The profiles are organised alphabetically by country then Union. If you are an educator in an ITF affiliated union please download and respond to the questionnaire at the end of this page.

Austria

Name: Guenter Slezak
Union: Austrian Railway Workers’ Union (GdEÖ)
Position in the union: Education Officer
History: Four years as an educator and human resource manager at GdEÖ

Union education activities:  Providing training on European Works Councils, group team building, further developing existing teams and groups, as well as providing on request specialised courses such as supervision, coaching and mediation skills.

Areas of interest: Interested in a systemic approach, process orientated work with existing teams and groups, as well as organisational structures.

I enjoy integrating different methods such as adventures orientated learning projects including indoor and outdoor, using low and high elements, analysis of individual and group potential, as well as, organisational posting /sculpture, which involves using an empty room and asking team members to place themselves in terms of where they feel they fit in with regards to the individuals in the group or organisation and then freezing the situation for analysis.

Problems: Thinking in problems and not solutions. The resistance from workers against team methods and tools because they are also used in companies.

Strengthening global links: More exchange of experiences would be useful and could open new perspectives, using various platforms including the Internet, workshops, meetings, conferences and exchanging reports on project highlighting both positive and negative experiences.

Contact email: guenter.slezak@eisenbahner.at

Great Britain

Name: Jon Clark
Union: Transport, Salaried, Staff Association (TSSA)
Country: Great Britain

History: I have been the education officer for the TSSA for 8 months. Prior to my appointment I taught trade union education through various TUC (Trade Union Congress- the UK national centre) education centres based in inner and greater London as well as Kent.  I have been working in trade union education since 2003.

Union Education Activities: The corner stone of the TSSA education programme for 2008 and beyond will be a concentration on building member involvement and activities.  New materials will facilitate these aims through the exploration of communication networks and skills in organising.

Areas of interest: My role provides enormous rewards seeing reps grow in confidence, take-on responsibility and develop leadership skills.  So the area of education that interests me most is that of organising and campaigning, the latter being a new series of courses the TSSA has introduced.

Problems do you faced: The biggest problems we face through the TSSA education programme is that of differentiation. 

Strengthening links with other educators: It would be good to see greater communication, support and exchange of ideas and materials, an annual meeting would be great! Or as Ray writes a data base of materials.

Having recently visited Palestine would be great to develop communication with education officers in Palestine.

Contact email: clarkj@tssa.org.uk

Name: Ray Spry-Shut
Union: Rail and Maritime Union (RMT)
Position in Union: Education Officer

History: I have worked for the NUR / RMT for over twenty years.

Union Education Activities: My union runs it own courses for our Branch Secretaries and Local Reps (Shop Stewards). We also run induction courses for new reps and specialist courses on negotiating skills advocacy skills, how to be a branch officer and various other courses.

Areas of Interest: The courses which I enjoy the most are my young members' courses which are aimed at people in the union under 30. I am also responsible for the young members' conference that we run annually.

Problems Faced: The main problem I find is that senior officers and executives all talk the talk about education but frankly pay little notice unless there are complaints. Everyone is over worked but that goes for most people. Some of us just get on with the job and don't keep telling people how over worked we are!!!!  

Strengthening links with other educators:
Have a central database of course material that we can all have access to. Because lets face it we all plagiarize each others stuff anyway.

Maybe meet up one or twice a year but please, please no workshops. I spend half my time attending meetings and workshops!

Contact email: R.Spry-Shute@rmt.org.uk