Exploring the role of Australian trade unions in the education of workers

Yasukawa, K; Brown, T; Black, SR

Exploring the role of Australian trade unions in the education of workers

Yasukawa, K

Brown, T Black, SR

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Publisher:: AVETRA
Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: 14th Annual AVETRA Conference - Research in VET: Janus - reflecting back, projecting forward, 2011, pp. 1 - 13
Issue Date:: 2011-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Yasukawa, K https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4553-0289	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Brown, T	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Black, SR https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0825-0384	en_US
dc.contributor.editor	Llandis Barratt-Pugh	en_US
dc.date	2011-04-28	en_US
dc.date.issued	2011-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	14th Annual AVETRA Conference - Research in VET: Janus - reflecting back, projecting forward, 2011, pp. 1 - 13	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/31257
dc.description.abstract	There are two main elements to this paper. Firstly, we critically examine the current literacy and numeracy âcrisisâ in Australian workplaces in which loss of productivity, lack of take-up in education and training, and skills shortages are being blamed on workersâ lack of literacy and numeracy skills (Australian Industry Group [AiG] 2010a&b, DEEWR 2010, Skills Australia 2010). We indicate that the issues of literacy and numeracy in workplaces are more complex and require alternative understandings of literacy and numeracy (as social practices), and the additional perspectives of the workers themselves. The second main element to this paper is the opportunity for unions to demonstrate their stake in the education and training of workers. We ask: what possibilities are there for this to happen; what models exist from which Australian trade unions can draw? In the UK the Trade Union Congress (TUC) successfully negotiated with the Labour Government, to establish a Union Learning Fund (ULF), and give recognition to union learning representatives (ULRs), to facilitate learning for workers. Evaluations show that literacy and numeracy learning is one of the areas most positively impacted by union learning representatives. Based on a critical analysis of the current policy discourses around adult literacy and numeracy, review of the current overseas literature on the role of union learning representatives in workplaces, and research on the history of the involvement of Australian trade unions in shaping the VET agenda, this paper reviews the role unions played in recent VET policy formation and considers what new directions they might explore in the emerging policy environment.	en_US
dc.publisher	AVETRA	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	14th Annual AVETRA Conference - Research in VET: Janus - reflecting back, projecting forward	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Annual AVETRA Conference	en_US
dc.title	Exploring the role of Australian trade unions in the education of workers	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.location	Melbourne	en_US
utslib.location.activity	Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne	en_US
utslib.for	130108 Technical, Further and Workplace Education	en_US
dc.location.activity	Rendezvous Hotel, Melbourne
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/e-Press
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences/School of Education
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - STEM Education Futures
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.finish-date	2011-04-29	en_US
pubs.place-of-publication	Melbourne	en_US
pubs.start-date	2011-04-28	en_US

Abstract:

There are two main elements to this paper. Firstly, we critically examine the current literacy and numeracy âcrisisâ in Australian workplaces in which loss of productivity, lack of take-up in education and training, and skills shortages are being blamed on workersâ lack of literacy and numeracy skills (Australian Industry Group [AiG] 2010a&b, DEEWR 2010, Skills Australia 2010). We indicate that the issues of literacy and numeracy in workplaces are more complex and require alternative understandings of literacy and numeracy (as social practices), and the additional perspectives of the workers themselves. The second main element to this paper is the opportunity for unions to demonstrate their stake in the education and training of workers. We ask: what possibilities are there for this to happen; what models exist from which Australian trade unions can draw? In the UK the Trade Union Congress (TUC) successfully negotiated with the Labour Government, to establish a Union Learning Fund (ULF), and give recognition to union learning representatives (ULRs), to facilitate learning for workers. Evaluations show that literacy and numeracy learning is one of the areas most positively impacted by union learning representatives. Based on a critical analysis of the current policy discourses around adult literacy and numeracy, review of the current overseas literature on the role of union learning representatives in workplaces, and research on the history of the involvement of Australian trade unions in shaping the VET agenda, this paper reviews the role unions played in recent VET policy formation and considers what new directions they might explore in the emerging policy environment.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/31257