ABSTRACT
Trade union education constitutes a significant expense and investment for trade unions and is believed to be one resource through which unions might revitalise themselves (Holford 1993; Bridgford and Stirling 2000; Munro and Rainbird 2000). With women such an important source of members for British trade unions, it is thought that union education, especially women-only schools, can help to foster their participation (Greene and Kirton 2002; Munro and Rainbird 2000a; McBride 2001; Parker 2003). Kirton and Healy (2004) explore the relationship between women’s experiences of women-only courses and social identities, arguing that such courses provide the conditions for women to question, reinforce or transform their social identities and that this can lead to greater union identification and participation. Cunnison and Stageman’s (1995) and Parker’s (2003) case studies also demonstrate that participants find women’s schools personally valuable and believe them to be critical to the development of female union activism. It is clear that it is highly useful for British trade unions to garner a deeper understanding of the role that union education might play in revitalising the movement.
