Dave, firstly how many days training a year does each rep take? how many of each type rep do you have, and what training do they do? Maybe then you will get some feed back as to what is reasonable or not. Sean

My view of this is that union reps are entitled to time off for this sort of training, not time added. As a previous poster said, if the training course falls on a rest day then that is just bad luck. Certainly I can't see the argument for premium pay for attending courses on rest days. Maybe there is an argument for time off in lieu but at the end of the day this is training organised by the union for the benefit of the union rep. This is not a course which the company is compelling the union rep to attend.

Firstly hello all, this is my first post please be gentle. I have had some experience with Union representatives regarding training. The first place to start is to have an agreement in place as previously mentioned. Our company stated a reasonable amount of time off for training was two training courses a year per union member. If they had more than one role they were only able to attend a maximum of 2 courses within a year. “Are we obliged to pay them for those days? They expect to be paid time and a half for this?” ACAS states; “Payment for time off for training 34. An employer who permits union representatives or Union Learning Representatives time off to attend relevant training, must pay them for the time off taken. The employer must pay either the amount that the union representative or the Union Learning Representative would have earned had they worked during the time off taken or, where earnings vary with the work done, an amount calculated by reference to the average hourly earnings for the work they are employed to do. The calculation of pay for the time taken for training should be undertaken with due regard to the type of payment system applying to the union representative and Union Learning Representative including, as appropriate, shift premia, performance related pay, bonuses and commission earnings. Where pay is linked to the achievement of performance targets it may be necessary to adjust such targets to take account of the reduced time the representative has to achieve the desired performance. 35. There is no statutory requirement to pay for time off where training is undertaken at a time when the union representative or Union Learning Representative would not otherwise have been at work unless the union representative or Union Learning Representative works flexible hours, such as night shift, but needs to undertake training during normal hours. Staff who work part time will be entitled to be paid if staff who work full time would be entitled to be paid. In all cases, the amount of time off must be reasonable.” As they are shift worker one solution could be to move them to a dayshift pattern for the duration of the training course. Regards, Rchard