The seminar in Britain took place from 30 November – 2 December in Manchester. It was attended by delegates from WEA districts and local partner organisations. In this article, Dave Spooner, International Programmes Officer of the Workers' Educational Association (England & Scotland), describes the international education work of the WEA for British trade unions.

The WEA places high priority on education programmes in Britain which address globalisation, and is attempting to bring some fresh thinking into the way workers’ education organisations collaborate with one another internationally. The ISC Development Project addresses both of these concerns.

Globalisation demands a new trade union approach to international development. The number of British trade union members directly affected by the global economy has increased dramatically over the last decade in both private and public sectors. The long-term impact of reduced government intervention in the economy, privatisation, deregulation and the removal of protectionist barriers accelerate this process.

The WEA, in partnership with British trade unions and International Trade Secretariats, has been delivering education programmes for trade union representatives which address globalisation and international development. These focus on:

• The development of international collective bargaining, particularly as a means to introduce international labour standards into agreements with transnational corporations;
• The present and future role of international trade union organisations, and their relationships with national and local unions;
• Collaboration with NGOs and social movements, particularly in developing support for the self-organisation of the informal sector.

This international education work is based on a number of core principles:

Starting from the specific. General appeals for support and solidarity with the world’s poor, whilst morally admirable, are unlikely to fully engage trade union members in practical and constructive development action. Coherent and sustained practical international development initiatives need to be built on industrial experience and knowledge.

Target participation from the workplace. Development education is increasingly concerned with the training and education of experienced local full-time and lay trade union officers – senior shop-stewards, staff representatives, convenors, Branch Secretaries etc. These are the trade union representatives closest to the membership and are at the forefront of day-to-day relations with employers.

A global approach to development awareness. Learning critical skills in understanding processes of globalisation and development is a global activity. Participation of trade unionists from Japan, Russia or the USA is equally important to that of India, Peru or Zimbabwe. A crude North-South approach is neither appropriate, nor likely to match the realities of international development as experienced by trade unionists.

Strengthened international trade union co-ordination. International experience suggests that ad hoc bilateral development financial support from trade unions in industrialised countries to unions in developing countries is seldom successful. Often, it is of marginal or temporary value; at worst it can encourage dependency and patronage.

It is important that support for international development through trade union activities is premised on true partnership, and rooted in democratic international trade union organisation. For the unions, this primarily means sustained multilateral development action through the ITSs, or through bilateral (or "multi-bilateral") actions organised in consultation with the ITSs.

Alliances within civil society. Trade unions need to develop alliances with social movements and NGOs, particularly in sectors where direct trade union representation is practically impossible in the short or medium-term. The expansion of the informal sector, in particular, has necessitated a thorough review of trade union capacity, and recognition that new forms of organisation are required.

Exploitation of the Internet. ISCs demonstrate that the development of transnational education programmes, mediated through the Internet, is entirely practical. It is also possible for internationally organised education to be delivered effectively without compromising democratic and participatory learning methods. Wherever possible and appropriate, the WEA now integrates these techniques into its workplace learning on globalisation.

Membership education in International Development

One of the most important initiatives in recent years has been the "Membership Education in International Development" project, undertaken by the Transport & General Workers’ Union (TGWU) in Britain in partnership with the WEA.

With financial assistance from the British government, the project runs intensive residential education programmes on globalisation and international development for senior workplace representatives, sector by sector. The TGWU is a general union, covering many sectors of industry. This current project focuses on food and agriculture, textiles and garments, oil and chemicals, and transport. A further course has been delivered for ‘lay tutors’ in the union (trained rank and file members who take time out of work to deliver local courses), which explores how to introduce international perspectives within mainstream shop-steward training.

Course design is based on detailed discussions with the relevant industrial officers, along with a strong partnership with the ITSs involved – all of whom (along with IFWEA) are represented on the project’s management team. Elected workplace representatives are also closely involved in the design of the course programme.

A typical structure for a one-week residential course might include:

• Discussion of the causes and impact of globalisation, based on participants experiences;
• Debate on major world trends in the sector concerned, and the implications for the global workforce;
• Introduction to the histories, structures and traditions of the international trade union movement, and especially the work of the relevant ITS.
• Discussion on key debates and issues facing the international trade union movement
• Development of practical actions to strengthen workplace trade union organisation

The delivery of the courses is undertaken by TGWU and WEA tutors, with participation from union representatives from abroad, and from the ITSs.

Much of the original thinking behind the project stemmed from the TGWU’s participation in the ISC pilot programme on Tackling Transnationals. The ISCs have been highly influential in designing course materials, identifying project partners in other countries, and thinking through new ways in which Internet technology can broaden participation in trade union programmes.

As each course is completed, all the materials are edited and adapted for the TGWU web site. This builds an open resource on globalisation and internationalism for TGWU members, or for TGWU tutors who are interested in using some of the activities in other courses. The site will hopefully be of value for trade union educators beyond Britain.

Discussions are now underway with some of the ITSs involved to plan a European-wide programme of education on international development, modelled on the TGWU experience, using the ISC methodology.