A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear
Colleague
It
gives me pleasure as GFTU President to present to you the 2005 Educational
Trust Programme.
To reflect the difficulties being experienced by many affiliates in particular those in the manufacturing sector the GFTU has throughout 2004 been conducting a comprehensive Strategy Review in order to re-assess how to best react to the needs and demands of affiliates.
It is clear from that review that trade union education is regarded as crucial to the strength of the trade union movement as a whole and the work of the GFTU is highly regarded in this field.
In order to encourage as many of our members as possible to participate in education we have endeavoured to produce a core programme of courses for 2005 that will be of value to our affiliates. We will also continue to provide customised courses to suit the particular needs of individual unions.
In the core programme I believe that we provide a good balance of subjects. The clear focus of the 2005 programme is to consolidate the work of the union representative and to enable that to happen there is an increase in skills based courses. We all appreciate the importance of ensuring that union representatives who are the front-line of the trade union movement are able to access the means of gaining the skills they need to best represent members in an ever changing and developing workplace.
I am proud that the GFTU Educational Trust has once again risen to the challenge and throughout 2005 will provide a comprehensive range of courses. I sincerely hope that all affiliates will utilise the programme in the ways that best suit their organisational needs.
It is only through sound organisation and professional representation that the trade union movement will be strengthened. That must be our focus as we go forward. Our members deserve nothing less.
Des Farrell, President of the Educational Trust
A
service from The
General Federation of Trade Unions
Central
House
Upper Woburn Place
London WC1H OHY