The following courses are open to all Manitoba PSAC members in good standing.
GRIEVANCE HANDLING
January 31 & February 1, 9:00 am-4:30 pm (Saturday & Sunday)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, January 14
This two-day course for union stewards will develop participants’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in effectively solving problems at the workplace. A major portion of time will be spent on the relevant technical skills i.e. identifying, investigating, writing up, and presenting grievances.
DUTY TO ACCOMMODATE
February 20, 5:30-8:30 pm & February 21, 9:00 am-4:30 pm (Friday & Saturday)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, February 4
This one and a half day course examines the role of employers, unions, and workers in meeting the “Duty to Accommodate”. Participants will learn about the legislative basis as well as the practical application of the duty to accommodate. The course will explore case law, and assess measures the union can actively promote to ensure a more accessible workplace for all.
REPRESENTING MEMBERS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
March 7, 9:00 am-4:30 pm (Saturday)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, February 18
This is a one day course and is being offered for the first time out of the Winnipeg RO. The course is designed to expand our understanding of the concepts of mental health, how mental health issues impact our workplaces, and the challenges stewards face when representing members experiencing mental health issues. We will review and learn from actual cases, as they have gone through the grievance and adjudication process. We will also review the union’s duty to represent members, and the employer’s duty to accommodate responsibilities.
TALKING UNION BASICS (TUB)
March 13, 5:30-8:30 pm & March 14, 9:00 am-4:30 pm (Friday & Saturday)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, February 25
This Friday night/Saturday course is the union’s key “introductory” education event. If you have wondered what it means to be a union member, how the PSAC works, and what happens to your dues dollars, then Talking Union Basics provides answers to these questions. The course also introduces the collective agreement, your employee rights and your rights as a member of the PSAC. You will learn about the many opportunities to be active in the union and ways you can make a contribution to building strong locals in the Prairie region. It is recommended that members take Talking Union Basics first, as it provides the basic knowledge you need to get the most from other PSAC courses.
ADVANCED STEWARD TRAINING
April 17, 18, 19, 9:00 am-4:30 pm (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 1
Have you been working in your local as a steward and wish you had more knowledge about specific workplace issues? Do you want to develop your skills to better represent your members? Then this is the course for you! You will develop your representation skills, but also practice turning workplace problems into opportunities to involve members. Topics include the role of an effective union steward; duty of fair representation; collective agreement interpretation; building a complete file; discipline; resources within the union and dealing with harassment complaints. You will look at protections for union stewards and the limits to the “immunity” a steward enjoys. You will work with case studies based on actual arbitration/adjudication decisions and in the process, expand your knowledge of case law on topics such as off-duty conduct, sexual harassment, estoppel, mitigating factors, alcohol addiction, duty to mitigate losses and duty to accommodate.
Applicants should indicate their representation experience when registering as previous courses and experience will be considered for this advanced course selection.
HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEMBER TRAINING
May 2 & 3, 9:00 am-4:30 pm (Saturday & Sunday)
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 15
This intensive two day course will focus on the needs of workplace Health and Safety committees. Over the two days we will explore the internal responsibility system, look at who’s getting hurt and why, worker’s rights and responsibilities, and the legal framework for occupational health and safety, for both federally and provincially legislated PSAC members.