180 delegates from all over Scotland attended the 1st Annual Scottish Union Learning Conference on Thursday, 13 November 2008 in the Stirling Management Centre.
Delegates attended from as far as Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Arran, representing 17 trade unions from all sectors. It is by far the highest number of delegates who have ever registered to attend a union learning conference of this kind in Scotland, with approximately 180 in attendance.
Union Learning Reps (ULRs) joined SULF Project Workers, STUC General Council members, Scottish Union Learning Board members, trade union members and officials, and partners in lifelong learning for the one-day Conference. Sponsored by ILA Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the theme of the Conference was “Learning and Organising”. The Conference provided participants with practical information and skills through workshops and presentations and also allowed ULRs from across the country to come together and discuss how we shape union learning throughout Scotland, both nationally and regionally.
Anne Douglas, Chair of the Scottish Union Learning Board, opened and chaired the Conference. During his address, STUC General Secretary Grahame Smith called for the Scottish Government to make progress on the right to request time off work for training, and to resist pressure from business to move away from commitments given to investing in training and workforce development. The STUC raised this issue with the First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, later in the day, to ensure that the Scottish Government follows through on commitments given to invest in the workforce, giving the right to take up learning and training opportunities.
Rozanne Foyer, Unite Senior Organiser, spoke about the importance of and connection between learning in the workplace and organising.
The delegates attended sessions on Cultural Awareness and Accessing Resources, and attended workshops on the topics “Organising Migrant Workers”, “Learning Agreements”, “Integrating ULRs into the Union Team” and “Sharing Good Practice”. During the afternoon, delegates were addressed by Darah Zahran of Skills Development Scotland, Jenny Duncan of the STUC Youth Committee and Audrey McJimpsey, Community ULR and Recipient of the 2008 STUC Helen Dowie Award for Lifelong Learning.
Feedback from delegates was very positive, and despite the fact that the exceptionally high number of delegates made the venue seem a bit cramped, everyone learned something during the day. One delegate commented, “The speakers were very down to earth.” Another said, “It was a good place to network and exchange information.”