District 2 Education
District 2 Course and Training Descriptions
Administrative Officers Education Program or Local Union Administration and Officers Education
The role of the administrative officer encompasses both union maintenance and union building responsibilities. In this workshop, we discuss the challenges local leaders confront, focus on the responsibilities and duties of local officers, and review how to run effective and well-attended meetings using parliamentary procedures. Learn how to build member participation, do new member orientations, and conduct corporate research using the Internet and other resources. We wrap-up with an introduction to an educational program for stewards and the duty of fair representation.
Beginner Arbitration
Starting with an overview of the arbitration process, the class moves to a discussion of selecting an arbitrator, preparing evidence and witnesses, and methods of direct and cross-examination. Researching and formulating arguments and opening and closing statements are also covered.
Advanced Arbitration
This advanced course is still under development and will continue where the beginner course ends. Depending in the class size, there will be a couple class room teams working together and preparing an actual arbitration case and presenting it to an “arbitrator” who will base their decision on your presentation of facts, contract interpretation, witnesses, closing statements and a written brief. The Arbitrator will “critique” your presentation after the award is made. In order register and take this course you have had to complete the beginner course.
Benefit Funds and Understanding Pension and Insurance Overviews
The first portion of this workshop will cover the USW Industry Union- Management Pension Fund and the USW Industry 401 (k) Plan. The latter portion will work on understanding the terms (and the logic behind them) encountered in the areas of pension and insurance. The Trust Fund will focus on enabling you to answer questions regarding the Rules and Regulations of the USW Benefit Funds Plans and prepare you to complete the pension applications and 401 (k) enrollment information required by USW Benefit Funds. Our objective is to equip you with the necessary information so you can take greater control at the bargaining table in order to negotiate better benefits.
Civil/Human Rights
The purpose of this class is two-fold, to recognize harassment and its impact on employees and to provide basic information about federal and state civil rights legislation and legal aspects that define and remedy harassment in the workplace, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the ADA, and USW Policy on Sexual Harassment. Participants will also review the USW Human Relations Manual, which establishes policies and procedures for locals to respond to complaints of harassment and discrimination.
Collective Bargaining
There is more to collective bargaining than negotiating a contract. In this workshop, learn about the process of collective bargaining as well as how to prepare for negotiations. Discussion covers table tactics, costing the agreement and how to involve local union members in support activities. The relationship between bargaining and the ongoing administration of the contract, including arbitration, is covered. Participants will try out their bargaining skills in mock negotiating sessions.
Common Sense Economics
This is a no-holds barred look at the economy and how it affects workers. Strengthen your understanding of political and economic situations, while demystifying the subject. You’ll learn to make your own economic arguments and have the confidence to trust your own common sense. Discuss how economic issues can be communicated to our membership as a means of building solidarity.
Communications Basic Media Relations
This week-long course is designed to help local union leadership and communicators to develop better media relations and gain the necessary tools for dealing with media campaigns. Portions of this training program are available for instruction at district events.
Communication Scholarship Program
The USW Communications Department conducts the Communication Scholarship Program for experienced communicators with computer knowledge. Candidates are chosen from recommendations made by directors of each district. The objectives of the scholarship program are to provide better writing and editing skills, improve photographic and graphic skills, improve design and layout of local union newsletters, and to build interest in developing media relations, disseminating messages, and managing press events.
Communication Skills for New Editors
This week-long course is designed to assist new editors to effectively communicate with the membership, and develop local union newsletters. This course includes a full day of computer training to design newsletters with a desktop publishing program. Portions of this training program are available for instruction at district events.
Contract Administration
This workshop reviews the legal status of collective bargaining and the role of the National Labor Relations Board. Included is an in-depth review of the administration of the labor agreement along with the standards of contract interpretation used to resolve disputes. Also covered are procedures for effective grievance handling, including past practice grievances and discipline and standards used to determine “just cause.” We cover the duty of fair representation and discuss arbitration and how it works.
Contract Administration and the Duty of Fair Representation
This workshop reviews the legal status of collective bargaining and the role of the National Labor Relations Board. Included is an in-depth review of the administration of the labor agreement along with the standards of contract interpretation used to resolve disputes. Also covered are procedures for effective grievance handling, including past practice grievances and discipline and standards used to determine “just cause.” We cover the duty of fair representation and discuss arbitration and how it works.
