RUL Steering Committee Minutes March 2010

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Minutes of Learning Partnership Steering Group Meeting

Held in Beaulieu Room, Friars Bridge Court, 41-45 Blackfriars Road, LONDON

Tuesday 30th

March 2010, 1100 1400hrs

Present: Tony Shipley, Management Development Manager, SWT (TS) - Chairman

Alan Martin, Union Learning Rep, Island Line (AM) - Secretary

Clive Chown, Lead Union Learning Rep, ASLEF (CC)

Peter Connolly, Lead Union Learning Rep, TSSA (PC)

Rickey Goodman, Company Council Rep, RMT (RG)

Mark Manwaring, Lead Union Learning Rep, RMT (MM)

Nick Child, Organiser, TSSA (NC)

Graham Morris, District Organiser, ASLEF (GM)

Mel Taylor, Learning Organiser, TSSA (MT)

John Walsh, Company Council Rep, TSSA (JW)Ivor Riddell, Learner Project Worker, RMT (IR)

Shaun Seymour, Company Council ASLEF (SS)

Apologies: Emma Ramsay, Learning Project Worker, ASLEF (ER)

Marc Sellis, Head of Training & Development Manager, SWT (MS)

Mark Bratt, Union Learning Rep, ASLEF (MB)

Iain Anderson, Regional Organiser, TSSA (IA)

Peter Skelly, District Organiser, RMT (PS)

The meeting was opened at 1104hrs by Tony Shipley, who gave an overview of his intentions on the

way of progressing forward items for the ensuing year of this committee.

Graham Morris - Question of the Full Time Officials (FTO) and clarification on when they need to

attend, as well as the fact that Fail To Agrees from these meetings should take place at FTO level &

the areas of concern from the Reps.

Clive Chown raised the point that Open Learning & Steering Partnership meetings should always be

a 75/25 split as elements in some issues overlap both meetings.

Mel Taylor Supported CC and referred to previous incumbent ofTS position/post and the fact it

had been minuted some 2 years ago.

Tony Shipley Agreed that an element of 75/25 overlap at these meetings wasnt unreasonable.


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Item Discussion Action(s)

1

Minutes of

Previous

meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and

agreed as a true and accurate record

Proposed: TS

Seconded: JW

2

Review of

Actions

TS proposed an Action Log for future meetings would

provide invaluable to expedite meetings. This was

agreed by the group as a good idea and carried.

1 Learning Mentor Terms of Reference

TS has now completed this and provided a copy for all

those present at the meeting and invited feedback at

the earliest opportunity.

GM asked the meeting if this role had been to the

detriment of the Union Learner Reps roles.

CC commented that no noticeable change had occurred

to ULRs role.

2 Learning Agreement Review

TS reported that the HR Director SWT had written to

the unions detailing that changes to the Learning

Agreement cannot be conducted at LPSC level.

3 Open Learning Statistics

TS apologised that these had not been sent and this

was going to be discussed as an agenda item later in the

meeting.

4 Skills For Life Training for ULRs

CC Details had been provided and that release had been

granted on that occasion.

TS commented that he should be the point of contact

for any managers in case of a dispute over release. Alsothat 21 days timescale was not set in stone and local

managers could use their discretion.

CC said that the 3-4 day response was still not

happening in most cases.

GM Proposed that Lead Reps should go via TS in

clarification of point 7.2 of the Learning Agreement.

Discussion took place and agreement was reached that

the regular release of reps was not an issue, but theissue of training was and it was proposed that Lead ULR

TS 21 days notice toemployer & then 4 days

to reply instead of the

12 hr sheets.


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or Project Workers of each union should

representations for release.

MM pointed out a scenario that proved in the mostcases to be very bureaucratic and unworkable in the

timescales.

MT voiced concern over the volume of the work this

would create and the unnecessary delay this would

cause in applications for release.

JW proposed person on course to approach Local

Manager in first instance & TS to be the authority.

NC Suggested that some kind of pro-forma be used toaid the process.

TS suggested that the Lead ULRs should be main point

of contact for Training with FTOs being copied in and

TS would deal with these, in the absence of the Lead

ULRs this can be done via a Company Council Rep or

deputy.

