Training for Union Leaders & Activists

Topics below represent some of the many courses we have previously facilitated for organizations. Please contact us if you are interested in working with us and learning more!

  • Grievance Handling, Steward Training

    Target Audience: Stewards, activists
    Comments: Basic and advanced options
    Length: 8 to 16 hours

    Sample Topics Covered

    • Role of the steward in the local union
      • Advocate for the worker
      • Promote the union
    • What is a grievance?
      • A range of definitions is discussed; We focus on the definition of a grievance as a violation of
        • The contract
        • An arbitration decision
        • Federal, state or local law
        • Past practice
        • Management's own policy
        • Or unequal treatment of employees
    • Steps in the grievance procedure
      • Review contract language that outlines the grievance procedure
      • Who is involved in what step
      • How to investigate a grievance
      • Practice writing a grievance
    • Duty of Fair Representation (DFR)
      • Union's obligation to represent all members of the bargaining unit without discrimination
      • Tips for avoiding DFR charges
    • For longer programs only: Current issues in the U.S. labor movement
      • Decline in unionization rate
      • Strength of public sector unions
      • Rising income inequality
      • Need for organizing
      • Right to work legislation
      • Employee Free Choice Act

     

  • Collective Bargaining

    Target Audience: Bargaining committee members, executive board members, new staff reps
    Comments: Basic and advanced options
    Length: 16 to 40 hours

    Sample Topics Covered

    • Bargaining Process
      • Creation of a bargaining committee
      • Role of bargaining team members
      • Ground rules
      • Preparing for bargaining
        • Survey of membership
        • Review of grievances and arbitrations
      • Early, middle, and late bargaining sessions
      • Mock bargaining sessions using real contract language
    • Legal aspects of bargaining
      • Definition of good faith bargaining
      • Mandatory, permissive, and illegal subjects of bargaining
    • For longer programs only: Preparing the membership for bargaining
      • Internal organizing
      • Planning collective actions
    • Researching your employer
  • Arbitration

    Target Audience: Staff reps
    Comments: Basic and advanced options
    Length: 8 to 24 hours

    Sample Topics Covered

    • Arbitration process
      • Brief review of grievance procedure
      • Selection of cases for arbitration
      • Seven tests of just cause
      • Selection of an arbitration
      • Preparation for the hearing
      • Sample cases
    • For longer programs:
      • Mock arbitration hearing conducted by an arbitrator
  • Labor Law

    Target Audience: Local officers, executive board members, stewards
    Comments: Public and private sector options
    Length: Up to 40 hours

    Sample Topics Covered

    • Background
      • Definition of terms, e.g., bargaining unit, union shop, open shop, right to work
      • Who is covered by what law?
        • Private v. public sector
      • Unfair labor practices
    • Organizing
      • Card check recognition
      • NLRB election procedures
      • Legal and illegal employer tactics (e.g., captive audience meetings, threats, etc.)
      • Legally permitted means for unions to contact workers
    • Bargaining
      • Bargaining in good faith
      • Mandatory, permissive, and illegal subjects of bargaining
      • Options at contract expiration
      • Impasse
      • Right to strike
      • Rules for picketing
    • Contract Administration
      • Grievances and arbitration
      • Mid-contract changes
      • Duty of Fair Representation
      • Weingarten Rights
      • Beck Rights
  • Employment Law

    Target Audience: Local officers, executive board members, stewards, members with specific issues
    Length: Up to 20 hours
    Sample Topics: FMLA, basic OSHA rights, ADA, workers compensation, discrimination and harassment

  • Basic Economics

    Target Audience: Activists, members, stewards, local officers
    Comments: Customized based on industry
    Length: Up to 40 hours
    Sample Topics: Globalization, trade, privatization / outsourcing, taxes/role of government, income inequality, industry analysis

  • Public Speaking

    Target Audience: Members, activists, stewards, local officers
    Comments: Basic
    Length: Up to 8 hours
    Sample Topics: How to organize a talk and be comfortable speaking to an audience

  • Dealing with Difficult People

    Target Audience: Anyone
    Comments: Basic
    Length: Basic
    Sample Topics: Presents a variety of approaches

  • Conflict Resolution, Problems Solving

    Target Audience: Anyone
    Comments: Basic to advance
    Length: 3 to 24 hours
    Sample Topics: Styles and approaches, tools for one-on-one negotiating

  • Union Leadership

    Target Audience: Local officers, executive board, stewards, activists
    Comments: Customized based on local interests
    Length: Up to 40 hours
    Sample Topics: What do leaders do, running effective meetings, diversity and inclusion, developing a vision

  • Women's Leadership

    Target Audience: Women activists, officers and staff
    Length: 12 to 24 hours
    Sample Topics: How women develop as leaders and other leadership topics listed above

  • Member Mobilization

    Target Audience: Local officers, executive board, stewards
    Sample Topics: Ways to increase member activism

  • Health and Safety

    Target Audience: Local officers, executive board, stewards, activist
    Comments: Technical topics based on local request
    Length: 3 to 20 hours
    Sample Topics: Basic OSHA rights, health and safety committees, union response to behavior based safety

  • Labor History

    Target Audience: Any
    Comments: Technical topics based on local request
    Length: Up to 40 hours
    Sample Topics: Focus is on US labor history, customized for the specific union and industry

  • Teaching Techniques

    Target Audience: Trainers and those who plan to become trainers
    Length: 8 to 40 hours
    Sample Topics: Skills for both presentation and facilitation; participatory curriculum design

Labor Education Programs