The agreement, which is the first to be struck between the union and a print group, will give Polestar workers better access to their union learning representative (ULR).

Polestar companies and the union will also work together to encourage and support training to improve workers' skills.

Bernard Rutter, Amicus GPMS head of organising, learning and skills, said the agreement "will give workers within the Polestar group more access to their ULR and will create more training and learning opportunities."

The agreement follows Polestar's roll-out this week of its printdynamics package of teaching materials into secondary schools, which it announced earlier this year.

Polestar HR director for UK print David Crowe said: "Polestar is very active in training, development and upskilling. This agreement is a further step in our work in this area, and is an example of the group and the union working constructively together."

ULRs are union members whose job it is to improve skill levels through work with employers to make sure that all workers have access to training. They were given legal standing in April 2003.

Story by Josh Brooks