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McFadden announces Union Modernisation Fund awards
Employment Relations Minister Pat McFadden today announced 28 projects awarded grants worth a total of £2.8m from the Union Modernisation Fund (UMF).
The fund was set up two years ago to help trade unions adapt to a changing labour market and modern workplaces, and to provide examples of best practice for other unions to follow. Last year a first round of 35 projects worth £3m was awarded.
A range of innovative bids have secured funding under the second stage of the funding. They include projects to:
* Help adapt to increasing diversity in the workplace (and address vulnerable worker issues)
* Improving two-way communications within unions
* Support development of union representatives to promote equality
* Apply modern management methods to unions
* develop the professional competence of union officers
Announcing the winning bids, Pat McFadden said it was encouraging that the projects under Round One were already making good progress. He said:
'A strong economy needs modern workplaces, and modern unions are a part of that. Unions are making a significant contribution to greater productivity and a highly-trained and motivated workforce.
"Although disputes are often what makes the news, unions can and do help bring constructive employment relations, and help members manage their working lives.
"Like many businesses, unions can benefit from targeted support to keep pace with the rapidly changing economic and employment landscape.
"We want these projects to be a catalyst for change."
Leeds University Business School will provide a final independent evaluation of the fund in late 2008.
Brendan Barber, general secretary of the TUC said: "British business gets direct public spending support every year. This welcome support for the latest union projects will help provide a quality service in the modern world of work. They will benefit members and are good for employers and the wider economy. Other unions can and should follow the lead they set."
A full list of the successful bids and the selection criteria is below.
Notes for Editors
1. 53 applications were received by DTI by the closing date (20 April 2007). 28 projects have been awarded funding under Round Two, subject to clarification with officials of particular project elements or costings before formal grant offers are made. Total commitment for these projects is around £2.8m, though this sum may reduce as a consequence of individual negotiations with bidders. A further five bidders, whose projects were considered to have intrinsic merit, and would have clear transformational potential, provided certain gaps or deficiencies can be addressed, have been invited to re-submit their applications
2. Capacity building for equality reps was added as a priority theme in Round Two, following recommendations made by the Women & Work Commission.
3. The projects were selected on the basis of recommendations made by the independent Supervisory Board, comprising individuals with academic, union and business backgrounds and chaired by Sir Bill Connor. Bids were assessed against the following selection criteria:
* Transformational change - the extent to which the proposed project demonstrated the potential for transformational change, with regard to the definition of a modernisation project.
* Priority themes - the extent to which the project addressed one or more of the six priority themes.
* Additionality - it had to be shown that without UMF support the project would either not go ahead at all, not go ahead on the same timescale or scale, or would be of a significantly different nature.
* Sustainability - it had to be shown that proposed project benefits would be sustained and developed after the period of UMF assistance.
* Dissemination - the proposed project must be capable of providing a demonstration effect for others within the union movement.
* Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E)- the bid must include a robust M&E strategy, explicitly linked to project objectives, milestones and timelines.
* Value for money - the proposed project must offer value for money.
* Project design - the application must show a clear rationale for the project, clear and realistic objectives linked to appropriate performance measures, clearly identified milestones and outputs, and an appropriate assessment of the potential risks of the proposal.
* Project management - the project must be realistically costed, with suitable project management and governance arrangements, realistic timetable and resource planning, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities of key participants.
4. The UMF was created by the Employment Relations Act 2004. When it was launched it was envisaged that the Fund would be in the region of £5-10m overall, spread over several years. The UMF cannot be used to support: direct recruitment activity in respect of particular employers; enhancing a union's ability to engage in collective bargaining, trade disputes or in representing individuals in disputes with employers; or expenditure on political objects, as defined in section 72 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. (The first two exclusions do not apply if the particular employer in question gives consent to the project.)
5. BERR will work with individual unions and the TUC to share the learning that emerges from individual projects via published case studies, websites/communications networks and networking opportunities.
6. Further information on the UMF is available on the website:
http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/trade-union-rights/modernisation/page16097.html
UMF Winners under Round Two
Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union
(BECTU) - BECTU: the networked union
The project seeks to
transform the members' relationship with the union by using
web-enabled tools to empower them and enable them to: influence
policy, take control of their own records, communicate directly
with colleagues and access services more easily. The union would
be empowered centrally to improve communications, service delivery
and promote diversity.
Unison - Migrant Workers Participation Project
The project
seeks to respond to the increasing diversity of the labour market
(including those originating from within the EU) and improve
Unison's ability to supply services geared to the needs of a
diverse membership. The aim is to involve migrant workers at all
levels of the union, and reduce economic and social exclusion.
TGWU - T&G21: Modernising Management and Training
The
project seeks to bring in external expertise to design and pilot a
management training programme as part of a broader change process
which aims to tackle the challenges presented by the changing workplace.
GMB - Developing Modern Management Methods in the GMB
The
project seeks to respond to the challenges generated by recent
change within the union and pro-actively improve internal
management systems, develop a team culture and implement a
sustained performance improvement.
TUC - Green Workplaces
The project seeks to develop new
skill-sets for members and employers which will enable them to
work together to promote energy and resource efficient,
sustainable workplaces. This will be achieved via a series of
pace-setter projects, the results of which will be widely disseminated.
Scottish TUC - One Workplace Equal Rights: Tools and training for
workplace representatives
The project seeks to address the
significant gap between initial successes in its equalities work
and the effective mainstreaming of equalities activities within
affiliate unions. This will be achieved via development of a
training package; development of a best practice network; the
dissemination of outcomes across affiliates; and mainstreaming of
the activity within the STUC workplan.
