Arbitration

This program is designed to give participants who have previously been through programs in Basic Labour Law, the practical skills required to prepare and present a case at an arbitration hearing. Special emphasis is placed on evidence, examination and cross-examination, the opening statement and the final argument as well as current trends in the arbitation process.

Collective Bargaining

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. This course will be of interest to new bargaining committee members and local union officers. You may want to bring a calculator for this course.

Effective Communications

Uncover the mysteries of the media and public speaking! This new course is full of great material, including: how to write news releases, how to get media, how to put together a press conference (do’s and don’ts, location, timing, news cycle, etc), what makes a good news story that the press will want to cover, how to produce a newsworthy event, how to create a story the media will cover, how to be interviewed, interviewing techniques, and public speaking. Although this course is geared towards labour councils, it is open to all union activists as the course content will benefit all of us in the labour movement.

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.

Participants who take this course will attain a good understanding of the basic principles underlying Canadian labour law and the specifics of labour legislation in Ontario.

Resolving Workplace Disputes and 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.

Stewards Training

What are the roles and responsibilities? Discussion and class exercises will assist you in handling grievances through preparation for arbitration. The course will also deal
with new skills necessary to the role of the Steward as an effective and responsible leader in a changing union and growing legislative responsibilities. The course explores how to effectively build the union which is fair and inclusive for all members. The course will also develop the skills and confidence of the Steward in educating the members around union issues in the workplace, issues that affect the community. The course offers new ideas and methods of discussion with the membership.

Websites -- Design Your Own

Have you been given the task of developing a website for your local union? Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry! This course will assist you in designing and maintaining a website that is user-friendly, accessible to the public, and worker-driven. Words like youtube, blogs, and flickr will become part of your everyday vocabulary. Join us as we take intimidation out of the internet and make it a tool to mobilize and change the world. Participants attending this course are required to bring a laptop with them, as there are no computers available at the centre.