General Federation of Trade Unions
News Xtra
GENERAL SECRETARY AT BFAWU NATIONAL LEARNING REPS CONFERENCE
Posted on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mike Bradley addressed the BFAWU National Learning Reps Conference held over 3 days from February 19 in Cardiff. GFTU has been giving support to the BFAWU work with learning reps.
Mike said "Colleagues, thank you very much for the invitation to be with you this week-end ; I bring fraternal greetings from your colleagues in the General Federation of Trade Unions.
I am always pleased to be invited to Conferences of affiliated Unions because it gives me an opportunity to listen to the issues of importance to members at first hand and to be able to discuss how the GFTU can assist. This year we have every opportunity to work closer together because your General Secretary is our President. I hope by now that you have seen the GFTU Programme of Courses for 2010. I have put some spare copies on the table if required. We are always pleased to see the attendance of BFAWU Representatives on our courses. This year we have our usual comprehensive range of training in conjunction with Ruskin College and we have developed progression routes so that you can take your lifelong learning as far as you wish.
We are also co-operating on a wide variety of customized provision for you particularly in the important field of health and safety at work in conjunction with The Northern College. Following our Union Modernisation Fund project on equalities we have produced a guide and I have made copies available. Next week we launch our new UMF project on vulnerable workers in conjunction with Thompson’s Solicitors. We have submitted a bid to the Department for International Development to bring together labour educators from around the world to share best practice.
I have also distributed copies of Federation News on the vital issue Young People and Unions.
Finally I want to say something about the learning culture that has developed in workplaces since 1997. We should not take it for granted. During the next few months you will be told by some people that it is too expensive , that it is not a priority. To me , and I believe to you , there is no grater priority than equipping our people for the challenges that life brings.
Thank you once again for the invite and have a great Conference."
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