District 3 School 2022 Application

District 3 will be holding a week-long District School at the Trickle Creek Lodge & Kimberley Alpine Resort in Kimberley, BC, October 2-7, 2022. The school commences with registration on Sunday, October 2nd and continues until noon on Friday, October 7th.

Available courses:

Facing Management
This course offers an opportunity to learn new skills and strategies for Steelworker activists to use in joint labour-management committees and as a shop steward. This course is designed for new and experienced activists that would like to learn about union management relations, traditional and modern management theories and systems, and the history of work organization. Communication skills, group dynamics training, and conflict resolution skills will be emphasized. The course offers hands-on practice sessions in skill-building techniques so that you will be as comfortable in the boardroom as you are at a union meeting.

Occupational Health and Safety
This course is designed to introduce members to their role as a worker representative and their role on the joint occupational health and safety committee. This course will look at how to identify and address hazards, and how to assess the controls required to address hazards. We will guide participants on how they can their provincial health and safety law along with Part II of the Canada Labour Code, regulations, and related laws. Participants will practice workplace inspections, accident and incident investigations and discuss other duties of workplace committee members or health and safety representatives.

Leadership
Steelworkers are leaders inside and outside of our workplaces: protecting workers’ rights, speaking out for change, and motivating and encouraging the participation of members at work, in our communities and through political action. Leadership for Action will help you develop leadership skills, building on your strengths to communicate effectively with members to build solidarity. Sessions focus on leadership styles, presentation skills, strategic planning, campaign management, mentoring, problem-solving and conflict resolution.

Building Inclusive locals
When we combat racism or sexism, accommodate a worker or speak out against homophobia, we are helping to build understanding and respect in the union, and helping to build the solidarity we need to take on the struggles in the workplace, at the bargaining table, and in our legislatures. Sometimes it is easy to identify where we need to focus our efforts, but this course will challenge participants to dig a little deeper and examine some of our structures that may prevent activism in our union and workplace.

Advanced Grievance Handling
This advanced grievance handling course will cover how to strategize for the final grievance meeting and look at how to resolve, withdraw, or move forward. Participants will learn how to use research to determine if they have a case to move forward, and how to prepare their case. If you have a laptop, please bring it to the course.

 This is an advanced course that will cover:

  • Analyzing grievances
  • Duty of Fair Representation
  • Introduction to case law
  • Research

 Prerequisites: Steward 1 and 2

Bargaining
This course will assist members who serve on Bargaining Committees to understand the collective bargaining process and prepare participants to work as part of the negotiating team. Participants will be better prepared for events in getting both themselves and the membership "ready and engaged" in the bargaining process. It will ensure participants are aware of the challenges they will face both within and outside of the committee while carrying out their responsibilities. Communication with the membership will be a key part of this training.

 Sessions will include:

  • Determining issues
  • Communicating with the membership
  • Negotiating skills
  • Contract language
  • How to cost a package

If you are interested in attending the District 3 School, please submit an application for consideration. The deadline to apply is Friday, August 26, 2022 at 4:30 pm Pacific Time.

Please note that only members from District 3 will be selected to participate.

In Solidarity,
USW Local 1944