https://www.unison.org.uk/get-involved/learning-development/activists/activist-training-pathways/
National Activist Education Programme:
Employment Law Courses 2016
The following in-depth employment law courses supplement the range of training
offered at regional level and are aimed at experienced workplace representatives.
CONTRACTS REDUNDANCY & TUPE
21–23 March 2016:
7-9 November 2016:
Closing date for receipt of applications: 8 February
Closing date for receipt of applications: 26 September
This course will help activists develop their understanding of contracts of employment
and member’s potential rights on redundancy. It will enable them to recognise relevant
legal issues when dealing with casework, campaigning and negotiating. It also covers
unilateral variation of contract; TUPE; unfair dismissal in the context of changing
contracts; redundancy & TUPE. It does not cover unfair dismissal in the areas of
capability and misconduct.
DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION LAW
21-22 May 2016:
Closing date for receipt of applications: 7 October
This course will help activists when representing members and negotiating with
employers around disability issues by increasing their understanding of how often
disability discrimination law applies and how it can be used to put pressure on employers
to take positive steps. The course covers identifying potential cases of disability
discrimination in the workplace, who disability discrimination law applies to, how to
interview members with a potential case, the extent of the employer’s duties to make
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reasonable adjustments, the relationship between sickness issues (e.g. back injury,
depression) and disability discrimination, and recognising time-limits. It does not cover
how to run a tribunal case.
MATERNITY AND PARENTAL RIGHTS
25 May 2016
Closing date for receipt of applications: 11 April
This course is for UNISON activists who need to advise members on maternity and
pparental rights or who are looking to improve on statutory rights through negotiation.
It will help you understand the complex law relating to these rights, including the
recently introduced Shared Parental Leave rights. It will also give you an opportunity to
compare negotiated contractual agreements with statutory rights to identify
opportunities for seeking improvements.
RACE & SEX DISCRIMINATION LAW
18– 20 Jul 2016:
Closing date for receipt of applications: 4 June
This course will help activists to recognise direct and indirect race and sex discrimination
when dealing with casework in the branch. It will help them understand the questions to
ask when interviewing members with potential cases. It will give them an overview of
legislation and time-limits; understanding the questionnaire procedure; introduction to
law on sexual harassment. It does not cover how to run a tribunal case. The course does
not cover the law on pregnancy and maternity/paternity which is covered in the
Maternity and Paternity Rights course.
UNFAIR DISMISSALS AND EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS
6 – 8 July 2016:
Closing date for receipt of applications: 26 May
This course will help reps to use the law to underpin negotiations with employers on
dismissal issues in internal disciplinary hearings, and to develop analytical skills useful in
all areas of their work. While activists are not expected to represent at tribunal cases,
understanding the importance of time limits and evidence gathering at an early stage will
ensure sound groundwork should a case eventually go to tribunal. This course covers the
law of unfair dismissal: who can claim unfair dismissal and what makes a dismissal unfair,
especially in the context of misconduct. It follows a misconduct dismissal through every
stage of preparation for a tribunal case, finishing with a mock video of the tribunal
hearing. This course does not cover unfair dismissal in the context of redundancy,
contract variation or TUPE as that is the subject of the Contract, Redundancy and TUPE
course.
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All courses will be held in UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1
2AY.
To apply, complete the form overleaf and return it to:
Learning & Organising Services, UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY.
E.mail learningandorganising@unison.co.uk
Tel 0207 121 5383 Fax 0207 121 5758
ALLOCATION OF COURSE PLACES : To ensure the effective application of UNISON
principles of Proportionality and Fair Representation places are allocated on national
courses immediately after the closing date instead of on a first come first served basis. If
courses are oversubscribed, selections are made on the basis of achieving Fair
Representation and Proportionality, as set out in UNISON Rules, and to ensure a fair
spread of participants from regions and sectors where appropriate.
In-depth employment law courses supplement the range of training offered at regional
level. They are aimed at experienced activists and this is also taken into account when
offering places on these courses.
CHARGES: Branches will be charged a fee per participant of £225 for 3-day courses, £150
for 2-day courses and £75 for 1-day courses. Accommodation, travel and care costs and a
£5 per day out-of-pocket allowance will be paid from national level.
FACILITATION AND DEPENDENT CARE: It is UNISON policy that no member should be
deterred from applying for a course because of facilitation needs, necessary childcare or
other care commitments.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Where places on courses are cancelled without good cause
charges will be levied as follows: Where places are cancelled within two weeks of the
start of the course the cost will be 50% of the course cost. Where places are cancelled
within one week of the start of the course the cancellation will be 100%.
OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUALITIES: As part of UNISON’s equal opportunities policy in
education there is a questionnaire at the back of the application form. This information
will be strictly confidential and used only to monitor UNISON’s ability to deliver
educational opportunities fairly to all sections of its membership.
UNISON National Activist Education Training - Application Form
1. Complete this form
2. Get it signed by your Branch Secretary or
Education Co-Ordinator
3. Return it, by the closing date, to:
UNISON Learning & Organising Services
UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road
London NW1 2AY
p. i
Course places are not allocated until
the closing date and applicants should
not make travel arrangements etc. until
they receive confirmation of their place
from LAOS.
We can only accept email applications
when they are sent by your branch
secretary and convey all the information
EmailLearningAndOrganising@unison.co.uk requested on the form.
Fax: 020 7121 5101
Course Title:
Date(s):
Location:
Surname:
Firstname:
Female
Membership No.
N.B. We MUST have this!