Current Issues in Occupational Safety and Health
This is an interactive course that involves all participants and is designed to equip local union members with the knowledge and tools necessary to address health and safety concerns. The class covers a variety of topics including information on incidents occurring at USW represented sites, Systems of Safety, incident investigation, emergency response, hazard communication, noise exposure, confined spaces and other related health and safety topics. Because of the small group activity method used in this class, the participants will primarily determine the topics covered.
Financial Officers Education
The roles and duties of the financial secretary, and treasurer are critical to the local union’s success. Learn what’s required to comply with the law and the USW Constitution. This workshop examines and explains the procedures and records financial officers must follow and keep in order to protect themselves and safeguard local union funds. Trustees and Recording Secretary roles are explained as well.
General Windows Computer Use
Introductory class normally for new employees on how to get the most out of the USW computing environment. Topics include: Accessing Email (Outlook & Webmail), VPN, ATT dialup, End User Spam Management, Surf Control, Antivirus, STARS Program, and how to issue Trouble Tickets.
Grievance Handling
This course will analyze the grievance procedure, the legal status of the steward, and the union’s right to information. We will discuss the importance of a complete investigation and the effective grievance handling, legal rights and responsibilities and effective communication skills. This course will use “Absenteeism” as the case study with the assistances of recently video and materials from Wayne State University/USW District 2 with both Union/Management prospective of the grievance procedure. This course also includes warm-up exercises, quizzes, and a grievance writing activity to reinforce learning. Among the topics covered are jobs of the steward, effective grievance handling, legal rights and responsibilities, effective communication skills. Each participant will receive a DVD and training course manual to take back to your local,
Grievance Handling
A “how-to” guide to conducting steward’s education in your own local. Includes videos, warm-up exercises, quizzes, and a grievance writing activity to reinforce learning. Among the topics covered are jobs of the steward, effective grievance handling, legal rights and responsibilities, effective communication skills, and labor history.
High Performance Work Organizations: Why Unions Must Be Involved
This workshop familiarizes union members with the advanced workplace practices of a high performance work organization. Goals are: (1) to develop a better understanding of the benefits and requirements for a true union/management partnership, (2) to better understand how the union can benefit by being fully involved in the changes that are affecting them, and (3) to discuss how self-directed and high performance work systems function. Special emphasis is placed on the role of workers and the union in legitimate employer efforts to develop high performance work methods.
How to Improve Our Future Through Labor Politics
Labor unions work to win benefits for their members at the bargaining table, but those benefits can be taken away by politicians, judges, and bankrupt corporations. This workshop will address issues that go beyond the local union, and focus on the role of the union and its members as citizens and consumers. How can we use our influence to build a society that is fair and just for all?
Interest Based Bargaining/High Performance Work Organizations
In the last ten years, Collective Bargaining has moved from traditional methods, toward a more flexible structure commonly known as Interest Based Bargaining. This workshop will discuss the effectiveness of Interest Based Bargaining as it puts on the table those “interests” of both Union and Management, which were previously clouded by “positions” taken in the Traditional approach to Collective Bargaining.
Labor Law for Trade Unionists
Issues associated with the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and sexual harassment in the workplace and the role of the union are the basis for this workshop. The class also discusses the National Labor Relations Act with an emphasis on the basic rights and obligations of union representatives under the Act, WARN, HIPAA, and other relevant legal topics.
Leadership Education Program for USW Stewards
A “how-to” guide to conducting steward’s education in your own local. Includes videos, warm-up exercises, quizzes, and a grievance writing activity to reinforce learning. Among the topics covered are jobs of the steward, effective grievance handling, legal rights and responsibilities, effective communication skills, and labor history.
Local Union Reporting Requirements
This brief course provides an overview perspective of the Local Union Fiduciary responsibility. The elected Local Union Officers, including the President, Financial Officers and Trustees must be diligent in their various roles and responsibilities to maintain the financial integrity of their union assets. This overview explains basic principles on how to stay out of trouble and avoid “red flags” with required government agencies and the International Union.
