5 – 13 December 2022
Church Lane House, Chelmsford/online
This hybrid course is for all new UNISON stewards in the Eastern region. It introduces the role, details responsibilities and gives information about support and resources available and leads to ERA accreditation. There will be a mix of online and in-person sessions.
What will the course help me to do?
- Understand the role of an organising union in public services;
- Recognise the importance of equalities in UNISON;
- Work with members to tackle issues in the workplace;
- Work with members in resolving cases;
- Know where and when to seek advice and guidance;
- Understand how procedures work in practice;
- Handle grievance and disciplinary and similar types of cases as the representative of UNISON members within your workplace;
- Be certified as competent to accompany members at a disciplinary and grievance hearing in line with Employment Relations Act 1999;
- Understand the broader roles in which UNISON operates, including internationally.
When will the course run?
This course will run 6-8 and 13-14 December 2022.
The sessions on 6,13 and 14 will be face to face in UNISON’s Chelmsford office, while the sessions on 7 and 8 December will be online via Teams.
Sessions run from 10am to 4pm with time for lunch, which is provided for the in-person days.
Can I get time off to learn?
Yes, if you are in a recognised workplace the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and the 1997 Safety Representative and Safety Committee Regulations give you the right to time off with pay to attend trade union courses. You just have to give your employer reasonable notice.
Guidance towards establishing what constitutes reasonable time off can be found in the ACAS Code of Practice.
Online learning is not an alternative to paid release from work. The law still applies, whether learning takes place away from work or in work, at a workstation or in a company learning centre.
If you’re having difficulty accessing paid time off please contact your local branch.
What will the course cost?
There is a charge of £110. Your branch will fund this cost and they will be invoiced once you have completed the course.
Sign me Up!
Please fill in the form below to register your interest and we’ll get in touch with your branch to confirm they’re happy for you to attend.