Tom Wilson, the newly-appointed Director of unionlearn, the TUCís learning and skills organisation, welcomed employers which work with trade unions on workplace training to beat effects of the recession, but added that too many employers are still missing out on the benefits of union learning. Tom Wilson takes up his role after the retirement of Liz Smith OBE, who oversaw the successful achievement of over 23,000 union learning reps trained, surpassing the target of 22,000 over a year early. Unionlearn also brought 225,000 union members into learning last year.
Tom Wilson, unionlearn Director said: ìMany leading employers work well with unions on learning but there are still some who are missing a trick by not reaping the rewards of working with union learning reps. Evidence shows that those organisations which work with unions on learning often see better industrial relations, lower sickness and absence rates and big increase in morale. Taking over as director of unionlearn in the present climate is a great challenge, but unionlearn, unions and union learning reps are determined to continue to give working people the chance to improve their lives through learning.î
Tom Wilson, was previously Head of the TUCís Organisational and Services Department, which covers education, learning and skills policy, public services, Health and Safety, organising and union development, the TUC regional offices and regional policy, inter-union disputes and the organisation of the annual TUC Congress. He was previously head of NATFHE's (now part of UCU) Universities Department for five years, having before that been Head of Research and then Assistant General Secretary at the Association of University Teachers from 1988. Tom was also the National Trade Union Liaison Officer for the Labour Party (1986-1988). He also worked as a Workersí Education Association (WEA) Tutor and Trade Union Education Tutor.
Employers missing a trick by not working with unions on skills
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