Issue 2

August 2015

In this issue:
ULRs at Doncaster
Andy Gilchrist Says
Pinkies are now online
Regional ULR Forums
Front page of the TUC
Learner Rep!
Newcastle is centre of
learning
Who do they think they
are?

QUOTE TO
REMEMBER!
The great aim of
education is not
knowledge but
action.
Herbert Spencer
English Philosopher and
Sociologist
(18201903)

Advanced ULR Course looks at Functional Skills & Mentoring

15 Long serving ULRs attended an Advanced ULR course on 20th July 2015 at the Bob Crow
Education Centre as part of their ongoing development. They also looked at more strategic
working, linking into and working with other key areas of the RMT such as Branches,
Regions, Advisory Committees and Grades Conferences as well as the Organising Unit and
the Council of Executives.
As part of the course they also looked at a key area of strategy within the learning agenda.
Functional Skills is a key area for ULRs and underpins all the other work they do and they
examined it from a strategic viewpoint to see if they can provide fresh ideas and innovative
thinking around promoting and delivering it for our members. As well as benefiting individual learners, this area is key to the further education of reps at all levels in an ever more
complex working environment.

Tutor, Margaret Stephenson, from Newcastle TUC Education, said "it's the first time I have
worked for the RMT as a Tutor, but I have a natural affinity with the union as my Dad was a
worker on the P Way and my first contact with the Trade Union Movement was when he
took me at the age of 6 to a Branch meeting of the NUR."
Learning Organiser (Campaigns) Ivor Riddell spoke to the Group after they arrived on
Monday and outlined how the learning structure worked within the RMT and the key role it
has in organising within the union. Also the value a good quality ULR can add to the Branch
and it's strength in the workplace. He said," I look forward to hearing the feedback from the
students and seeing things from their perspective."

Andy Gilchrist says!

CONTACT RMT LEARNING
39 Chalton Street
London NW1 1JD
02075 298820
i.riddell@rmt.org.uk
www.rmt.org.uk
Rmt Learning
@rmtlearning

I thought it would be an opportunity to bring you the ULRs and others to

update you on how the project is going at RMT Learning.
At the end of the first quarter, the RMT Learning project has met targets
for all outcomes and there have been significant achievements including
the RMT Learning, Seafarers Bursary, training for 15 Lead ULRs (plus an
almost fully subscribed already, Stage 1 and Stage 2 courses due to run
later in August and Sept).
These achievements have been due to all the extra effort put in by ULRs
and the project team, and together we will continue to work hard towards the aims of the project, within the wider aims of the union.
The union felt the impact of funding cuts at the start of the project and ongoing cuts to
funding for adult learning will mean that we have to carry on being adaptable and responsive to deliver opportunities for our members. Learning Organisers continue to use their

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knowledge to support Regional Organisers and other officials to
navigate Government-led initiatives, and ensure that the
learning agenda is not misappropriated by employers or
providers. ULRs are the eyes and ears on the ground who can
monitor what impact the cuts have on our members ability to
access the learning they need and alert the union to any
situation that may arise.
Strong foundations have been laid for pursuing a learning
agenda within our union, and the project will carry on working
to ensure we have an organised and sustainable structure of
ULRs that provide learning opportunities for all our members.
ULRs and Lead ULRs will be supported to develop further as the
custodians of the learning agenda for the RMT, guiding activity
in response to our members needs. The chance for RMT ULRs
to share ideas and experiences will be offered at Regional
Forums later in the year and there will be a National Development Day in November, the content and format of which will
be developed by a group of Lead ULRs so that the day best
meets the needs of those attending.
RMT Learning will
continue to foster
stronger links
between learning
and organising and
develop the
mapping skills of
ULRs as natural
information gatherers ULRs are able to work with branches and Regional Councils
to share knowledge about membership and strengthen their
union. Continuing to work towards closer support of ULRs for
their branches and Regions will aid the organisation of
work-based learning opportunities for RMT members and allow
ULRs to respond to the needs identified by members in their
area.
Learning opportunities can reach across grades and companies
and ULRs are encouraged to organise learning events that cover whole areas, with a view to supporting colleagues who may
not have a Learning Agreement in place at their company yet,
but can still be given opportunities to up-skill via their branch
and region.
RMT Learning continues to work to support Regional
Organisers negotiating good quality Learning Agreements and
by aiming for all agreements to include time off for learning
Functional Skills we can ensure that members are not
subsidising the profits that companies will make by upskilling
their workforce by undertaking the learning in their own time.
Supporting our members to access English, maths and IT also
provides them with
skills that underpin
our reps education
programme at
Doncaster and in the
regions and helps
collectively enhance
our RMT.

