Summer 2012 Volume 6 Number 4

ISSN 2045-0206

Scottish Union Learning News

www.scottishunionlearning.com

2012 Helen Dowie AwardUnite’s Janette Dunbar scoops top Union Learning Rep award from the STUC

Union Learning at CongressEvents and news from Scottish Union Learning at STUC Annual Congress

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The Shetland Isles are a lot closer to Bergen in Norway than Edinburgh, and to the Arctic Circle than Manchester! Humans have lived on the Shetland Isles since the Mesolithic period, and the first written references to the islands date back to Roman times. The early historic period was dominated by Scandinavian influences, especially Norway, and the islands did not become part of Scotland until the fifteenth century and part of Great Britain until 1707.

The islands are indeed distinctive, so it was with great interest that UNISON’s learning project workers, Philippa Clark and Marta Chaba, took to the road in February. It was wet and windy when they arrived in Lerwick: apart from a break in the clouds when the sun shone through for an hour or two, it was wet and windy for the whole of the tour! Betty Lyon and Lynne Duncan from UNISON, Aberdeen, arranged for the pair to meet with UNISON contacts and the warm welcome they received more than made up for the

poor weather. Philippa and Marta visited care homes to speak to migrant workers and met with Gail Bray, Corporate Training Manager for Shetland Council, with Stuart Hubbard and Joanne Adamson from the UNISON Health Branch, and with Tracey Leith from the UNISON Shetland local government branch. Tracey is particularly keen to use the chance of learning to recruit new members. As a result of the visit, the local government branch is going to be an active participant in union learning. Marta also met with learners from seven ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes: in total, over 40 people in the local learning centre and college.

There is also a need to recruit a ULR to meet the demand for learning in Shetland. The project workers were asked to send more information on the UNISON/WEA ‘Return to Learn’ course and to organise both a basic computing and a British Sign Language course. The challenge now is to deliver!

A Warm Welcome for Learningin UNISON on the Shetland IslesBy Philippa Clark and Marta Chaba, UNISON Learning and Organising Project Workers

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The STUC Annual Congress was held in Inverness 23rd - 25th April, and it provided an ideal opportunity for Scottish Union Learning to showcase the work being carried out by unions across Scotland in providing learning in the workplace. As well as providing information to Congress delegates, the Scottish Union Learning exhibition proved to be a focus of attention for the political leaders who visited Congress.

Over the three days of Congress, the exhibition was visited by the First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, the Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Johann Lamont MSP and the Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Ruth Davidson MSP. Each proved to be knowledgeable about the work of Scottish Union Learning and impressed by the work that the unions are undertaking in providing learning opportunities for their members. Alex Salmond MSP recorded particular congratulations to Janette Dunbar, Unite ULR at Diageo Kilmarnock, who was the recipient of this year’s Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning.

Johann Lamont MSP reiterated her support for workplace learning delivered through trade unions, saying, “The Scottish Labour Party fully supports the important work of Scottish Union Learning and recognises the work of the trade unions in delivering learning for their members. This not only improves opportunities for individual workers but benefits employers and the economy as a whole.”

Ruth Davidson MSP advised that during Trade Union Week at the Scottish Parliament, she had heard of the commitment and achievements of Susan Manson, the USDAW learner who had been the recipient of the 1st Scottish Union Learning Learner of the Year Award. Ms Davidson offered the on-going support of the Conservative Party for the work of Scottish Union Learning, saying, “I was very impressed by Susan’s story and recognise the difference workplace learning can make to the lives of individuals. I would be happy to offer support, where cross-party support is required, to ensure the continued success of trade union learning in Scotland.”

Scottish Union Learning welcomed the support offered by the Party Leaders which recognises the importance of trade union learning in achieving a more prosperous and successful Scotland.

Cross-Party Support forUnion Learning

MSPs Johann Lamont and Drew Smith visit the Scottish Union Learning exhibition stand at STUC Annual Congress.

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During STUC Congress in April, Scottish Union Learning in the Highlands and Islands organised a fringe event that told the story of the herring lassies. This docu-drama was produced by Dr Issie MacPhail and Open Book PW Ltd.