5 Meeting for release

Has yet to be arranged.

6 Outstanding IT issues

Is to be mentioned later on in the main agenda.

7 Invitation to Head of IT to attend meeting

TS Dave Brougham could not meet this meeting and

that any questions would be dealt with and feedback

given as soon as possible.

8 Forward details of 6 Book Challenge

MM apologised to the committee that due to personal

circumstance had not been done but a brief overviewwas given on how this was meant to reinvigorate a

persons interest in reading

Banner

MM raised the question of suitable wording for a

multipurpose banner to use at events in future.

TS As soon asEmployee Relations

have agreed the process

will inform committee

members process in

place & PC to produce a

flow chart for

distribution with these

minutes.

MM & TS to meet and

look at materials tofacilitate the challenge

in Open Learning

Centres Feedback next

meeting

MM to arrange suitable

wording

3

Learning

Partnership

Successes

TS suggested that this should be a regular item on the

agenda in the future. He then referred to lady who had

been displaced and assistance was provided to her in

order to help her in interviews and assessments thisshowed clearly how the steering committee has worked


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well.

Also a JW commented that a CO4 is showing signs of

improved confidence in response to employers

assistance to identifiable needs.

MM told the committee that he was about toundertake a City & Guilds 9297 Learner Support course.

TS Stated that there had been considerable successes in

NVQs achievement which had been facilitatedby ULRs,

specifically PC. Congratulations were offered.

TS stated that NVQs at Level 2 in IAG being arranged in

conjunction with PC

MT pointed out that there was a great deal more that

could be done in the coming year for ESOL & Skills forLife. Points noted.

NC said a future success would be the new U-Net

Centre that Southampton City College is involved in

which opens shortly.

CC Taster sessions are hard work to set up but they do

work and it pays off in the end the results of a recent

event in Salisbury has produced 3 Courses being put on

the first being French in which 11 members are taking

part, which is followed by Spanish with 9 memberssigned up and finally IT & Photoshop also with 9

members signed up there are 3 outstanding members

who are currently waiting to be placed on a course.

NC to update the

committee in due

course on any future

developments in this

area.

4Union

Learning Reps

Terms of

Reference

TS said he had seen a ULR Job Description it may have

been TSSA or RMT and was personally asking if ALL the

unions had such a document.

GM stated that The Learning Agreement has the role of

a ULR in it.

MM Pointed out Learning Outcomes are always

submitted to Project Workers.

MT ULR activities are answerable to the branch as they

are elected members similar that of Employee to

Employer.

TS After discussion will peruse the TUC model and

should he have any questions will refer them to Lead

ULRs.

TS to liaise with the

ULRs on the most

desirable outcomes

5 TS This was a temporary closure in order to facilitate


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Basingstoke

Open Learning

Centre

the IT/Retail training previously in White Rose Court,

Woking. The Open Learning centre PCs have been

relocated to Centre Stage upstairs and although they

have no Internet access this can be gained from a

standalone PC in the Trainers Office. It was envisaged

that in May 2010 that the Open Learning Centre wouldbe set up in a different room and reinstated or 4 PCs

would be left downstairs with internet access.

MT raised her concern and displeasure that none of the

committee members had been consulted in advance of

this temporary closure and planned reinstatement at a

later date and that the committee should be further

consulted

TS acknowledged that the LPSC should have beeninformed of the closure.

6

Review of

Open Learning

Statistics

TS stated that there are a number of discrepancies in

the current system data regarding Directed Learning.

He would be contacting past learners to ascertain if the

training had been completed and request the return of

resources to enable the figures to be re-adjusted and

for the resources to be reused. TS requested ULR

assistance in calling back material if resources were not

available to do so.

GM stated that he was disappointed at SWTs shift in

attitude towards the Learning agenda. TS noted GMs

comments.

TS stated that lowered demand for Open Learning was

not the fault of the business, rather it was due to low

footfall and a potential perception for many that Open

Learning was no longer active when in fact it still was.

