n By Keith Hatch
These activities started with introductions and finding out what people hoped to get from the week before moving on to identifying the issues that affect reps and how Unite organises in the workplace.
Following these basics sessions focused on introducing delegates to the NAECI Agreement helping them understand the scope of the main agreement, identify common issues that arise from it and consider best practice methods of resolving any issues.
The tutor, Kenny Gillespie, explained how NAECI has evolved over the past four decades, both nationally and locally. Kenny pointed out that it has been used as the basis for terms, conditions and industrial relations on over 180 major UK engineering construction projects and 11 R&M (Repair and Maintenance) sites, in addition to UK wide registered work.
Delegates worked in groups to explore NAECI – looking at subject headings, and identifying the major
challenges in each area, before discussing any local agreements they may have come across, and how these tie in with the National Agreement.
An important part of the NAECI Agreement is Section 13. This lays out the approved methods of resolving disputes at work through the Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) process. A couple of group activities explored ADR looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the processes and how reps can make them work for our members in a fair and equitable way.
This included group members sharing their experience of ADR procedures on their sites and handling disciplinary casework under these procedures. Delegates then had the opportunity to use their experiences, and what they had learnt on the course, to tackle some case studies to practice supporting members.
The course also covered a wide range of other issues and skills development for delegates including health, safety
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and welfare under the agreement, the support Unite offers around mental health and stress and improving communications skills.
It may seem like a week was a long time to familiarise reps with an agreement – but as Barry pointed out, the NAECI is vital in many workplaces and getting a proper grasp of how it works is important.
Barry said, “The course really does need a week. This is to build the teamwork element, work through case studies and fully understand how the agreement works in practical terms.
“Sometimes supervisors often have less understanding of the agreement than reps and officers, and senior reps went away from Eastbourne confident that they understood NAECI and how to negotiate local agreements within its framework.”
Plans are already underway to run another one for a new group of reps in the sector.
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