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

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  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

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  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

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  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

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  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