TS asked if any ULRs had had reports of any employees

being turned away or not being facilitated with no

negative reply being given. It was also suggested thatULRs proactively act as OL advocates.

PC highlighted the issue that the Isle of Wight had no

data and that they should have a small resource library.

This was agreed in principle by TS.

MT asked if SWT had a continual commitment to both

the Southampton & Waterloo Open Learning Centres,

TS confirmed that there was a still a commitment to

these centres.

MT Asked how the funding is being spent. TS stated

TS to request assistance

through Lead ULRs if

required.

TS happy to provide

with assistance of the

ULR (AM)

PC to act as liaison for

Island Line needs and

inform TS of

requirements

TS Review Open


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that every request was taken on its merits and with

financial limitations reviewed on each application.

Where possible, requests were facilitated. It was also

noted that no one learner had been refused so far.

MM Are NEC courses still being funded? TS confirmedthis to be the case.

SS Multi Lingual signs had still not been produced and

management had not contacted RG with the wording so

he could source suitable staff to translate.

IR highlighted that providing Multi Lingual signs was a

positive step provided they were accurate.

GM Target group aimed at is Skills for Life ESOL

MT Asked if any support would be given to ULRs and

Staff who deal with Multi Lingual issues. The group

discussed that if there was a need it would be looked at.

GM Suggested using Adult Learners Week to kick off the

language issue.

SS suggested that at the very least Urdu, Hindu,

Cantonese, French & Spanish were ideal starting points.

Learning posters;

Remove Waterloo

phone number, Speak to

Steve Denholme IPU,

Distribute to ULRs to

feedback & RG forTranslation.

TS to find out costing of

proper translation of

posters and feedback

before Adult LearnersWeek.

7

InformationTechnology

(Update)

SS has sent to Marc Sellis a list as per previous meetingminutes.

TS The Southampton IT issues have now been resolved,

although the Waterloo issue is down to misuse as an

internet cafe as a result all passwords for Internet

access are now to go through TS, all ULRs will have

internet access and again forms to be submitted to TS

ASLEF members to report through CC in respect of any

areas that have difficulty with accessing PDFs etc

IR Asked if information could be passed on to Unions. A

discussion took place and TS agreed to amend the Open

Learning Application.

CC suggested a list be produced of sites that ULRs likely

to visit to enable firewalls to be amended.

TS Amend wording on

Open Learning

Application to allow

information to be

passed to unions

CC & MT to submit to TS

before the next

meeting.


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JW requested that the committee be updated at

meetings, as to know where expenditure of the budget

is. TS stated that this could probably be facilitated.

GM stated the opinion that the budget did not showthe companys commitment to learning and by virtue

has devalued Open Learning. TS countered this by

discussing that the budgetary forecast was made based

on requirement taken from the previous years

requirement and that it reflected previous usage

therefore met the needs of Open Learning.

CC argued that reduction in budget is driving unions to

source alternative funding. TS reminded the group that

Section 4 of the Learning Agreement had it that the

LPSC had a responsibility to identify funds for educationand training regardless of where they came from.

PC Due to the committee not being notified until late

on in the year of previous budget amount, the

opportunity to spend it was lost. TS stated that the

committee had been informed in Sep 09 of OL budget

and that actual expenditure was based on learner needs

not the desire to spend money, especially in the current

economic climate.

SS & GM Open Learning budget: Any additional fundingcould be sourced from alternative sources using Project

Workers but if this was unsuccessful then a case must

be made to management for additional funding. This

was noted by TS.

SS raised the question as to what the contingency

budget at SWT in relation to point 4 of the Learning

Agreement was? TS stated that there was no

contingency budget per se, however, if there was a

need for more funding, then hewould represent it to

the business.

SS Is footfall down same percentage as the reduction in

staffing levels. TS stated this data was not available.

IR Suggested we use the money then apply pressure on

board. TS stated that how the SW Trains manages its

budgets is down to the business and whilst requests for

expenditure could be discussed, it could not be

dictated.

GM Suggested that the committee write collectively tothe HR Director SWT recording its displeasure at the


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RUL Steering Committee Minutes March 2010

Documents

Transcript of RUL Steering Committee Minutes March 2010