Bit different today. Less history, more 'what next?' In 'that London' to find out.

Absolutely terrific webinar this evening by GFTU Educational Trust on the brilliant Tom Mann. So much more to learn about his impact on trade union and education.

Am reading Prof Bob Fryer's 'Learning for the 21st Century' from 1997 & am struck by this which quotes Campaign for Learning. It highlights the importance of people regarding what they do as 'Learning'. If they don't then they can't reflect on it & therefore develop and progress.

Only recently have I discovered just how brilliant the archivists of this world are. If there's not one already, they deserve an international day of recognition!

As part of my research I've been discovering the modernising work of NUPE in the 70s-80s. Prof Bob Fryer & colleagues' report transformed the union without which we would not have Return to Learn and Women's Lives. Never met Rodney Bickerstaffe but more impressed with each story

The Workers Educational Trade Union Committee (WETUC) was formed in 1919 originally as a partnership between The ISTC (now Community Union) and the WEA but quickly grew to include many unions as you can see in these images.

Address of Mr Watkins (Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants) at the 1907 'Oxford Joint Conference on the Education of Workpeople'. This conference agreed to create a group to examine higher education for working people. TUC Library London Metropolitan University Special Collections

During WWII The Red Cross asked NALGO (now UNISON) to supply correspondence courses to British POWs. 78 take part & gain qualifications whilst being held in prisoner of war camps.

📺Watch our gen sec Gawain Little @ Calderdale TUC EP Thompson 100 anniversary event

'My aims at the GFTU are to expand the education we provide via GFTU Educational Trust to a huge range of workers.'

youtu.be/_7wbnp2aCIg?si…

#Education #TradeUnions #Workers #UnionLearning #UnionEducation

Extremely fortunate to spend a few hours with this group of retired trade union educationalists in Newcastle. Huge amount of experience and some superb connections and ideas.