Mobilization & Building Power
This class is a guide to preparing your local for a successful contract campaign. Building Power is not a guide to specifically help at the bargaining table. It is however a guide that is concerned with building power in your local and helping you develop ways to exert that power so you get the best agreement possible. You may have the best negotiators in the world, but if you don’t have power, they can only bargain so much. The union’s power starts with its members. The more organized your local is and the more you work together, the more power you will have. Building power does two things: (1) it improves your chances of getting a good contract this time around, and (2) it improves your chances of keeping that contract in the future – or in the event of sale, bankruptcy or merger.
New Compensation Systems/Variable Pay Programs
USW members often confront variable pay programs such as pay for knowledge, gain sharing, profit sharing, or pay for performance. Learn the advantages and disadvantages of these contingent compensation proposals. We’ll also examine negotiating issues and evaluate contract language designed to protect your members’ interests.
Organizing Education/Member Organizer Education
This educational session will consist of the Principles of Organizing, inoculation education, campaign basics, one-on-one communications, house call basics, starting campaigns, committee building, and house call skill building. This class will require role-playing by the participants.
Rapid Response
This political and legislative class will cover issues related to holding Congress accountable, contacting your federal representatives on worker issues, by letters, emails, fax, phone calls, and visits to the Hill, and in their home office. Issues to be covered include Social Security, Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), Global Trade and its Impact on U.S. Workers, Employee Free Choice Act, and current topics in federal legislative matters. Practical tips on how to communicate with your legislators will be covered.
Safety and Health Training
In order to stop senseless workplace deaths and accidents we will strive to replace behavioral based programs with system based programs in our locals. Instead of allowing companies to blame the worker we will promote the replacement of those programs with a program that will eliminate the hazards of the workplace through a systems based approach. The systems based approach eliminates hazards by identifying the root causes of an accident or near misses and then applies system fixes through a hierarchy of systems of which Design and Engineering is the primary way to totally eliminate hazards. District 2 will continue its Safety Program “The Kevin Wilson Initiative”, and will promote all other programs in honor of Kevin Wilson and the other members that have lost their lives in a workplace accident’ For a more detailed training course description please see the District 2 Safety and Health page on this Website.
Skilled Trades
This class is specific to the skilled trades that work in various bargaining units and how they interact with the production employees or units. This class will cover the journeyman card program offered by the USW and a full discussion of issues impacting the crafts, including contracting out, health and safety, and consolidation of crafts.
Steelweb
This class is geared toward the Membership Services portion of Steelweb. Topics include: Accessing and modifying Membership and Exporting your locals member data.
Trustee’s Education
This course is designed to assist the Local Union Trustees in carrying out their duties of protecting the local union funds and assets. Federal reporting requirements are reviewed as well as the process for disbursing funds for the local. There is also an in depth review of the audit procedure and expected results.
Understanding Pensions and Insurance
This workshop will help you understand the terms (and the logic behind them) encountered in these two vital areas. The goal is to prepare local leaders to take greater control at the bargaining table and throughout the contract term. Workshop time is split evenly between these topics.
USW Benefit Funds Training
This session offers training for members who currently participate in or would like to participate in the former USW Benefit Funds (PIUMPF Pension and USW 401(k)). Also, as a result of the April 14, 2005 merger, Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund representatives will be explaining the medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life/AD&D and short-term disability benefits available to USW members. The objective for this workshop is to equip you with the necessary information to assist your members in understanding the benefits offered by the Funds and to prepare you for negotiating the Funds.
Web Design & Setup
This class is geared toward individuals and locals wanting to create and maintain a website. Topics include: Brainstorming - What do I want my site to do? Structure-How will I construct my site? Navigation, Content, Templates, Design, Color and Hosting Options.
Win-Win/Interest-Based Bargaining
This class explains and discusses the logic behind interest-based bargaining. This type of bargaining emphasizes issues of common interest and is used as a strategy to obtain solutions to those issues that are beneficial to both union and management. This approach was originally developed by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and has been used successfully in achieving settlements without costly work stoppages.
Women of Steel
Refers to all women in our Union and has a place at each level of our Union starting with the Local Union Women’s Committees and Area Women’s Councils. WOS is a grassroots based structure that builds a platform for working class women. The structure allows WOS to reach back beyond the frontline activists and bring forth other activists – that may not have participated in the Union before. WOS is activist-based, not Headquarters-based. Our activists in the field do the work and bring forward the energy, activism and talent of women. For a more detailed training course description and list of activities and events please see the District 2 Women of Steel page on this Website.
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