Workplace Rights and the Role of Unions

Location

School/ College/ Workplace/ Home

Suggested duration

• 1.5-2 hours
• Introduction: 5 minutes
• Activity 1: 15 minutes
• Activity 2: 15 minutes
• Activity 3: 30 minutes
• Activity 4: 15 minutes
• Activity 5: 5 minutes

Employer outcomes

• Enable students to better understand the relevance and importance of unions in your workplace/ sector
• Enable students to gain insight into their own rights and entitlements as they enter the world of work

Student outcomes

• Understand what a union is, the different types of unions, what they do and how they can support staff in the workplace
• Understand what your workplace rights are when in employment

Educator outcomes

• Opportunity to highlight the importance of goal setting and working towards targets.
• Opportunity to highlight the importance of regularly reflecting on learning and skills more widely during school / college.
• Ability to easily gather student data on success of work experience placements.

Employer resources

• Facilitator’s guide
• Student resource pack
• Access to IT/ internet
• Additional resources below/own resources to customise activities (links to videos, webpages)

Student resources

• Activity resource pack
• Access to IT/ internet
• Additional resources below and any provided by the employer

Educator resources

• Facilitator’s guide
• Student resource pack
• Access to IT/ internet
• Additional resources below and any provided by the employer

Additional resources

Introduction: What is a union? UNISON

Activity 1: What have Trade unions done for us? (4 minutes watch)

Activity 2: This directory may be a useful starting resource (p38)

Activity 3: Union websites (structure of union pages) e.g. TUC - The role of the union representative

Activity 4: TUC Resource: Know your rights as an Apprentice (PDF Provided)