Learning for revival; British trade unions and workplace learning

Abstract

Against a background of declining union significance and falling membership, this article reviews the recent development of trade union workplace learning in Britain. It is argued that the dominant framework within which this learning is currently undertaken is one of ‘employability’. Instead of an employability framework, it is suggested that an educational framework informed by ‘democratic citizenship’ better serves the need for unions and their members to engage with changes within the workplace and within the wider societal context.

The author would like to thank the referees for their constructive comments on this paper.

Notes

A shorter version of this article appeared in 2004, as a Research Note in Work, Employment and Society, 18(2), 413–420.