UNISON calls on government to pull back from scrapping Union Learning Fund

UNISON is calling on the government to pull back from its plan to scrap the Union Learning Fund in England, saying that the decision makes no sense. The announcement that the fund would be scrapped came as the economy struggles to bounce back from the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, and as the Department of Education’s own findings revealed that the proportion of employers not providing any training at all increased from 34% in 2017 to 39% in 2019; and the proportion of employees not getting any training increased from 38% in 2017 to 40% in 2019. In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the devolved governments remain supportive of the fund. So do employers in England – including Tesco, Heathrow, British Steel, Arla Foods and Müller Milk, who have already given support to the TUC-led campaign to defend union learning. For 20 years, the fund has been getting working people into skills training they’d otherwise have no access to, with courses directly relevant to the workplace, tailored to workers and supported by funding from the government. Workplace learning is a massive success. Not just for employers – 77% say that union learning has a positive impact – but for the economy too. It is a success that delivers a return of £12.30 for every pound invested. Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, explained: “Lifelong learning has a key role to play in helping us close the UK’s productivity gap with our competitor...
Source: UNISON meat hygiene - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: Article News save union learning union learning fund union learning reps Source Type: news