USDAW - Developing Competent and Confident Managers
The
project builds on their successful Round One UMF project, which
focused on developing the systems and processes for the strategic
management of the union, via introduction of a best practice
management model. It seeks to develop new skills and behaviours in
the senior management team, which will drive the new system, as
well as extend the training to the next tier of the organisation.
Accord and Amicus - Rep training in partnership
The project
seeks to develop capacity to support and train reps in
understanding modern business practices as part of the existing
partnership agreement with HBOS.
Unison - Establishing equality reps in Unison
The project
seeks to support Unison's equality strategy by training and
development of equality reps; capacity building to engage more
effectively with employers; and improvements to service delivery
to ensure equality and diversity issues are addressed effectively
by employers.
FDA - FDA Integrated Membership System and Website
The
project seeks to develop an integrated membership system and
website to transform the unions' communications and
membership services. The system would: communicate more
effectively to a diverse audience; better engage members in
democratic processes; facilitate two-way communications; improve
internal efficiency; and provide on-line tools for lay reps.
TUC - Training and evaluating union equality reps
The project
seeks to develop a targeted training programme for tutors and
union equality reps to ensure they focus on relevant issues and
engage effectively with both employers and members. TUC would work
with unions to provide general courses open to all; targeted
training for individual unions; and to share good practice from
those undertaking their own training
General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) and Connect - A New
Agenda for Equality in the Workplace: training for equality
reps
The project seeks to develop training and on-line
learning opportunities for equality reps, as well as establish
national and union-based networks for reps. GFTU will work with
the CEHR to ensure synergies with their policy priorities.
Prospect - Building capacity within the defence sector to develop
and sustain Prospect equality reps
The project seeks to extend
the scope of the union's activities in the defence sector, to
groups currently marginalised, and transform representative
structures. This would be achieved by undertaking initial
research; developing strategies to overcome barriers to
participation; establishing training, development and mentoring
programmes; and mainstreaming the activity in collective
bargaining/consultative machinery.
Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) - Developing
Effective and Representative Lay Structures
The project seeks
to equip lay reps to undertake a broader branch role via an
improved communications infrastructure and a training and
development programme.
Union of Construction Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) -
Managing Change: modernising our capacity to respond, develop
effective partnerships and engage with members
The project
seeks to respond to a series of internal and external challenges
and implement a broad-based change programme. This would be
delivered via: development of an on-line communications centre; a
membership survey to inform the modernisation process; and a
training programme for lay reps and officers.
National Union of Teachers (NUT) - Fairer futures: Putting
Equality Opportunities at the Heart of NUT Local
Structures
The project seeks to build the capacity and
effectiveness of equal opportunities officers (EOOs) and
re-vitalise participation in NUT's local structures. This
will be delivered via recruitment of additional EOOs, a training
and development programme and development of a good-practice network.
Unison - Virtual Branches Proposal
The project seeks to
respond to changing employment patterns and pilot a virtual branch
network to better target members, empower them to participate in
branch affairs, and overcome traditional barriers to participation.
Communications Workers Union (CWU) - Youth Empowerment
Strategy
The project seeks to radically transform CWU's
approach to recruiting and empowering young workers via
development of a dedicated resource focussed on developing and
supporting young reps, and with the aim of mainstreaming youth
activity across union structures.
Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) - Underpinning
Equalities: capacity building and beyond
The project seeks to
mainstream the equalities agenda by assisting the unions
Self-Organising Groups to engage with their constituents; provide
modular, tailored training for reps; and build capacity through a
network of lay advisors.
National Union of Schoolmasters, Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT)
- Support for overseas trained teachers in London and the
South-East
The project seeks to provide more effective access
to information for overseas trained teachers (OTTs) on
professional aspects of the teachers' role as well as social
and cultural issues; and to enhance the effectiveness with which
the union responds to the needs of OTTs. This would be delivered
via a dedicated website and targeted training for union equality officers.
Communications Workers Union (CWU) - Deconstructing Equality
Barriers through Union Training
The project seeks to further
modernise their equality-based education and training materials
via an interactive toolkit on equality legislation and a best
practice guide on industrial relations.
The Musicians Union (MU) - Managing Change: transforming our
traditional structures
The bid seeks to build on their Round
One project and undertake a major consultation exercise to
research the effectiveness of existing structures - and identify
options for modernising them, increasing diversity and improving
members' participation in union affairs.
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) - Modernising our
organisation
The project seeks to implement outcomes from
their two successful Round One projects, by developing a training
programme for members to use the new membership system and using a
professional data cleansing and collection service to populate the
new system.
Fire Brigades Union (FBU) - Feasibility study into impact of
equal status of part-time fire workers
The project seeks to a.
undertake an impact study of the consequences of the part-time
workers regulations on the 'retained' members of the
FBU; and b. implement the recommendations arising from the study.
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) and six other unions -
Collaborative Working: feasibility study and implementation
plans
The project seeks to undertake a feasibility study to
explore opportunities for collaborative working. The aim is to
identify the scope for sharing facilities and support services and
thereby reduce infrastructure costs and improve the quality of services
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) - Mentoring for Women
Reps
The project seeks to tackle the under-representation of
women in key branch and regional union positions within PCS Wales
via an accredited mentoring, skills training and leadership
training programme.
Community - Community Trade Unionism and the NEC: contributing to
the union's modernisation
The project seeks to improve
understanding between full-time officers and the NEC via an
education programme covering strategy, culture, marketing and
financial skills similar to their successful Round One project.
Association of Professionals in Education and Children's
Trusts (ASPECT) - The Next Generation: Modernising Communications
for Trade Unionists in the 21st Century
The project seeks to
develop an inter-active intranet facility for members and staff to
improve communications, improve access to information and underpin
a better understanding of diversity issues.
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