Course Descriptions

Each course listed below runs for the duration of the week.

COLLECTIVE BARGANING LEVEL 1

Participants will leave with a solid understanding of the bargaining process and the factors that affect collective bargaining. This course also introduces some of the laws and rules that structure the bargaining process and provides opportunities for hands on practice and skills development in preparing for and negotiating parts of a collective agreement. Level 1 is aimed at new bargaining committee members and local union officers. You may want to bring a calculator for this course.

MEMBER ENGAGEMENT – MEMBER ACTION

This course is designed for experienced shop stewards, local union leaders and union staff who want to transform how members engage with their union and how their union engages with members.

This course will train participants on the three-step approach to effective member engagement (Go, Listen, Build) and connect it to a three-step approach for building an active membership (one-on-one communication, taking action on worksite issues, and designing a strategy and plan to win).

This training is particularly helpful for unions with upcoming contract negotiations, a backlog of unresolved grievances, a particularly disengaged membership, or a diverse membership that is not reflected in local leadership.

Each participant will leave the training with a worksite specific plan for creating an engaged and active membership as well as a series of measurable goals to evaluate outcomes.

Mental Health in the Workplace

This introductory survey course will help raise awareness for participants about mental health issues facing workers in today’s workplace.  Activists will develop a range of strategies to specifically support, accommodate and represent members with mental health challenges at work.  We will look at the myths around mental illness, challenging stigma and what role the union can play in making our workplaces and unions more inclusive of members with psychological disabilities.  We will develop action plans to take on systemic factors affecting mental health through advocacy, bargaining and political action.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AND PUBLIC SPEAKING

This is a two-part course.  Parliamentary Procedure covers how to run a meeting effectively, the duties of a chairperson and secretary, and how the rules of order can provide a democratic and fair process to get the business of the union accomplished.  Public speaking covers how to speak persuasively to various groups and how difference formats are used to speak at convention, debates, and impromptu gatherings.

STEWARD TRAINING LEVEL 2

Prerequisite: Steward Training Level 1 or equivalent union course.

This course is for chief stewards, business and assistant business managers, local officers, and stewards with considerable experience handling grievances. You will practice more advanced grievance handling skills using real life case studies and role plays. Participants will discuss discipline grievances, harassment, drug and alcohol issues, and different styles of management. The course will deal with procedures before the process of arbitration. Knowledge of the first stages of the grievance process will be assumed.

Transforming Conflict into Union Activism

Transforming Conflict into Union Activism approaches conflict in a novel way.  It recognizes that conflict isn’t always negative but that it is the outcome of the conflict that is negative or positive.  The course will teach participants how to listen to people involved in a conflict to identify shared interests.  Participants will learn how to use those shared interests to help people involved in a conflict find solutions and turn the conflict and shared interests into union activism.

ODRT: LEVEL 1 – RIGHTS & OBLIGATIONS – and LEVEL 2 – BENEFITS & SERVICES

This week-long workshop will explore worker and employer rights & obligations under the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act (WSIA) and the benefits and services available.  The workshop will also examine the roles and responsibilities in accommodating injured workers in the return-to-work process. **EXTRA COST $190.00

WHSC LEVEL II: COMMITTEES

(Ontario & Federal) — Prerequisite: Level I

In this program participants gain a better understanding of their legal rights and responsibilities as workers and joint health and safety committee members. Important to this discussion are techniques and knowledge needed to perform workplace inspections along with incident and disease investigations. Essential research skills are also reviewed helping committee members to lead proactive initiatives aimed at eliminating or controlling exposure to workplace hazards. **EXTRA COST $190.00