Union Representative Courses (TUEC)

A classroom set up with desks in groups of four and chairs round the desks.

Union Reps Stage 1 Course

This course provides a minimum of 18 National Open College Network (NOCN) credits at level 1 or 2. This course is for union representatives. Union reps’ tasks include:

  • working together with members and other union reps.
  • talking to members and dealing with their problems.
  • recruiting members and getting them involved in the union.
  • meeting management to discuss a range of issues at work.
  • representing your union.
  • keeping members in touch with wider issues.

This course will help you:

  • build confidence in your role and responsibilities as a union rep.
  • develop the skills you need to be an effective rep.

 

TUC Certificate in Employment Law (Union Reps Stage 2)

This course provides a minimum of 21 OCN credits at level 2 or 3. This course is designed for union representatives who have already completed the TUC Stage 1 Union Representatives Course or its equivalent, and who have had subsequent experience as an elected union rep.

The focus of Stage 1 training is the workplace, and the skills and knowledge needed to meet initial training needs as a new union rep. The TUC Advanced Course maintains the focus on the role of elected workplace union rep. It also encourages reps to use their experience to step back and look at the bigger picture of what it means to be a union representative. This course will help you:

  • build a broad perspective of where you fit in the scheme of things.
  • build an understanding of effective representation and participation, and the ability to organise and plan for it.
  • build confidence in researching and using rights at work.
  • broaden knowledge of collective bargaining methods and mechanisms, and the ability to use them effectively.
  • develop capacity for leading on the collective agenda.
  • prepare for/facilitate progression to advanced work on union issues, including advanced courses and union roles.

 

TUC Diploma in Employment Law

This course is designed for experienced trade union representatives – the key link between the workplace and the wider union. It is intended to help engage with the development and practice of employment law and to develop attitudes and skills needed for higher-level study or activism.

The course:-

  • Provides guided learning through which you will become more effective as a workplace representative.
  • Promotes an understanding of trade union approach to employment law
  • Deepens and extend the capacities of learners, enabling you to access full-time officer posts or Higher Education opportunities.
  • Widens and deepens understanding of trade union and workplace issues and offer up to date detail of new developments.
  • Develops personal/study skills, the ability to work collectively, and generally improve your confidence to study at a higher level.

 

TUC Diploma in Equalities

The Diploma will:

  • provide guided learning through which the learner may become more effective as a union representative, particularly on equality issues.
  • promote an understanding of trade union values and policies on equalities.
  • deepen and extend the capacities of learners, enabling them to apply for full-time officer posts or higher education opportunities.
  • strengthen understanding of trade union and workplace issues and offer up-to-date detail of new developments in the law and policy.
  • build learners' knowledge of equality issues in the workplace.
  • support learners' ability to build workplace equality and tackle issues at work.
  • develop personal/study skills, the ability to work collectively, and generally improve the confidence of learners to study at a higher level.

Working collectively and co-operatively is particularly important to trade unionism, and teaching and learning methods on the Diploma programme are designed to enhance the capacity to do so. These will include:

  • discussion groups.
  • paired work.
  • group analysis of documents or case studies.
  • interviews with members or other people.
  • workplace activities and report backs.
  • consultation exercises or surveys.
  • self, peer and group evaluations.

The basic values that guide trade unionism - fairness, equality, justice and democracy - are values that have been incorporated into programme content and methods. This means that the process and content of the programme are complementary - what is to be studied is reinforced by the way it is studied.