Gus Grubb and Mark Pollitt TUC, UK Based at Stow College, Glasgow Organising Success Gus Grubb and Mark Pollitt TUC, UK Based at Stow College, Glasgow

TUC Affiliation The TUC represents almost six million workers in 53 unions. Globally part of the union family with 175 million members in 153 countries. Our unions range in size from Unite with 1.4 million members to small specialist unions with just a few hundred.

U.K. Union Membership 1900 – 2.1million 1950 – 9.2 million

Union Membership by Sector IT TUC Directory 2013

Union Response Merger (i.e. Unite the Union 2007 – 1.4m) Improved Democracy Youth Focus Union organisation- structure – Self Organised Groups (SOG’s) Community memberships New initiatives

Unions into Schools Focus on equality, collective ethos, rights at work Course Materials School Curriculum Every high school in Scotland Ages 13-16 Trained Union Activists – youth focus Organised school visits

Collective Learning Partnership (CLP) Unions/Employers/TUC Education Key Focus: cross-union collaboration Taking the learning directly to the workplace Delivering learning at shift friendly times to suit the needs of the learner Using mobile internet linked laptops for enhanced ICT and other course support Delivery using a team of dedicated TUC trained tutors who are qualified professionals in areas such as, pensions, ICT, communications, and core skills The creation of bespoke courses to meet employer and union members' needs

Royal Bank of Scotland – 100% campaign November 2010 – 6% - 48 May 2013 - 31% - 248 (500% increase) (New workplace branch – new activists – new members (younger workforce) – regular member meetings - improved Industrial Relations – Activist Committees) “combining learning and organising is clear evidence this strategy works and could be a key path to increasing union membership in all sectors” http://www.unitetheunion.org/

Why is it working? Organising not servicing Member driven Not educationally driven Relevance Local negotiations/agreements Trained activists/paid release Partnership Working (CLP) Impact: Union recognition/reputation/recruitment

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