Argues that trade union education has tended to mirror the wider fortunes and complexities both within the particular union (or unions) and within the wider socioeconomic environment. The present period is, arguably, one such``moment'' where the conceptions and practices informing trade union education are strongly informed by wider societal considerations. This paper examines this`m oment''.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

or unions in general and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in particular, the promotion of learning opportunities for their members has emerged as a recent and important success story. Developing the learning careers of trade unionists is cited as an illustration of 'the modern role for unions' and represents an 'ambitious and innovative agenda' for future activity (TUC, 1998b). Regional networks of TUC Learning Advisors have been established and similar networks of Learning Organizers are currently being developed within large unions such as Amicus, Unison and the Transport and General Workers Union. Considerable financial support from the Department of Education and Skills (DfES) through the Union Learning Funds (ULFs) project, together with financial grants from Learning and Skills Councils, today provides a vital component to the good financial position of the organization (TUC, 2001: 152). As indicated at the 2002 Annual ULF conference, 'over the last five years, £24 million has been spent on 350 projects with 66 unions in 3000 workplaces'. In the coming years, 'the government would be providing £34 million for new learning projects, including £5 million earmarked for basic skills'. (TUC, 2002a: 4). These notes examine the recent rise of the learning services and activities of the TUC and affiliated unions against the background of union renewal and reform strategies. The first section of the article provides an overview of the learning developments in recent years. It will be argued that the emergence of union learning has represented an important and potentially dynamic new area of trade union organization at workplace level. The 'new framework for education', as the TUC puts it (TUC, 1998a: 9), has resulted in a variety of innovative initiatives and, it will be suggested, is buttressed by an impressive array of statistical evidence. The second section of the article examines the dominant framework underpinning this development of learning opportunities and services for members. It will be argued, first, that the conception of employability, with its uncritical focus on skill formation, has resulted in an undue narrowness 413Work, employment and society