Region:
Branch:
Your address (for correspondence):
Employer’s name:
Your job title/occupation:
Workplace name and address
Postcode
Phone (best number to contact you during
office hours):
Email
Postcode
Union Activist Positions
Tell us of any union activist positions you hold or previously held:
Position
Male
Dates: From/ To
UNISON National Activist Education Training - Application Form
Have you attended other courses:
Yes
If yes, give details, including dates and locations:
Course name
p. ii
No
Date
Location
Why would you like to do this course? Give any information to be considerd in support of
your application (e.g. your experience or branch needs)
Accommodation
If you need accommodation for any night(s) during the course, give the dates here:
N.B. LAOS will only meet the cost of accommodation booked by ourselves
Additional Support Requirements
You should not be put off from applying for a course because of child/dependent care
commitments, disability or learning support requirements
If you need assistance with childcare to attend this course (up to age 17) give details here:
Tick here if you need assistance with adult dependent care home care to attend this
course.
Tick here if you have already completed UNISON’s Authorisation for Adult Dependant
Home Care Costs 2009-11?
If you have access requirements, tell us here:
Tell us here if there any learning support requirements we can provide to make sure you get
the most out of the course? For example do you require course materials in a different
format, in large print, or on coloured paper?
Food
Give details here if you have any special dietary requirements:
UNISON National Activist Education Training - Application Form
p. iii
Travel
How do you wish to travel to the course?
By rail using a ticket issued by Steward Corporate Travel*. A Rail Travel Order Form will
be sent to you with your course information.
Make your own arrangement (e.g. travel by car) and claim the equivalent standard rail
fare as expenses after the course.
By air (when this is justified by savings in time and cost to the organisation). An Air
Travel Order Form will be sent to you with your course information.
*a company used by UNISON for booking travel
Please note that we use your name and branch on the course register provided to all
participants in the course pack. If you do not wish your details to be shared with other course
participants, please tick this box
Declaration and signature
The information supplied in this application form is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Applicant’s signature: ______________________________
Date:
This section must be completed by the Branch Secretary or Education Co-Ordinator:
The course applicant should arrange this.
Branch: ____________________________________
Address: ____________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
This application is supported by the branch
Signature: _________________________________
Branch Position: ____________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Branch Stamp
UNISON National Activist Education Training - Application Form
p. iv
ACTIVIST EDUCATION TRAINING - EQUALITY MONITORING FORM
Your co-operation in completing this questionnaire would be appreciated.
It is gathered so that UNISON can monitor and evaluate participation. We appreciate the
categories below are limited, but within these constraints, please answer the questions that
apply to you All questions are optional. Some may have multiple answers.
All information will be treated in absolute confidence.
Course/Event applied for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Is your gender:
Female
Male
How would you describe your ethnic origin?
Asian UK
Asian Other
Bangladeshi
Indian
Pakistani
Black African
Black Caribbean
Black UK
Black Other
Black mixed heritage
Chinese
Irish
White UK
White Other
Would you describe yourself as:
A disabled person
Would you describe yourself as:
Lesbian
Gay
Bisexual
Would you describe yourself as:
Transgender
UNISON has self-organised groups for women, lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender, Black and disabled members. In which, if any, of the groups do you
participate?
Women members
Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender members
Black members
Disabled members
How long have you been a UNISON member?
0 - 2 years
3 - 5 years
6 - 10 years
11+ years
8.
Which of UNISON's service groups are you in?
Community
Energy
Health Care
Higher Education
Local Government
Police and Justice
Water, Environment and Transport
9.
Which sector do you work in?
Public sector
Private sector
10. In which occupational group is your job?
Managers
Professional
Other non-manual
Technical
Clerical & secretarial
Other manual
Other occupation – please specify :
11.
What is your age group?
16 – 26
27 – 39
Voluntary sector
Administrators
Personal & caring services
40 – 49
50+
UNISON National Activist Education Training - Application Form
p. v
12. What subscription band (based on yearly income) are you in?
A. Up to £2,000
B. £2,001 - £5,000
C. £5,001 - £8,000
D. £8,001 - £11,000
E. £11,001 - £14,000
F. £14,001 - £17,000
G. £17,001 - £20,000
H. £20,001 - £25,000
I. £25,001 - £30,000
J. £30,001 - £35,000
K. Over £35,000
Apprentice/ Member in education
13. On average, how many hours per week do you work?
35 hours +
30 - 34 hours
16 - 29 hours
14.
Are you a retired member?
15.
Are you a member of any of the following national committees?
National Executive Council
National Service Group Executive
National Self-organised Group Committee
National Labour Link Committee
National Young Members' Forum
National Retired Members' Committee
Other National Committee (Please specify below)
16.
Yes
Less than 16 hours
No
Are you a member of any of the following regional committees?
Regional Council
Regional Committee
Regional Service Group Executive
Regional Self-organised Group Committee
Regional Young Members' Forum
Regional Labour Link Committee
Regional Retired Members' Committee
Other Regional Committee - please specify
17.
Do you hold any of the following positions in your branch?
Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Education Co-ordinator
Lifelong Learning Co-ordinator
Equality Co-ordinator
Health & Safety Officer
Communications Officer
International Officer
Membership Officer
Young Members' Officer
Welfare Officer
Steward
Other - please specify:
18.
What Region are you a member of?
Eastern
Northern
Cymru/Wales
East Midlands
South East
West Midlands
Northern Ireland
South West
Scotland
North West
Greater London
Yorkshire & Humberside
Thank you for your cooperation