GFTU PRESS RELEASE

EMBARGOED FOR 00.01 20 July 2024

General Federation of Trade Unions and SOAS Launch New Economics Education Initiative

The General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) Educational Trust and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) will be launching a new partnership, supported by funding from Innovate UK. This collaboration, structured under the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme, will bring a range of new economics education to workers across the UK.

The partnership will draw on SOAS Economics Department’s cutting-edge work in the field of political economy and make this available to workers at all levels of the trade union movement through a range of new courses and educational materials. These will support core functions of organising and bargaining through developing a clear understanding of the economic basis of society.

GFTU and SOAS will be recruiting an associate in September 2024 to head up the new initiative.

Gawain Little, General Secretary of the GFTU, said: “For far too long, economics education has been neglected by the trade union movement and this has weakened unions industrially and politically. Our new programme will provide something for staff and activists at all levels of the trade union movement, from TU leaders shaping union strategy in a changing economy to workplace reps negotiating over pay and working conditions. We are incredibly pleased to be working with SOAS, a world-recognised centre for the study of political economy.”

Costas Lapavitsas, SOAS Professor of Economics, said: “The UK is about to engage in a profound shift in economic policy, strongly emphasising industrial policy. Universities and trade unions will have the opportunity to play a creative role in the new environment. SOAS is an international leader in political economy and has long experience in planning and executing economic policy. In collaboration with GFTU, a historic trade union federation, it will help to train staff and activists aiming to make a positive contribution to the changing economy.

Funded by Innovate UK, the KTP is designed to foster a productive collaboration between educational institutions and organisations to drive innovation. This initiative will not only develop cutting-edge educational approaches but will be a unique Trade Union / University collaboration which will strengthen the work of the trade union movement as a whole.

The long-term implications of this initiative are profound. By enhancing the economic literacy and capabilities of trade union members, the partnership is poised to contribute to more informed labour negotiations, better economic decision-making, and ultimately, a more equitable economic environment. This will support wider economic stability and growth, reflecting the role of well-educated trade unions in advancing the material interests of their members.

This partnership marks a significant step forward in GFTU Educational Trust's mission to become the preeminent provider of specialised economics training for trade unionists, setting a new standard for educational excellence and sustainability in the sector. It underscores the vital role of educational initiatives in achieving macroeconomic stability and growth.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

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About GFTU

The General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) was established in 1899 and is currently celebrating its 125th anniversary. GFTU is a democratic federation responsive to the needs of its 27 affiliated trade unions, representing over half a million trade union members. It provides high quality online and residential education via our Educational Trust and training centre in Quorn. GFTU is the home of Strike Map, a worker powered and funded map of industrial action in Great Britain and the island of Ireland.

About SOAS Economics

SOAS Economics offers real-world Economics teaching, grounded in a global perspective and concrete knowledge of the economies of the Global South, especially Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as expertise on Europe and Latin America.

Our programmes reflect the Department’s leading role in political economy and development economics, focusing on the challenges that economies are currently facing, including the cost-of-living crisis, climate justice, gender, race, and other socio-economic inequalities. Our research drives scholarship and policy in the UK and internationally.

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