Workers’ Voices on Trade Union Education 2026 launched by SOAS & GFTU Educational Trust
The General Federation of Trade Unions Educational Trust launched a survey Workers’ Voices on Trade Union Education 2026, in partnership with the Department of Economics, SOAS University of London.
The survey is conducted as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project funded by Innovate UK (UKRI). The project aims to strengthen trade union education by informing academic research with the lived experiences of workers.
Aims of the survey
- understand why some workers join unions and others don’t
- identify gaps and barriers in trade union education
- shape future education programmes that are relevant, accessible, and rooted in workers’ real experiences
About the Survey
What is the survey about?
The survey focuses on three broad areas:
- Trade union membership – whether respondents are currently in a union, were a member in the past, or have never joined, and the reasons behind these choices
- Trade union education – respondents’ experiences of union-led education, training, or political learning (or barriers to accessing it)
- Political-economy education – respondents’ interest in courses that help make sense of issues such as wages, inflation, housing, pensions, public services, and power at work
All responses are strictly confidential. Respondents are welcome to stay anonymous, unless they choose to provide their email at the end, in case they wish to be invited to the launch of the report based on the survey at the parliament at the end of 2026.
Who is the survey for?
This survey is open to all workers in Britain and Ireland, regardless of:
- nationality or immigration status
- employment status (including those currently out of work, self-employed, agency workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and workers without employee status)
- trade union membership (current, former, or never a member)
Why does this matter?
Trade union education has historically played a crucial role in building workers’ confidence, collective understanding, and organising capacity. Yet over recent decades, access to union education has become uneven, often limited by time, resources, workplace fragmentation, and declining union density.
Our survey of trade union education would be the first of its kind in decades. Through the survey, we aim to understand:
- who is accessing trade union education — and what barriers exist for others
- what kinds of education workers have found useful and want more of
- how political-economy education can support organising, bargaining, and collective action today
By hearing directly from workers — union members and non-members alike — this survey aims to help trade unions and educators understand where trade union education currently stands, and how it needs to evolve to meet the realities of contemporary working life.
Take part now!
The survey takes approximately 3-7 minutes to complete.
Please feel free to share this survey with colleagues, friends, and networks — unionised or not.
Thank you for taking the time to contribute. Your voice matters!
Header image credit: Pop & Zebra via Unsplash.