Each year, delegates at STUC Congress discuss and debate working conditions, but it is important to reflect on how far workers have come in the last hundred years. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Scottish herring industry was the biggest fishery in the world and a major contributor to both the Highland and Scottish economy. Crucial to the industry were the thousands of herring lassies, many from the Highlands and Islands, who gutted and packed the fish. Contemplate working outdoors on the quayside or shore, with no shelter, for 12

or more hours every day, six days a week. Imagine the cold, biting wind howling across the sea, the rain battering against your skin and the cold seeping into your bones. This was the working environment of the herring lassies.

The women, some as young as 13 years, worked in groups of three. Two gutted and one packed, and the packer was normally the tallest woman of the three, as she had to be able to reach the bottom of the barrel! The herring was transported from boats into huge wooden troughs called ‘farlans’ on the shore and covered with salt. The work was back breaking as the women stood all day bending over the farlans. They gutted the herring with a sharp knife called a ‘futtle’, and an experienced gutter was able to gut 60 herring a minute. The women bound their

A Sprinkling of Salt,A Sprinkling of Pride:

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Farlans, Futtles, Clooties and the Herring Lassies

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hands with ‘clooties’ to try and protect them, but inevitability their hands were covered in cuts and sores from the knives. Take a moment to imagine a sharp knife slicing your finger, on a hand that is so cold you can hardly feel it. Then image the pain as the salt from the herring nips at the cut!

The women went where the herring went, often on specially commissioned trains, following the ‘silver darlings’ from Shetland to Lowestoft. It’s quite staggering to picture this army of women travelling the length and breadth of the UK in the early 1900s, when the working masses had neither the funds nor the means to travel. In Scottish towns, the herring lassies were mainly accommodated in specially built wooden huts. These huts contained two beds and a table (if they were lucky) and were shared by six women. In England, it was more common for the women to be housed in ‘lodgings’, but it was still expected that three women slept to one bed.

Despite the hardships and horrendous conditions, what comes across from all the literature about the herring lassies is that the women enjoyed the comradeship and the independence offered by the opportunity to travel and earn a living. They were also renowned for their cheerfulness. Although that’s not to say that they were pushovers! On the contrary, they were willing to take collective action to improve conditions and wages.

In 1914, the Scottish Fishworkers’ Friendly Society represented 4,000 herring workers, which included coopers and carters as well as the women. Reports

highlight strike action in Shetland in 1929 which saw the end of six women having to share a hut, (it was changed to three). In 1931, there were mass meetings in Peterhead and Stornoway protesting over wages and a summer strike in Barra in 1935, also over wages. One of the most reported strikes took place in Yarmouth in 1936, and involved 4,000 ‘Scots Fisher Lassies’ withdrawing their labour. Mounted police had to be called in to patrol the streets. The women, however, did not give in. The women were paid 10d per barrel of gutted and packed herring (shared between the group of 3). Following the strike, the rate was increased to 12d (a shilling) per barrel.Photos of the herring lassies can be found by visiting www.johnstoncollection.net.

Gutters at work in Wick. By kind permission of the Wick Society, Johnston Collection.

Performers Helen Mackay, Mairi Mackay and Christina Stewart depict the working conditions of the herring lassies.

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Janette Dunbar LeadsHundreds to LearningThe recipient of the 2012 STUC Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning is Janette Dunbar, a Unite Union Learning Representative at Diageo in Kilmarnock. Sponsored by Inverness College UHI, the award was presented in April during STUC Annual Congress by First Minister Alex Salmond MSP.

After Diageo Kilmarnock announced controversial plans in late 2009 to close the Kilmarnock plant, Janette was in the forefront of fighting to save hundreds of jobs at the site. When she was elected as the Site Convenor in 2010, Janette put her organising abilities and dynamic style into action as she became the driving force behind supporting members through the ‘ins and outs’ of the redundancy situation.

