ICFTU CEE UNIT

TRADE UNION EDUCATION IN CEE & NIS REGION

DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIES AND POLICIES OF TU EDUCATION

1. 1. TU Education TU Education ““impimported”orted”:: Passive receivers Developing of educational structure with foreign help Problems with needs analysis Lots of trainings for different target groups 2. Developing and functioning of the educational 2. Developing and functioning of the educational

structuresstructures Differences appeared: a/. Some organizations takes responsibility for further

development of educational structures (ensuring financial resources)

b/. Others are developing their educational structures and activities still mostly basing on external assistance (human and financial)

3. To adapt TU Education to new challenges3. To adapt TU Education to new challenges Just a beginning Revising of TU policies, including educational ones

ICFTU WORLD CONFERENCE ON TU EDUCATION – Denmark 1994

INFORMAL ESTABLISHING OF THE CEE EDUCATORS NETWORK

MORE STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES MORE AND MORE COORDINATION METHOD OF “NETWORKING” IN CEE

AS AN WORKING APPROACH APPEARED

ETUCO-ICFTU PHARE PROJECT 1997-1999

EAST – EAST COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE

STRENGTHENING OF THE NETWORK FINAL CONFERENCE /Zlenice, Czech

Republic/ RECOMMENDATIONS in the following areas:

• Basic TU education• Training of trainers• Vocational training• Distance learning• Financing of TU education

2005 – ASSESMENT OF TU EDUCATION IN CEE / NIS

CEETUC THEMATIC DEBATE ON TU EDUCATION AND ITS RECOMENDATION

SURVEY

CEETUC RECOMENDATIONS 2005:

TU education is a basis for TU action CEETUC asks the ICFTU to strengthen its

support in building facilities and devising strategies

The need to involve educators in TU policies

Help with devising and evaluating education policies

Advised that ETUC, WCL and ICFTU should ensure better coordination between their programs

PLANS FOR 2006 / 2007: ASSESMENT OF TU EDUCATION

SETTING UP/ PREPARING OF THE “EVALUATION TEAM”

ASSESMENT OF TU EDUCATION IN SOME ORGANISATIONS

REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRADE UNION EDUCATION

EVALUATION OF NATIONAL LEVEL ACTIVITIES - based on the survey

• TU policy on TU education• Priorities• Educational structures and Trainers• Target groups• Obstacles and successes• Impact of TU education on TU

activities

TU POLICY ON TU EDUCATION

All organizations have policy on TU education

In 17/19 cases it is covered in Congress documents (general)

In many unions also in other documents of the organization (more detailed)

Educational departments are responsible for its implementation

Education departments are also involved in drafting policy/strategy

Is it really working?

Not clear answers Full implementation of the

policy/strategy – certain conditions are needed:

- education fund is created – providing the necessary resources to organise the activities according to the defined policy

- well organized, educated training teams exist, and function properly

- activities exist on a regular basis, with clearly identifiable and evaluable objectives

TYPICAL TARGET GROUPS

TU trainers, TU experts TU leaders Workers reps TU members Women Youth

PRIORITIES Collective bargaining, collective agreements, social

dialogue; Trade union and fundamental workers rights, labour

legislation; Principles of trade unionism (basic TU training), TU

policy; Market economy, globalization, privatisation; organizing and recruitment; motivation of TU

members; Trade Union management, strengthening the TU;

modernizing the TU movement; Health and safety at work; European issues – including European Workers’

Councils, Gender equality; Young trade unionism Communication

EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURES

Most organisations have educational Most organisations have educational departments departments

All organizations have team of trainers All organizations have team of trainers

Core groups trained be foreignersCore groups trained be foreigners

Difficulties with keeping them in the Difficulties with keeping them in the organization (active)organization (active)

MAIN OBSTACLES:

Mentality Small structures – no funds Lack of trainers in all structures Paid educational leave – problems Transition period (social & economic

situation) Structure of organization & distribution of

membership fee Lack of awareness Coordination of the educational activities Participants expecting “a fish” instead of “a

fishing rope”