Learning Organisers take a national view of learning

priorities and develop opportunities within companies, as
guided by ULRs. This means that ULRs have support available depending on the type of activity they undertake and
the demand from membership in their workplace. ULRs
will continue to be the catalyst for learning activity in their
workplace, and identify opportunities to develop the
learning agenda within the company they work for.
ULRs, other reps, members and Officers of the union can
continue to contact the project team via Head Office, in
the usual way.

RMT ULR Memo pads have now gone electronic.

The RMT Learning team have developed an e-pinkie for
Union Learning Reps to record their IAG and learner
contact outcomes.
They can be used on all forms of smart technology, such as
Smart Phones, Tablets and Laptops. Simply save the link
which will be emailed to every ULR. Every time you have
contact with a learner or potential learner, the ULR can
simply click on the link and as long as they have a
reasonable internet signal, they can fill in the details and
submit the outcome live online.
The data will then be collected centrally and the ULR does
not need to keep sending in pink slips.
Learning Organiser Karen Skelly said It is simple, user
friendly and saves everyone time and effort. So Win, Win.
If you are a bit tech savvy you can even set it up as a direct
link on your main screen
You can access the new e-pinkie online by clicking here

Learning Organiser
makes the front Page
on the Unionlearn
Magazine.
Paul Shaw LO Apprentices is
recognised for his work with
Seafarers in this months ULR
Magazine from the TUC.
A Seafaring ULR himself he
demonstrates the value of
ULRs in the workplace and
how they are key to the
lifelong learning agenda.

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Have you got a story about learning in

the RMT, that you want to

share with us?
Had an event and want to tell
people?
Then email the details with any
pictures to i.riddell@rmt.org.uk
Or click here and complete the online
case study report form.

RMT Credit
Union
AGS Steve
Hedley says
You would be
mad not to save
your money
here. It is run by
the members for the members!
CLICK HERE for RMT Credit Union

Regional ULR Forums in England.

All RMT ULRs will shortly be invited to
a ULR Forum within their region, or
nearby before Christmas 2015
These will be used to engage more
closely with you, the ULRs, on issues
that matter to you. Brief you on the
direction of the project and the support it offers.
Also dont forget to put 19th November in your Diary for the Nat Dev Day!

Newcastle is a hive of Learning activity!

VTEC Driver Reece Smith shows

how to make music

Local RMT ULR Calvin Lawson has teamed up with his

colleague and ASLEF ULR Gary Arrowsmith to provide a wide
range of learning opportunities at the Virgin East Coast Union
Learning Centre at Newcastle Station.
From Guitar Lessons for budding musicians or playing for fun.
To Pensions awareness sessions where providers, Union Reps
and financial advisors all came together and provided a one
stop shop for people to find out about their pensions and how
things are changing

RMT are also working with ASLEF on setting up some Functional Skills in
IT mainly but also for Literacy and Numeracy in partnership with Newcastle College. Starting in September 2015.
If anyone is interested in learning new IT
skills or brushing up on their old ones then
Calvin welcomes a learner to the
speak with your local ULR. These courses
Pensions Session.
are open to anyone who works in the rail
industry. For more information you should contact Calvin Lawson at
Newcastle Station VTEC.
LO Ivor Riddell with Calvin Lawson
If you have any projects coming up, let us know and we can help promote
and Learning Monkey at Newcastle
them!
Keeping Healthy online

