FBU East Midlands Region – ULRs

The Union Learning Representative has long been accepted as the driver of the learning agenda at a local level because they are the people in constant contact with colleagues at shop floor level and are seen as friend and confidant.

When the FBU first started to promote lifelong learning as another benefit of being a union member they recognised that the recruitment, retention and organisation of ULRs would be vital in order to mainstream the learning agenda. As early as the second year of the union’s first ULF project the decision was taken to embed the ULRs in the union rule-book.  The Executive Council proposed rule changes to the union’s annual conference which would embed the ULRs in the union’s structure at Branch and Brigade Committee level – the proposal was carried unanimously. 

The learning agenda progressed at varying speeds according to the different regions of the union. Members were being encouraged and supported by ULF project co-ordinators to become ULRs but experience showed that unless the union was willing to support and treat them as any other official then learning would not become mainstreamed.

Establishing a regional, brigade and branch-level structure

The East Midlands region decided to put in place a workable structure led by the regional EC member.  They decided:

• To have the ULF co-ordinator sit on the regional committee
• To put lifelong learning on the meeting agenda and have a report made
• To appoint a member of the regional executive to offer support at a senior level to the ULF co-ordinator
• That the EC member would have one-to-one meetings with the ULF co-ordinator to discuss the project, agenda and any issues that they had.

At Brigade level:

• As ULRs became part of the union’s branch structure the appointment of a Brigade Lifelong Learning co-ordinator was required.
• Each Brigade was supported to have a Lifelong Learning committee where the ULRs and the Brigade learning co-ordinator would meet on a quarterly basis.

In addition, a Regional Learning committee was established so that the nominated Regional Official, ULF co-ordinator, Brigade Lifelong Learning co-ordinator and ULRs could meet.

Benefits at all levels

The benefits for the union of this structure are a better awareness at the most senior regional level and a formal reporting structure to all committees that engages with other officials of the union.  ULRs have a clearer understanding of their role and responsibilities within the FBU. In addition, the opportunity to network with other ULRs means they can share best practice.

Trevor Shanahan, the ULF Project Manager said,

“This has provided the East Midlands with a sound structure at Regional, Brigade and Branch level and is helping to mainstream all the components needed for the FBU to continue offering Lifelong Learning opportunities to their members for the long term. Further, it is helping to develop a better understanding of the issues surrounding workforce development and qualifications in the FRS.”