EMPLOYABILITY AND SECURITY IN A FLEXIBLE GLOBAL LABOUR MARKET will not implement legal requirements. How can we force the government into a regulated system? How do we ensure state subsidies?’ A British delegate representing teachers agreed that both countries face an uphill struggle.‘We have no coherent system in the UK, but at least we know that the government is committed to training and is involved in this issue. Accreditation is an important problem. We recognise that we need to work in partnership with companies as well as other countries to pilot possible models.’ Learner representatives seek legal basis Learner representatives provide advice and guidance to union members on learning, just as health and safety representatives provide advice and guidance on health and safety. There are about 3,000 learner representatives in Britain, helping members on a wide range of issues related to learning from identifying courses to negotiating with employers for time off or a contribution towards the cost of the training. The Employment Act passed in July 2002 gives learning representatives statutory rights in all workplaces where independent trade unions are recognised for collective bargaining purposes, including small companies. This legislation was drawn up in consultation with the TUC, which is keen to see learner representatives put on a statutory footing. Under the proposed legislation learner representatives would be entitled to reasonable paid time off for analysing learning or training needs; providing information and advice about learning or training matters; and arranging, promoting and consulting with employers on learning and training activities. Research has shown that the benefits of learning representatives outweigh their costs to companies. The government estimates the benefits to employers will come from increased productivity as workers’ skill levels are raised. A Cabinet-level review of British competitiveness says;‘The UK has a long-standing productivity problem. Statistics show, for example, that output per head is 40 per cent higher in the US, 20 per cent higher in France and 10 per higher in Germany than in the UK.’ The Confederation of British Industry(CBI) opposes legislation granting paid time off on the grounds that the company itself should decide if it needs active learner representatives. Unions argue that many of the companies that do require such programmes are too short-sighted to provide them. John Edmonds pointed out that learner representatives on their own are not an adequate response in Britain.‘Learner representatives certainly put trade unions in a better position as they face employers and the government over training issues. But they are only part of a solution and do not address the entire problem. We need to find out why, for example, in the past German employers were prepared to spend so much money on training but now say they are not prepared to do so without being compelled by legislation. What has 40 © Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of Industrial Society