Janette decided that a lifelong learning programme for the site was the best avenue to support workers during the site closure. In February 2011, Janette was trained as a Union Learning Rep along with a group of other trade union activists. She then set about the task of analysing the learning and training needs of those who were faced with redundancy. Unite member Myra Scoular said, “Facing redundancy was a daunting time, after working at Johnnie Walker for decades. I would not have had the confidence to try courses if it was not for Janette organising and bringing the courses into the workplace”. Christine Duffy, another Unite member, said: “I have successfully completed a few courses, including computing and understanding

Janette Dunbar collects the Helen Dowie Award from First Minister Alex Salmond MSP and Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary. A short film on Janette’s story can be viewed on www.scottishunionlearning.com.

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pensions, and I will continue to learn when I leave Diageo. I would not have undertaken this journey if it was not for Janette and the other ULRs.”

In just over a year as the Lead Union Learning Rep for the site, Janette analysed 730 learning requests and collectively bargained around these with the employer and external learning partners, including PACE, to provide courses for Unite members at Diageo Kilmarnock. Janette addressed the frustration felt by the workers on site by organising learning opportunities in the workplace and delivering them around members’ shift times and days off. Upon receiving the award, Janette said, “I am absolutely delighted to receive this honour. It has been a great learning curve for me and it has been even better to have shared the experience with so many people along the way who now have the confidence to take learning to another level.”

Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary, said: “For her unfailing commitment to the trade union movement, put into practice as a ULR in supporting the people she has worked with for most of her life, Janette Dunbar is a shining example of how ULRs can help shape a better future for their colleagues and her actions at Diageo Kilmarnock demonstrate the relevance of trade unions in the modern workplace”.

Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish Secretary, said: “Unite is delighted that Janette Dunbar has received this award in recognition for the work she has done for Unite members at Diageo Kilmarnock as Lead ULR and Convenor for the site. Janette and her team of ULRs have given opportunities in learning and training to members facing redundancy at Diageo Kilmarnock that would not have been possible without her drive, dedication and determination”.

David Hosey, Inverness College UHI Vice Principal, said: “As both a college for the community and a key partner in the establishment and continuing development of the University of the Highlands and Islands, Inverness College has an inherent interest in Lifelong Learning. The Board of Management and all staff are fully committed to providing support, encouragement and guidance, to attract potential learners and fully support their individual needs as they progress through the learner journey. We are therefore proud and delighted to sponsor the STUC Helen Dowie Award for 2012. The example provided embodies the ethos of supporting others and helping them reach their full potential. Well done Janette!”

Janette and the team of Unite ULRs at Diageo.

Janette speaks on how learning is important for all workers, particularly those facing redundancy.

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The First Minister presents certificates to learners who attended courses organised by the CWU ULRs in the Key 2 Learn Centre.

First Minister Alex Salmond MSP visited the Glasgow Mail Centre on 9th March 2012 to meet with the CWU Learning Reps who received the 2011 Helen Dowie Award. The First Minister was able to see the site’s Key to Learn Learning Centre and he presented certificates to mail centre workers who have completed courses.

“Jobs are this government’s top priority, and a major part of that is investing in workforce training and development,” said Mr Salmond. “Employers, workers, unions and communities working in partnership with government to promote workplace learning benefits all of us - which is why it’s so important to recognise achievements like those of the CWU Union Learning Reps at Royal Mail’s Glasgow Mail Centre in Springburn.He continued, “Scottish Union Learning is supported financially by the Scottish Government, and I’m proud of what our efforts are helping to achieve. But, of

course, the real credit lies with the staff here who work so hard to develop not only their own personal potential but the effectiveness of their teams.”

The learning centre, which opened in 2009, gives access to lifelong learning opportunities at the workplace to all 1,100 mail centre employees, nearly half of whom have used its facilities over the last couple of years, taking courses ranging from computing skills to foreign languages. CWU Regional Secretary for Scotland, John Brown, said:“CWU Scotland is pleased that the hard work, effort and achievements of our ULRs and learners are recognised by the First Minister. We are happy to learn that continued funding for Scottish Union Learning over the forthcoming year has been confirmed by the Scottish Government. This will assist our CWU learning representatives helping our members to continue their work towards achieving new skills and qualifications.”

