JOIN THE GFTU EDUCATION REVOLUTION

The renewal of the trade union movement must be grounded in education if the lives of workers are to be improved, says Henry Fowler

Over the past three years, the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) and its Educational Trust (GFTUET) have undergone a major transformation in the breadth and depth of the educational and training opportunities we provide to affiliated unions such as the POA. This work matters because strong trade unions are built on confident, skilled and connected activists.

In 2023–24, we delivered 34 courses. By 2025–26, we will deliver more than 90 a year, a 164% increase. This represents a complete redevelopment of our educational programme for affiliated unions and the wider movement.

But this transformation has not simply been about delivering more courses or recruiting more representatives onto programmes. One of the most important strategic decisions we made was to ensure that all courses are free for members of affiliated organisations. In doing so, we have reaffirmed education as a core principle of our federation and a central part of building a stronger trade union movement.

Registrations have risen dramatically, but most importantly so has the number of people taking part in our courses across our programme, now above 5,000, with more than a month of this year still to go. From our Strategy Series webinars, featuring internationally respected speakers such as Marshall Ganz, Hahrie Han and Bill Fletcher Jnr, to our residential negotiation courses, we have worked closely with sister unions to come up with an education programme fit for the challenges of the 21st century. This means developing new courses that meet the requests of affiliates. Our ‘Bargaining and Organising for Neurodiversity Part 1&2’ is a great example of us meeting affiliates’ needs, as is ‘Bargaining, Organising and Campaigning Around AI and Data’, providing knowledge, confidence and the history of the struggle of workers to control technology, rather than it happen to us.

This level of detail, thought and pride placed in what we do around education is not just about more courses and more numbers; what we are doing contributes to the success of the wider trade union movement.

We believe the renewal of the trade union movement – and our ability to rebuild power from historically low levels of unionisation, with only around 22.4% of workers in a union in 2025 – must be grounded in education. If we are to improve workers’ lives, win campaigns, secure both small and major victories, and demonstrate the continued relevance and transformative power of trade unions, we must invest in workerled, group-based learning that reconnects activists with one another and strengthens collective power.

The strike wave of 2022–23 was an opportunity to capitalise on renewing our movement. A strike wave that POA members were cruelly prevented from joining because of draconian anti-strike legislation affecting prison officers inspired a new generation of representatives, branch officers and activists to emerge to lead some of the largest industrial disputes in decades. After those strikes were over, many activists were looking for a ‘what next?’. A clear journey of how to develop further was largely lacking across most of the movement.

The challenge for our movement after that wave of action was clear: how to deepen the involvement of these new activists and embed them within our structures for the long term.

We fundamentally believe education is a key part of the answer. That is why we have developed a clear educational pathway (see below) to support activists throughout their trade union journey. This pathway includes: Stage 1 introductory courses; Stage 2 development programmes; a growing Stage 3 offer; and culminating in Stage 4, our specialist ‘Trade Union Leadership and Innovation Programme (TULIP)’ for senior leaders, and our university-accredited ‘Empowering Workers Certificate’ in labour law and labour movements for those preparing to move into senior positions.

The growth of our educational programme has gone hand in hand with a much deeper relationship with our affiliates, not only around education, but also around the wider support we can provide. There is no better example of this than our growing partnership with the POA.

Like many affiliated unions, the POA has seen a significant rise in registrations and attendance, with more than 200 POA members registering for training with us. Last year, the POA ranked third among all unions for registrations, accounting for 7% of total sign-ups – behind only BFAWU and Unite the Union.

Over the past two years, we have been proud to contribute to your Branch Official Training (BOT), where we have delivered bespoke workshops on organising skills. It is a partnership we are keen to continue developing in the years ahead.

Since the pandemic, much of trade union education has shifted towards online-only learning, often through self-guided courses or virtual sessions with tutors and group discussions. These approaches provide limited support; they cannot fully replicate the deeper learning and solidarity that residential education provides.

This is what makes our work revolutionary, rare and revitalising.

We have the added advantage. We own a state-of-the-art education centre attached to our beautiful hotel, Quorn Grange Hotel. The title ‘hotel’ does not do it justice. That is why we have re-branded it to the trade union movement as the ‘Workers’ Retreat’, a place to revitalise our soul, skills and confidence to change the world. It is a unionised venue owned by you, trade union members, not some shady hotelier who does not pay tax, or provide proper hours and conditions to its workers.

These residential courses create the space to step away from the pressures of work, reflect, exchange ideas and think collectively about how to strengthen workplace organisation and branch activity. Learning alongside others over several days builds stronger relationships, deeper understanding and greater confidence.

Alongside the POA’s BOT programme, our own courses give participants the opportunity to learn with activists from across the trade union movement.

As one POA member said after attending last year’s Summer School: “I found myself across the table from someone from probation. They had dealt with issues inside the prison I work in, but we had never actually crossed paths. You talk about the issues they face and realise they’re universal.”

That is the real value of in-person trade union education: not only the content itself, but the opportunity to learn collectively through worker-led shared experience. The conversations during workshops, over meals and in informal discussions often become just as important as the formal sessions.

It is not just the beautiful setting in which our education is delivered, but also what we are delivering – our curriculum.

We offer something increasingly rare: genuinely independent trade union education. Because we are not government funded, we are not constrained by external curriculum controls or restrictions over who can participate. This independence allows us to provide education shaped entirely around the needs of the movement itself. Tackling difficult issues and topic content, such as our popular new ‘Rebuilding Solidarity’ course, developing anti-racist strategies grounded in community organising.

Our independence should not be taken for granted. It is sustained through the growing support of union branches, regions from non-affiliated GFTU unions and trades councils joining our education fund, alongside individuals contributing monthly as Friends of the Educational Trust. Their support helps ensure that the GFTU can remain the home of independent trade union education for generations to come.

Our new 2026–27 programme will launch this July at the Durham Miners’ Gala, offering another 90 courses for members, representatives and branch officers. We encourage you all to continue in leading the advancement in trade union education and book your places as soon as possible. Our programme may be big, but it is also more popular than ever, meaning courses fill quickly.

Join the education revolution today; the strength of our movement depends on it.

You can see all our courses and apply via our website here: gftuet.org/education. l

HENRY FOWLER
ASSISTANT GENERAL SECRETARY,
GENERAL FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS