Each course will run for a week.

Arbitration Advocacy

This course is intended for union staff and local union activists who have handled grievances up to the point of Arbitration and now wish to begin to present lower level grievances at Arbitration.  The course is 'hands-on' and topics covered include preparing witnesses, leading evidence, cross-examination and final argument with an emphasis on role-play exercises.  This course will provide participants with the skills and understanding of the process such that they will be ready to begin presenting cases at Arbitration.

Building A Diverse and Representative Labour Leadership

The world of work is changing rapidly.  But is the labour movement keeping pace?  Workers of colour and aboriginal workers are growing in numbers. Aboriginal youth are joining the workforce earlier than others and workers of colour make up the majority of new Canadians entering the workforce. For the labour movement to grow, labour leadership needs to understand and better reflect our changing workforce. This course is designed for aboriginal and/or workers of colour to advance their leadership skills in the following areas: governance & leadership; advancing equity at the bargaining table; campaign organizing; lobbying & communications; enhancing presentation skills; and addressing emerging issues affecting the labour movement.

Building Pension Activism

This course is a must for all activists today.  Never before have our pensions been under such an attack.  This course, offered through the Labour College of Canada, will help you understand your own pension plan, and the broader pension issues facing workers and retirees. Our goal is to train activists who can help union members with pensions and others without decent pensions. You are asked to bring your own pension plan documents so these can be used in the class discussions.

Collective Bargaining - Level 1

This course develops a solid understanding of the bargaining process and the factors that affect collective bargaining. The course provides opportunities to practice preparing for and negotiating parts of a collective agreement. The course covers a working knowledge of the laws and rules that structure the bargaining process. It will be of interest to new bargaining committee members and local union officers. An increased focus on bargaining simulation sets this course apart from our previous collective bargaining courses.

Facing Management

This course deals with the evolving corporate agenda and management styles that are used to implement new programs in the workplace. You will learn about management’s hard-line and soft-line approaches and various workplace strategies. This course is designed to teach a critical awareness of the latest management tactics so the union can protect and advance its agenda. We hope to better equip participants with some of the necessary skills to deal with management and win the hearts and minds of your membership at the same time.

Instructor Training

CLC Instructor Training gives participants the skills, knowledge and background to participate in Adult Education. The course gives participants a background in understanding how adults learn and what type of techniques are most effective within an adult learning environment. It also provides practical presentation skills for use in everyday union life. This course is a pre-requisite to facilitating trade union education within the CLC and affiliated unions.

Labour Law (Private and Public)

This course presents an overview of labour legislation and its impact on the strategies and actions of unions. Among the topics to be explored are: certification and dispute settlement procedures; unfair labour practices; the duty to bargain in good faith; strikes, lockouts and picketing; the duty of fair representation; management and union rights; and grievance arbitration law.

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 different formats are used to speak at conventions, debates, and impromptu gatherings.

Steward Training Level 1

The steward is often the main point of contact between the union, its members, management, and the larger labour movement. This course builds the skills, confidence, and knowledge a steward needs to represent their members. Participants will learn the roles and responsibilities of their position as stewards, the handling of grievances and complaints, problem-solving skills, protecting contractual provisions in the collective agreement, and current issues for stewards.

Taking Unions into the Next Generation

Is your local struggling with member apathy on how to reach the different generations in your union and workplace? Do you want to build your skills to represent and defend the union message?

This course deals with the important issue of recruiting and mobilizing local union activists. It will increase your awareness of the needs and realities of the members of different generations in the union and workplace. It will build your level of comfort and provide you with the skills for engaging in meaningful cross-generational dialogue. We invite you to explore how the union might respond to the values of young and new workers, and share perspectives on how union culture can continue to adapt to meet the needs of each generation.

Transforming Conflict

This course will provide participants with a tool kit of strategies, tactics and skills to resolve specific disputes as well as conflict in the workplace. The course focuses on mastering coaching and communication skills, investigative techniques, documenting facts, utilizing frameworks for analyzing disputes, problem solving strategies, evaluating options and identifying techniques to deal with systemic conflict.

ODRT - Hot Topics in Compensation

This exciting array of ODRT topical workshops explores the most pressing issues in workers' compensation today. Whether its dealing with electronic evidence, such as Facebook and YouTube, during the appeals process, or attempting to navigate the new WSIB Modernized Appeals stream, or trying to improve the workplace culture to be receptive not resistant to leading RTW practices.  This week-long offering will cover all of the hot topics facing worker advocates.

Participants will enjoy the numerous interactive exercises designed to facilitate practical experience and application of learned strategies. The curriculum includes the following workshops: Written Submissions, Electronic Evidence, Disability Prevention Principles and Attitudinal Barriers.

* An additional fee of $190.00 applies to this course.