First Minister engages withAward Winning ULRs

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Unite Union Learning Representative Jimmy Lillis, who works at First Glasgow’s Larkfield depot in Glasgow’s southside, was awarded the title of ‘Best Individual Contribution to Injury Prevention’ at FirstGroup’s annual Safety and Environmental Awards on 24th April.

The awards reinforce First’s commitment to safety and the environment by recognising the achievements of its people and companies throughout the UK. Recognised for his outstanding contribution to injury prevention, Jimmy was delighted when he was presented with a trophy by Tim O’Toole, Chief Executive of FirstGroup plc. Jimmy commented, “I’m delighted and stunned to have been recognised so highly for the safety initiatives I’ve been working on over the last 12 months. I had a great time at the awards ceremony and I hope to continue making a positive contribution to injury prevention at First Glasgow.”

Jimmy was nominated for his involvement in the Route Hazard Analysis Awareness campaign where he contributed to the promotion of route safety and awareness of First Bus routes, which led to a significant reduction in the number of accidents and passenger injuries. This award recognises Jimmy’s on-going commitment to promoting safety awareness. Involved in the development and production of ‘Fire Evacuation’ and ‘Banks Person Training’ DVDs, Jimmy has been the driving force behind a new ‘Pit Safety’ initiative.

Ronnie Park, First Glasgow Managing Director, said: “The Safety Awards reward those individuals and companies that demonstrate foresight, commitment, enthusiasm for safety and innovative thinking and go the extra mile in injury prevention.”

Pat Egan, Unite, said: “The recognition of winning this award is testimony to Jimmy, Unite and First in developing their model of embedding lifelong learning in the core of all its mainstream activity. The Unite ULRs at First continue to be both innovative and progressive. This could not be achieved without the investment and development by both First and Unite.”

As well as a trophy, Jimmy was also presented with an activities voucher worth £600. Last year, Jimmy came 2nd in FirstGroup’s ‘Learning Centre of Excellence’ gold category and he also won the Regional Trade Union Learning Representative award for 2011 for the second consecutive year. Jimmy was also the recipient of the 2009 STUC Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning.

Unite Union Learning Repis First in Injury Prevention

Jimmy Lillis is recognised by FirstGroup.

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Introduction to Accounting and BookkeepingOrganised by PCS in Edinburgh

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The course content exceeded the curriculum and this was successfully incorporated into the programme. Stephen has been a very enthusiastic and experienced tutor, and although I was concerned I was struggling initially, towards the end of the course I felt more confident in my ability.

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Course tutor was excellent and he delivered the course materials in a professional and helpful manner and at a level appropriate to attendees. Good experience for my personal development moving forward.

Learning a subject in a relaxed, but intensive, training environment with a tutor who knew his subject but kept his delivery at a level we coped with. Excellent experience and knowledge gained moving forward.

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CV Writing Skills & Techniques Organised by the RCM in Edinburgh

Formal enough to learn but informal enough to enjoy.

Excellent quality workshop, very valuable skills taught by a knowledgeable trainer.

The course was well presented. Taught me about how to write a CV as this is not something I have done previously. A very relevant informative training session.

Confession! Never had to write a CV before! Thank you for making me feel more confident in attempting one.

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“Unions into Schools” was originally launched as part of the Scottish Executive (now Scottish Government) – Enterprise in Education, Determined to Succeed Agenda in 2005/6. The programme of school visits has been co-ordinated and managed by the STUC. It is supported by a training programme delivered by TUC Education tutors at Stow College. With the assistance of the trained union reps, the STUC “Unions into Schools” programme has now delivered over 400 classroom sessions to school students throughout Scotland. The reps and STUC officials have also delivered awareness sessions to teaching staff on how best to utilise the STUC/TUC “Better Way to Work in Scotland” Pack, which has particular relevance in the Modern Studies and Business Studies Curricula. The Pack is available on the STUC website under Teaching Resources at www.stuc.org.uk/unionswork/education/a-better-way-to-work-in-scotland.

