April 12 - 13, 2025
Please let us know of any allergies or dietary restrictions.
English
Classroom
CUPE/SCFP
Niagara CUPE Council Spring School 2025
Introduction to Stewarding
Apr 12, 2025 (9:00am-4:00pm)
What does a CUPE steward do? If you are a new steward and want to learn how to help CUPE members solve workplace problems, this introductory workshop is for you! In this workshop, you will learn: • investigating workplace problems; • filing a grievance; • meeting with management; • dealing with workplace complaints. NOTE: Please bring a copy of your collective agreement to the workshop.
SLS - Notetaking
Apr 13, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Why do I have to take notes? What kind of notes should I take? Are my notes private? Learn answers to important questions like these, and practice notetaking.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE FOCUSSED ON TRUSTEES
LET - Financial Essentials
Apr 12, 2025 (9:00am-4:00pm)
This workshop is for all members in an elected position within the local union. Whether you are a trustee or a member of the executive, learning about the basics of the local union’s finances is a priority. In this workshop, you will learn about your duties regarding the finances of the union, budgeting and how to be transparent and accountable to members. NOTE: This workshop is a pre-requisite for Secretary-Treasurers and Trustees wishing to take LET - Financial Officers.
LET - Financial Officers
Apr 13, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Following the completion of LET - Financial Essentials, this 6-hour workshop allows Secretary-treasurers and Trustees to delve deeper into local finances. Secretary-treasures will learn how to use the CUPE electronic ledger, manage the local union's funds and accounts, and prepare reports to the membership and the trustees. Trustees will learn how to properly perform an audit of the local union's books, accounts, properties, and assets. At the end of this workshop, Trustees will be able to make recommendations to the local union to improve the local union's financial health. NOTE: Please bring a laptop, if possible.
SLS - Challenging racism in the workplace
Apr 12, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
This workshop covers what racism looks like in the workplace, and your role as a steward in challenging it.
SLS - Ally skills for stewards
Apr 12, 2025 (1:00pm-4:00pm)
Effective stewards are champions for human rights and equality. Explore what it means to be an ally, and ways that stewards can step up as allies in the workplace and the union.
SLS - Conflict skills for stewards
Apr 13, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Unresolved workplace conflict is stressful and weakens the union. Learn about the sources of workplace conflict and how to choose a response that fits the situation. Practice conflict communication skills that will help you resolve conflict at work and in the union.
SLS - Creating harassment-free workplaces
Apr 12, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Learn how to recognize harassment, educate members about harassment, and represent members who are involved in harassment complaints.
SLS - HS - Preventing Mental Injuries at Work
Apr 12, 2025 (1:00pm-4:00pm)
New forms of work, job insecurity, work intensification, high demands, violence and a resulting poor work-life balance are resulting in psychosocial and mental health problems in CUPE workplaces. This module focuses on the workplace as the cause or a contributor to mental health issues, and not the individual. Discuss strategies and actions that actually help make workplaces psychologically healthier and safer.
SLS - Growing our mobilizing power
Apr 13, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Stewards can play a key role when the union needs to mobilize our members – whether it’s to support the bargaining committee, or stop the employer’s attempt to contract out our work. Learn basic mobilization theory and explore how stewards can tackle workplace problems in ways that engage more members and build the union’s power.
SLS - What stewards need to know about bargaining
Apr 12, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Learn about the different steps in the bargaining process, the responsibilities of different activists throughout bargaining, and the role during bargaining.
SLS - Literacy awareness
Apr 12, 2025 (1:00pm-4:00pm)
Literacy affects all of us at work. Learning new computer programs, understanding collective agreements, completing forms, or writing reports can all pose barriers for our members. Learn about how stewards can increase literacy awareness, and help make the union inclusive and accessible to members.
SLS - What stewards need to know about arbitration
Apr 13, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
Although most grievances get settled, some go to arbitration. Learn about the arbitration process, terms, mediated settlements, and the role of the steward before and during arbitration. NOTE: Please bring your collective agreement to the workshop.
HS - Violence Prevention
Apr 12, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
This module examines the risk factors that lead to violence in the workplace, and the employer’s obligations to prevent workers from being exposed to and injured by violence while at work. We examine relevant health and safety law, and start to develop strategies to make our workplaces safer. NOTE: Please bring your binder and Health and Safety Committee Resource Kit.
HS - Basics of Incident Investigations
Apr 12, 2025 (1:00pm-4:00pm)
Learn how to identify root causes of workplace incidents, injuries, and diseases, common routes of entry of toxic substances, and your role in the investigation process. NOTE: Please bring your binder and Health and Safety Committee Resource Kit.
HS - Identifying and Documenting Hazards
Apr 13, 2025 (9:00am-12:00pm)
In this module, you will learn techniques for identifying hazards, such as body maps, surveys and inspections. You will also develop a methodology for dealing with the hazards you find. NOTE: Please bring your binder and Health and Safety Committee Resource Kit.
Brock University - International Centre
573B Glenridge Ave
St. Catharines, Ontario
(map)
Affiliate: $75
Non-affiliate: $100
Your registration is not final until payment is received.
Please make cheques payable to:
Niagara District CUPE Council
c/o 110A Hannover Dr. #101
St. Catharines, ON L2W 1A3
OR
Please bring payment with you to the School
There is significant demand for our workshops. If you need to cancel your registration, please email Daniela Greco, dgreco@cupe.ca, 80 Commerce Valley Drive East, MARKHAM, Ontario L3T 0B2 as soon as possible.
Thanks for your interest in CUPE’s Union Education Program and for your ongoing leadership in our union!
In response to the health concerns of our members and staff, CUPE has implemented a Scent-Free Policy at all of our workshops. Scented products such as hair spray, perfume and deodorant can trigger reactions such as respiratory distress and headaches. Facilitators and participants are asked to refrain from using scented products while attending our workshops and meetings. Thank you for your cooperation.
Daniela Greco
dgreco@cupe.ca