Basic Computer Skills

Managing your money

Family History first steps

Using E-Government

Job Hunting skills

Basic Computer Skills

Further IT Skills

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Why do you think Union Learning and ULRs are important to
the RMT?
This is a feature to help you get to know
Because it empowers working class people to make choices for
the people who are making decisions
about your role as a ULR. We ask who they themselves. But they can only make those choices because
they have the knowledge and understand how to use that
are and what they think about Lifelong
knowledge. ULRs are vital in making that change happen.
Learning and ULRs.
This issue is Ivor Riddell, LO (Campaigns). Which not only makes the individual stronger, but the RMT is
stronger for it too.
Based in South East England.

Who do they think they are?

Where do you born and brought up?

I was born in Gillingham in Kent where I live now. But have
moved around a bit as my dad was a in the army, having lived
in Germany, and Hythe near Folkestone too.
Where do you call home now?
I live back in Gillingham now. It has always felt like home.
Who was your most influential teacher at school and why?
Mr Smith was my History Teacher at secondary school. He had
a passion for the subject which defied resistance, but he
taught me not to just accept what I read, but to question,
challenge and make my own assessment of the evidence. This
has stuck with me ever since.
Do you have a partner, Children, pet/s
I am married to Jane, we have 5 children who have all left
home now and 10 grandchildren. No pets as we are both too
busy changing the world.
How and why did you become involved in Trade Unionism
and particularly the RMT
My History Teacher encouraged me to study the history of the
Trade Union movement when I as a project at school and I
have been fascinated by the labour struggle ever since.
Though I have only been really active since 2004 when I
became a ULR and saw the power of learning change peoples
lives for the better.
Who if anyone inspired/s you and what do you do, to get
through the tough times we all come across as trade
unionists?
Without a doubt Bob Crow was a massive influence on my
recent past and it was a real pleasure to hear him speak. He
once said to me always remember, there is no end game. We
will always have to fight for what we want, even when we
have it, others will want to take it off of us.
I was also greatly influenced by a branch secretary Jim Hopson
at Gillingham when I joined the Railway first time around in
1978. Nothing ever phased him and his knowledge and easy
temperament meant he could run rings around most
managers. He showed me that to win an argument you must
be sure of your facts and use them wisely and in cold blood.
Whats your favourite sport and team or sports person and
why?
Football and Gillingham Football Club. Because they are my
team and always will be!
Whats your favourite quote and by who?
What you do may seem insignificant. But it is still nonetheless
important you do it! Mahatma Ghandi
What is the one thing you would like to see achieved in your
lifetime above all else?
A high quality education system for all, whatever your age and
free to the learner.

Coming Soon
British Sign Language
Newcastle Station
17th August 2015
Contact: Calvin Lawson

ULR Stage 1 course

Doncaster NEC
24th28th August 2015 Contact: Karen Skelly

Burston Strike School Rally Burston VillageNorfolk

6th September 2015
Contact your Branch Secretary

P&O on board learning

DoverCalais
Visits
7th September 2015
Contact Paul Shaw
8th September 2015
Regional ULR Forum
Clapham Education Centre
For London & Anglia / London Transport ULRs
22nd September 2015
Contact Karen Skelly

IT & FS Courses start

Newcastle Learning Centre
23rd September 2015
Contact Calvin Lawson

Learning Bus road trip

Exeter St David Stn
23rd September
Contact Karen Skelly

Regional ULR Forum

Birmingham
For Midland / Yorks & Links ULRs
1st October 2015
Karen Skelly

ULR Regional Forum

Manchester
For Manchester / North West ULRs
6th October 2015
Contact Karen Skelly

ULR Regional Forum

Bristol
For South West / West of England ULRs
7th October 2015
Contact Karen Skelly

National Education
Doncaster
Advisory Committee
Contact: Andy Gilchrist
13th October 2015

ULR Stage 2 course

Doncaster NEC
19th23rd October 2015 Contact: Karen Skelly

RMT Learning National

Doncaster
Development Day
Contact: Karen Skelly
19th November 2015