Learning in Revenue and Customs

The union learning reps are at the forefront of the group policies in this area.

Their expanding profile means that they can be involved in any aspect of work that may have learning and training issues.

These can include the following:

• Bargaining with the employer over access to training
• Advising on learning aspects of PDEs
• Sign posting individuals who have non work related aspirations
• Recording of stats and outcomes
• Supporting trade union education courses.

Because union learning reps come into contact with more staff on a regular basis than other reps they have a responsibility to represent the PCS and should ask non-members to consider joining. They can also play an invaluable role in supporting the branch organiser mapping process and identifying areas for recruitment initiatives.

Each branch should have a branch learning coordinator (BLC) who will be a member of the branch committee and will work with the other officers. They are responsible for co-ordinating and providing help and assistance for office union learning representatives within their branch; attending information, advice and guidance briefing sessions; building contacts with learning providers within their area; building contacts with learning providers within their area and providing appropriate statistics to the project team via the Regional learning coordinator.

Each region has a regional learning coordinator (RLC) who is elected each year to act as the liaison between the project learning officers and the branches. They are responsible for recruiting and supporting office union learning representatives within their region; building contacts to develop initiatives within the region; organising awareness and dissemination events within the region; setting up learning centres within their region and gathering, collating and providing appropriate statistics from across their region to the project team.

A statutory right to exist

Union learning representatives have statutory rights, including reasonable paid time off work for training and to carry out their duties. 

There is a PCS specific five-day accredited training course for union learning representatives, or a TUC training course consisting of two five-day courses, usually held at local colleges. This course is usually either one day a week for a period of five weeks or a block week.  

Contacts

To get in touch with the R&C project team please contact:

• R&C Group
• Tel: 0151-298-3900
• RCGroup@pcs.org.uk

Or the regional learning co-ordinators:

Eastern

• John Small
• Tel: 03000 593595
• john.small@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

London and South East

• Anne Grier
• Tel: 03000 522141
• anne.grier@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Midlands

• Debbie Elson
• Tel: 03000 523754
• debra.elson@hmrc.gov.uk 

Northern

• Vacant

North West

• Shaun Sullivan
• shaun.sullivam@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
• 03000 541150

 Scotland

• Wilma Wheatley
• Tel: 07505 775047
• wilma.wheatley@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

South West

• Paul Hooke
• Tel: 03000516791
• paul.hooke@hmrc.gov.uk

Wales

• Vacant

Yorkshire and Humber

• Pete Goddard
• Tel: 03000 574459 
• peter.j.goddard@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Northern Ireland

• Brian Magee
• Tel: 03000 524484
• bernard.magee@hmrc.gov.uk

 For more information please see the PCS website learning area.