Rethink cut to Union Learning Fund and work with unions to level up skills after coronavirus

The Union Learning Fund supports a network of union learning reps, who work with employers to engage workers in learning and training. Last year, the Union Learning Fund supported 200,000 learners, with thousands achieving their first ever qualification. The government announced in October that they were planning to cut funding for the Union Learning Fund next year.

In a new report, Learning and Work Institute – a leading employment and skills think tank – found evidence linking trade unions and collective bargaining to higher employer investment in skills – both in the UK and in other advanced economies.

Employer investment in continuing vocational training in the UK is half the EU average, and a recent national survey found that and the proportion of employers providing training had plummeted. The report highlights evidence from a series of national surveys showing that employers are more likely to invest in training at unionised workplaces. New analysis also shows that in countries with more widespread collective bargaining, employers are more likely to provide training, and employer investment per worker is higher.

Author: Learning and Work Institute

Source: fenews.co.uk

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