Unions into Schools at STUC CongressOver the last few years, the STUC Annual Congress has been host to school students’ debates where the issues of the day are debated in an environment which mirrors the gathering of trade unionists at their largest annual event. A fringe event at the 2012 STUC Congress in Inverness was held, where pupils from Dornoch Academy, Mallaig High School, Charleston Academy and Dingwall Academy participated in a speakers’ debate on “Social Justice”.

STUC Unions into Schools Reps Coursein Inverness - September 2012A course for new “Unions into Schools” reps will take place at Inverness College on 4th-6th and 26th-27th September. To register, or for more information on the project, please contact Terry Anderson, STUC Union & Community Development Officer, on 07791 704 682 or at tanderson@stuc.org.uk, or Pauline Walker, STUC Admin Assistant, on 0141 337 8105.

Seven Years of Success withUnions into Schools

Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary, addresses a Congress fringe event with pupils from schools in the Highlands.

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The recent extension of the Community Union Benevolent Fund to allow community based projects to apply to the fund through union branches has allowed for a Scottish charity, which supports people with sight loss, to benefit from financial support provided through the fund - after the Community Union workplace branch based in RSBi Glasgow applied on its behalf.

SITE (Supported Integration Training Employment) has used the funding to purchase accessible technology equipment which will enable blind and partially sighted people to receive training on Apple iPads, MacBooks and iMac computers – two of which are based at the Community Union owned learning centre in Motherwell, the Jimmy Brandon Learning Centre.

The charity will work closely with

Communitas in Region 1 (through the Jimmy Brandon Learning Centre) and RSBi Glasgow to engage with blind and partially sighted people, including people working in supported employment and other Community members to obtain training on a wide range of Apple equipment. This partnership between Community and SITE will also allow development of potential community involvement work – particularly as the Apple products are not only excellent for someone with a visual impairment, but also anyone who may have a learning disability.

Geraldine Donnelly, Communitas Project Manager, said: “We are really excited about this partnership as it allows Community Union and Communitas in Scotland to address barriers to learning that are faced by some of our members – in a new and innovative way”.

Working on SITEthrough Community Union

Kathleen Hunter, Regional Campaign Administrator, and Grant Williams, National Operations Team, try out the new iMacs in the Jimmy Brandon Learning Centre in Motherwell.

By Geraldine Donnelly, Community the Union

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Ann Will, ULR at Morrisons Johnstone, and Shona Wilson, Mobile ULR, at an USDAW Learning at Work Day in Ann’s staff canteen.

USDAW Union Learning Reps had a very busy Adult Learners’ Week, giving out over 120 Quick Reads books and encouraging learners across Scotland to “Take a Book Away”.

Jill Little Woodhouse, USDAW’s Lifelong Learning Project Worker, said: “We are using Adult Learners’ Week to focus on Adult Literacy in our workplaces. The Quick Reads books are a great way to encourage learners to read for pleasure and our hard working ULRs have given out more than 120 books across this week.”

Tied to USDAW’s campaign: “Take a Book Away”, is their new work on the Six Book Challenge. This national campaign encourages new and emergent readers to sign up to read six books and complete a diary of their progress. USDAW aims to sign up 50 people to their campaign across their workplaces.

Jill added, “Our ULRs are really excited about promoting the Six Book Challenge in their workplaces. As part of our promotion work on the campaign we are running a reading survey which is showing us that USDAW learners are looking for their ULRs to be able to support their literacy skills in the workplace – something we hope to further develop in our project this year.”

USDAW encourages learners to“Take a Book Away”By Jill Little Woodhouse, USDAW

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Scottish Union Learning Conference: 14th November 2012

For further information, visit www.scottishunionlearning.com/events. Up-to-date information on conferences and events is also available by following us on www.twitter.com/unionlearning or www.facebook.com/scottishunionlearning.

The 5th Scottish Union Learning Conference will take place on Wednesday, 14th November 2012 at the Inchyra Grange Hotel in Falkirk.

During this event, delegates can attend workshops, interact with speakers and build contacts with other ULRs. To arrange attendance and release for this event, please contact your own trade union.