The effects/results of The effects/results of educational activities:educational activities:

Budget for organizing & recruitment is growing in regions

Changes in attitude/mentality More and better collective agreements Educational materials are better and more

concrete TU activists/leaders are better performing their

tasks Better labour legislation Rising awareness and interest in TU education Pool of good negotiators Women are aware of their rights and their

mentality has changed Women’s structures were established and

operating

TYPES OF REGIONAL LEVEL ACTIVITIES (1)

THEMATIC WORKSHOPS for the top leaders of the Region

- Organized by the CEE Unit- On regular basis (2/year) – IFIs, informal economy,

pension reform, education… THEMATIC ACTIVITIES organised by different

CEE Unit offices in the Region (for TU experts and leaders):

- Moscow office: e.g. TUR- Vilnius office: informal economy- Sarajevo office: legal protection- Zagreb office: discrimination in the labour market

TYPES OF REGIONAL LEVEL ACTIVITIES (2)

ACTIVITIES organized by the ICFTU partner in the Region (i.g. ILO, FES, ACILS, etc.)

East-east NETWORKS:- Women- Youth- Educators- Trade Union Rights- Organisers

CASE STUDY

East-east Networks in Education:

ICFTU-WCL CEE&NIS Women’s Network

Established – November 1997Merged with the WCL – October 2005TODAY: 45 structures in 25 countries

Why the ICFTU CEE Unit started in the mid of 90s building the East-east networks?

ICFTU CEE East-east networks are a specific model of cooperation within CEE and NIS region, operated by the ICFTU CEE Unit.

The network structures - work methods employed in networking - suitable for enabling equal cooperation and flexible reactions to dynamic development.

Most important from the educational point of view – it has been proved as the best functioning and the cheapest training model.

Why…

Central objective of these networks - regular communication, exchange of information and training projects - important to transform unions to be more democratic and build capacity within the unions.

Instead of having a one-time conference, East-east networks have helped trade union activists from different countries and engaged in different fields to transcend borders and work together on long-term projects that empowers people and organisations.

TYPICAL MODEL OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES OF THE WOMEN’S NETWORK

Annual Women’s School + Regional women’s conference develop Priorities – Women’s Network + CEETUC (7th School under preparation; last year 165 participants)

Project development Fundraising Developing “own” training material Subregional trainings of trainers Translation of the training

material/printing/disseminating National trainings of trainers/sponsored or self-

financed Trainings at different levels

PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE & ACHIEVEMENTS IN AREA OF EDUCATION & TRAININGS

“Empowering trade union women” 2000-2001

a. Research on the position of womenb. Public presentation of reports; issuing booksc. Regional report issuedd. Developing of the manual and training

programmee. Translating to 16 languagesf. Subregional trainings of training – 100 trainersg. National trainings – 710 trainersh. Follow up: app. 3500 women trained

“Collective negotiating”2004-2005

a. Developing of 4 manuals: company level; territorial, sectoral and national level; European level; Strategy and techniques of negotiating

b. Evaluation of the manual; printing; disseminating

c. Translation of the kits – so far 17 languagesd. Subregional trainings – 90 trainers (men and

women)e. National/sectoral trainings – so far at least

1,500 trade unionist trained

SPECIAL TIPS FOR TRADE UNION EDUCATION

IMPORTANT1. Regional trade union ownership of the

training material

2. Case studies from the regional practice/experience

3. Training material – a la carte (choose yourself); cut-paste

4. Interactive methodology of training

TIPS

5. Participants – partners in training

6. Strengthening of the networks – training used for establishing or spreading the network

7. Strong cooperation with the regional NGOs8. Importance of the continuous advanced

training of the same group of women and men (national coordinators)

9. Grass root based educational programmes 10. Actions – campaigning, research, request for

the ILC ratification etc. to follow