communications Strategies, 28 June – 1 applicant (cancelled)

Experienced Reps Development, Quorn Grange, 6-7 July – 6 participants (ran)

Health & Safety Stage 2 (Northern College) 24-28 July – 9 participants (ran)