Learning in store: Bharti's enthusiasm wins her ULR award of the Year

Bharti Dhamecha works on the tills at Primark in Leeds. She is also instrumental in encouraging her colleagues to improve their English and maths and is setting up a skills swap-shop in the shop's canteen.

 

It is thanks to her that the store's management has opened up a scheme which pays for staff to take NVQs* to everyone - previously only those aged under-21 were eligible. Bharti is a shop steward, equalities rep and learning rep for her union USDAW. Her efforts were celebrated at the TUC's annual Congress, in Manchester, when she received her award of Union Learning Rep of the Year.

 

This year unionlearn reached the landmark statistic of having trained more than 25,000 ULRs. And Bharti's accomplishments are a tribute to all the reps throughout the country who are putting learning at the centre of the workplace.

 

Bharti, 53, started working at the high street clothing store when it opened five years ago and joined USDAW following a recruitment campaign by local officials. She became a ULR in 2007. She soon made her mark by recruiting young members and reps to the union and is like a terrier when her colleagues lapse their membership. Importantly, she has won the respect from the store's management.

 

'When people say to me that they do not need a union because they have no problems at work, I tell them that unions are not there only when you are in trouble; they can play a vital role in improving your skills and job prospects,' she said.

 

Bharti has now completed an NVQ level 2 in customer service and is keen to see her workmates benefit as well. She has secured space in the canteen to promote the union and learning opportunities on a notice board. She has set up a lending library and organised Adult Learning Week this year at Primark, including the Quick Reads Six Book Challenge which encourages a love of reading via a selection of short books by famous authors and celebrities.

 

She said:

 

'I wanted Learning at Work Day to be fun, so I went to the library and read a book about Roman numerals and created a grid with puzzles for people to enjoy. I organised a skills swap survey, where people signed up to volunteer to teach each other. Already I have offers from an ex-hairdresser and electrician. We have a number of languages, including Polish and French. I have offered to teach sign language.'

 

Bharti came to England with her family from Gujarat, the western tip of India, when she was eight years old. She said:

 

'We have people working in the store from all over the world. I know what it is like to struggle with a new language and how lonely it can be not to understand what your friends are saying. That is why I have introduced ESOL* (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and Skills for Life courses here at the store.'

 

Bharti had worked as a nursery nurse, but had to give up her career to become a full-time carer when her father suffered a stroke. Since his death, she has been able to work part-time at Primark and lives with and looks after her elderly mother. She said:

 

'When I became a union rep I had training which told me about our rights as employees. It has given me confidence to develop as a person. When I recruit others to become reps, I say, 'Look, if I can do it, anybody can'. I like to find out how I can help my colleagues and explain to them the benefits of being in a union and signpost them to ways they can improve their skills.'

 

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, presented Bharti with her award at a ceremony which also named Debbie Mallet (PCS) for the Youth Award, Scot Walker (Unite) for the Organising Award, David Lyons (GMB) for the Safety Rep Award and Mary Davis (UCU) for the Women's Gold Badge. He said:

 

'Unions depend on the tireless work of their reps and activists. When they receive their awards today the winners will be doing so on behalf of the thousands of lay representatives who are the backbone of the trade union movement, working day in day out to make workplace safer and fairer.'

 

Tom Wilson, director of unionlearn, said:

 

'Learning is at the heart of trade unionism. And it is thanks to volunteers, such as Bharti, who encourage their colleagues to take up this learning, that unionlearn is such a success.'

 

Martyn Warwick, USDAW Lifelong Learning Project Worker, said:

 

'It is always a challenge in retail to organise as a union. Five years ago, the store opened without one union member. Bharti was able to persuade her colleagues about the advantages of being in a union and has recruited a large number of members and four reps. She has created a positive relationship between the union and the management, which has led to benefits for all the employees.'

 

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