The Fall education seminars for the Pacific Region will be held at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, 6083 McKay Avenue, Burnaby, B. C. The courses will run Friday, November 21 to Sunday, November 23, 2014. The following courses are being offered:
BASIC SHOP STEWARD COURSE
Stewards are the backbone of the union. The aim of this course is to provide new stewards with knowledge and confidence. Topics covered include: the roles of the steward, tips for dealing with management and speaking with members, the steward as organizer/mobilizer, how to investigate and file a grievance, and key provisions of the urban 
operations, RSMC and private sector bargaining unit collective agreements. This course is for members wanting to become a shop steward, or to have a better understanding of the rights and duties of a shop steward. Participants will also learn how to represent members in disciplinary interviews, health and safety, the importance of meeting new members and our rights under federal legislation. This course will give participants the tools they need to better defend and inform the members, and build solidarity in the workplace.
FIGHTING BACK: A PRIMER IN LOCAL POSTAL WORKER POWER
The union is always strongest when the base is activated; we have more challenges now than ever. Canada Post is on course to privatize with its 5 point plan to raise prices, cut services and eliminate 8,000 living wage jobs. We have a federal election scheduled for October 19, 2015 and contract negotiations for our 2 main bargaining units coming up soon. Are you tired of being on the defensive? Are there things we can do now to prepare for what comes next? Do we have natural allies around us we are not seeing? What skills do we already have that we can draw on to fight for public service and a way of life that strengthens every community? This participant focused workshop aims to assist members in reclaiming our power at the local level by building alliances in the community, labour movement, and workplace, while finding complimentary roles that we can all play that can strengthen our individual parts and as a whole.
GRIEVANCE HANDLING
This course is designed for those members responsible for the handling of the Local’s grievances. The decision to refer a grievance to arbitration largely depends on the quality of the grievance investigation. The likelihood of winning our case in front of a 3rd party is also greatly improved when a thorough investigation is conducted and the correct back up documentation is provided. This course will provide training in conducting a grievance investigation; filling out grievance investigation forms; back up that is required; interviewing grievors; researching a grievance, etc.
SOLIDARITY SKILLS: CONFIDENCE WITH CONFLICT – LEVEL 1
This challenging course looks at conflict in the union and how to handle it. Participants are introduced to techniques such as active listening, non-violent communication, and conflict de-escalation skills. The emphasis is on developing communication skills that can be used in mediation and various alternative conflict resolution methods as well as preventing conflicts from developing in the first place. These tools invite members who are in conflict with one another to take into consideration the personal cost of that conflict, the cost to their co-workers and to the Union. It invites us to make a sincere effort of giving the benefit of the doubt to others, and to show the courage of acknowledging their own part in feeding on a cycle of anger, aggression and retaliation.
Article 8.01 of the CUPW National Constitution requires that all National, Regional and Local leadership take this training. Priority for the Solidarity Skills Course will be given to Local Executive members who have not received this training as well as to members on the Local Conflict Resolution Committees.
The deadline for applications is, October 22, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. All applications must be approved by the Vancouver Local Executive and signed by the Vancouver Local President or designate.