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© 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies or products mentioned herein may be the trademark of their respective owners.

Get online at a cost you can affordDon’t miss out. Get your own ‘no nonsense’ computer to discover all that the internet offers.

• Easy to afford – a well-powered, refurbished computer package for a fraction of the cost of a new computer

• Easy to get started – with all the latest Microsoft® software, including free accessibility software, already set up and working

• Easy to stay in touch with friends and family – through email, instant messaging, Facebook and more

• Easy to make your money go further – do your shopping, pay your bills and get the best deals online to save hundreds of £££s a year

• Easy to pick up IT skills – necessary for everyday life and almost any job.

Get Online@ HomeThe easy place to get your first, very affordableand internet-ready computer.

Go to www.getonlineathome.org

Start now: visit www.getonlineathome.org or phone 03719 100 100

In association with

© 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft and the Microsoft logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies or products mentioned herein may be the trademark of their respective owners.

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May Day is the day of international workers’ solidarity, where workers across the world celebrate the labour movement’s achievements, reflect on the passing year and plan for future challenges ahead. In Glasgow on 6th May, over 1,000 workers marched from George Square to the Glasgow Concert Hall to witness speeches, entertainment and catch up with old comrades.

The march is organised annually by the Glasgow Trades Union Council and the special theme this year was the special contribution of women workers to the trade union movement. It was befitting that the march was led by a group of women trade union activists, followed by the Glasgow Trades Union Council banner. The speeches covered a range of domestic and international issues, and remembered heroes of the past, as well looking forward to the labour movement challenges of the future.

Central to this was remembering Agnes Mclean, a ferocious campaigner for women’s rights, equal pay and social justice. The tribute was delivered by Jane Mackay, a friend and colleague of Agnes for many years. In turn, Jane was honoured in a speech by Agnes Tolmie, the current STUC President, who remembered the years of selfless service that Jane provided to the Trades Council and wider labour movement.

The final address was delivered by political commentator, columnist and author Owen Jones. In a passionate and compassionate address, Owen highlighted the issues of jobs, public services and housing and demonstrated that the current economic model was neither fair nor efficient and had created levels of inequality unseen since Victorian times. Owen made a plea for the Trade Union Movement to reach across society to create a broad movement for social justice.

May Day CelebratesWomen Workers in Solidarity

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June6 Local Learning Forum, Dumfries11-14 Festival of Dangerous Ideas13 Local Learning Forum, Fife14 Local Learning Forum, Tayside15 Scottish Union Learning Highlands and Islands ULR Conference16 STUC Highlands and Islands Conference

July31 Scottish Union Learning Operational Group Meeting

August7 Scottish Union Learning Union Advisory Group

September4-6 STUC Unions into Schools Training Course, Inverness5 Local Learning Forum, Dumfries Local Learning Forum, Western Isles7 Nomination Deadline: Learner of the Year Award Local Learning Forum, Inverness12 Local Learning Forum, Caithness Local Learning Forum, Fife13 Local Learning Forum, Orkney Local Learning Forum, Tayside25-26 STUC Unions into Schools Training Course, Inverness

October9 Scottish Union Learning Operational Group Meeting

November6 Scottish Union Learning Union Advisory Group14 Scottish Union Learning Conference

What’s up in 2012?Learning Matters

Scottish Union Learning

STUC Centre: 333 Woodlands Road • Glasgow G3 6NGTel: 0141 337 8111 Fax: 0141 337 8101

Highlands and Islands: UNISON Building • 53 Shore Street • Inverness IV1 1NFTel & Fax: 01463 248 905

Email: learning@stuc.org.uk • www.scottishunionlearning.comwww.twitter.com/unionlearning • www.facebook.com/scottishunionlearning

Copyright in this publication is held by the STUC unless otherwise stated. For further copies of this item contact Scottish Union Learning on 0141 337 8111 or at learning@stuc.org.uk. This text may also be made available, on request, in accessible formats such as braille and audio tape.

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* Please contact your own trade union to make arrangements to attend these events. Organisation of attendance and release is by your own trade union and is not the responsibility of Scottish Union Learning.