Council staff get paid time off for training Friday, May 22, 2009 - 13:21

To mark Adult Learners' Week this year, Reading Borough Council's chief executive - Michael Coughlin - signed an agreement with council trade unions on Tuesday 12 May 2009, promising staff paid time off work for training purposes, in advance of legislation currently before Parliament.

Extracts from a news story in the Reading Evening Post on 19 May 2009, said:

'The Union Learning Agreement also means trades union learning representatives are given a statutory right to identify workplace training needs and campaign for more learning.'

'Mr Coughlin said: "Our union representatives deserve some praise for raising funds to sponsor this year's Adult Learners' Week. I know that RBC shares the view that training and learning is vitally important in raising standards."'

Alastair Thomson, NIACE's Principal Policy Officer said:

"NIACE appreciates that Reading Borough Council chose to undertake such an important agreement during Adult Learners' Week."