About the courses

Each term the Trade Union Studies Unit works in co-operation with the TUC to provide a wide range of courses meeting the needs of union reps and their members. We use trade union education methods based on helping you to tackle problems in the workplace and working collectively.

Accreditation

TUC Courses are now accredited through the Open College Network. Reps who wish to will have the option to gain nationally-recognised credits for their achievements which can often provide access to vocational awards or other further and higher education training opportunities.

Negotiating Paid Release

The main way to get paid release is through agreements with employers. There is legal backing in the Employment Protection Act and Health and Safety legislation. This is further strengthened by paragraph 17 of the ACAS Code of Practice on paid release for further training where this is necessary to meet changes in the structure and topics of negotiation at the place of employment or legislative changes affecting industrial relations. If you have any problems you should consult your senior union rep or full time officer. The TUC Regional Education and Training Officer may also be able to help.

Fees

There is no charge for union reps attending TUC Courses - the TUC pays the course fees to the College. A small charge is made for the accreditation costs of the computer courses, but this is often refunded by employers or individual unions.

Resources

The Unit has a wide range of the latest information on wages, conditions, health and safety and employment law. As well as TUC publications and individual trade union journals, we subscribe to the Labour Research Department magazine, Fact Service, Bargaining Report, pamphlets and on-line database. We also receive the Incomes Data Services Legal Briefs, Studies, Reports and Focuses and the latest electronic Croner’s Employment Law CD ROMs .

Our Health and Safety resource section includes Hazards magazine, the ILO Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety and chemical reference books. The electronic section includes Croner’s Health and Safety at Work, Croner’s Industrial Health and Safety, Gee’s Premises Health and Safety and the OSH-UK CD ROM.

You need not be attending a current course to use these resources.

More information

Dave Barnes or
Tel: 01253-504067 Fax: 01253-504377
E-Mail: DBA@blackpool.ac.uk