Printable online call-out | Printable in-person call-out
How to organize for worker power. The best way to file a grievance. Increasing equity in your workplace.
As an OPSEU/SEFPO member, these are just a few of the free educational workshops you can take during the union’s Region 5 Weekend Educational taking place in Toronto on Saturday, Sept 28 and Sunday, Sept 29, 2024.
The deadline to complete the application form is 4 pm on Monday, Aug 19, 2024.
If you choose to attend online, three courses are being offered. If you attend in-person, eight courses are being offered.
Online-only courses
- Organizing for Worker Power
- Making Composite Locals Work
- Political Action for Union Activists
In-person-only courses
- Stewards 1: Making a Difference in the Workplace
- Stewards 2: Facing the Employer, Building Member Involvement
- Stewards 3: Dealing with Discipline
- Health and Safety: Level 3
- Mental Health Challenging Stigma in the Workplace
- The Indigenous Journey: Walking Together – Part Two
- Duty to Accommodate: A Tool for Inclusive Workplaces
- Local Treasurers Course
If you’d like to take any of these courses, your union provides a variety of supports that can help, including family and child care and human rights accommodations. If you take part in the in-person event, you are also eligible for cash advances, and potentially the full reimbursement if you need to travel and stay in a hotel. More details.
Event details
Location:
- For online participants, courses will be offered via Zoom.
- For in-person participants, courses take place at the Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St W, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z4
Dates:
- Saturday, September 28, 2024 – 9 am to 5 pm
- Sunday, September 29, 2024 – 9 am to 1 pm
Application deadline:
- Monday, Aug 19, 2024, at 4 pm – Application forms
On-site child care:
- OPSEU/SEFPO on-site child care will be available Saturday from 8:30 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 9 am to the end of classes. Parent/Guardians must be on site at all times when using childcare provided by OPSEU/SEFPO.
Off-site child care:
- Family Care/Attendant expenses will be reimbursed per OPSEU/SEFPO Policy.
Online-only course descriptions
The following three courses are being offered online only:
Organizing for Worker Power
Prerequisites: None
The Organizing for Worker Power workshop expands on the principles, strategies and techniques of internal organizing as a process for empowering workers, strengthening the Local, and building a strong trade union movement.
Participants will focus on organizing strategies, identifying organic leaders, planning a workplace campaign from start to finish, working with workplace lists and creating an equitable bargaining cycle. Together we will build our power to create a movement that ensures all workers’ rights are respected.
This course includes some materials and resources created by Labor Notes: Secrets of a Successful Organizer. It also draws from the ideas of Jane McAlevey and Tools for Radical Democracy: How to Organize for Power in Your Community by Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos.
Making Composite Locals Work
Prerequisites: None
Composite/Multi-unit Locals can be very challenging and complex locals to organize and run.
Difficulties with communication, and membership coordination are among the barriers that often prevent these locals from being inclusive and achieving their full potential.
This course provides an opportunity for an in-depth working session for local executive committees of composite or multi- unit locals.
Participants will develop clear roles and responsibilities as local leaders, prepare an appropriate budget, develop local structures, and will assess the functioning of their local and its” units. Based on the work from the course, the local executives will begin to develop action plans to implement in their local.
Note: This course is not designed for individuals coming from different locals. Participants who register should be complete LEC groups that are working together to build strength in their units and ultimately the local.
Political Action for Union Activists
Prerequisites: None
What is the current political landscape? What are some good political lobbying strategies you can use? How can I use social media for political change? This course will develop political awareness and the skills needed to build the union and our communities by getting members actively engaged in the political process.
In-person-only course descriptions
We are pleased to offer the following eight in-person courses:
Stewards 1: Making a Difference in the Workplace
Prerequisites: None
This updated version of Stewards 1 includes a more detailed description and history of OPSEU/SEFPO’s equity- seeking groups. The course continues to support stewards through a range of tools and practical activities. The key aims are to strengthen steward skills to orient a new employee to the union, have effective one-on-one conversations with a cross-section of members, develop a communications strategy to enlist diverse member involvement, and develop approaches to everyday workplace problems.
Throughout the course, participants are supported as they develop a profile of their members, clarify the tasks of the steward, find the resources and information in OPSEU/SEFPO, and understand the grievance process and their role in it. Stewards 1 is a prerequisite to Stewards 2 and must be completed before taking Stewards 2.
Participants should bring their collective agreements to the course.
Stewards 2: Facing the Employer, Building Member Involvement
Prerequisites: Stewards 1
This revised follow-up to Stewards 1 focuses on investigating and writing a grievance, facing management, and involving members in worksite action.
Participants will use their own collective agreements to identify grievances. They will become immersed in an evolving case study in order to interview a grievor, write up a grievance, face the employer at a step 1 and make a presentation on safety issues to the union side of the Joint Health and Safety Committee. They will examine the elements of effective mobilization and develop a campaign strategy for a local.
Participants should bring their collective agreements to the course.
Stewards 3: Dealing with Discipline
Prerequisites: Stewards 1 and Stewards 2
This is an advanced level steward course. It is suggested that participants take Stewards 1 and Stewards 2 prior to signing up for this program. Dealing with Discipline is a skills and knowledge focused workshop that will assist union activists in their duties representing members that are facing discipline up to and including dismissal.
The course bridges concepts from Stewards 1 and 2, Basic and Advanced Grievance Handling and Workplace Investigations.
Participants should bring their collective agreements to the course.
Health and Safety: Level 3
Prerequisites: Health and Safety Level 1 and Health and Safety Level 2
This course builds on concepts covered in OPSEU Health and Safety Level 1 and 2. OPSEU Health and Safety Level 3 is designed to help union activists, worker joint health and safety committee members, health and safety representatives, and workers to address complex hazards using their local health and safety systems and external resources.
Drawing from their own experiences, participants will strategize effective approaches to complex hazards, such as investigating concerns about potential occupational cancers and ergonomic hazards. Participants will also learn basic approaches to investigating indoor air quality complaints.
They will discuss the precautionary principle and the ALARA principle and understand the centrality of these two concepts in health and safety activism. Participants will develop strategies to address ergonomic hazards, develop recommendations and practice facing the employer to propose their recommendations, enhancing their organization skills and confidence to represent members in their efforts to achieve safer and healthier workplaces.
Mental Health Challenging Stigma in the Workplace
Prerequisites: None
As workers and labour activists, we are faced with economic, social, and political changes in our workplaces that impact our mental wellbeing on a daily basis. We all respond differently to situations that impact our lives and subsequently, our mental health.
This introductory course explores mental health, mental health concerns, and stigma in the workplace. Some of the topics covered in this course include: demystifying mental health; individual, union, and employer responsibilities; member-to-member issues; and some strategies to challenge stigma and build inclusion.
The Indigenous Journey: Walking Together – Part Two
Prerequisites: Indigenous Journey: Walking Together – Part One
Would you like to learn more about Indigenous peoples? Do you know that the First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples have differences in their traditions, beliefs, communities and cultural identities as well as some commonalities?
Through activities, inspired by the teachings and traditions of Indigenous peoples, we will take you through an overview of the lives of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples as well as allow you an opportunity to share in some of their stories.
You will take a journey of examining both historical and current relationships between Indigenous people and governments within Canada and the world today. If you would like to share in the rich history of Indigenous peoples and spend time understanding why being an ally is important, this course will offer that opportunity.
Duty to Accommodate: A Tool for Inclusive Workplaces
Prerequisites: None
Provincial legislation and existing case law require employers and unions to provide accommodation short of undue hardship.
This interactive course examines the roles and responsibilities of the employer, the union and the member in accommodating members with disabilities and all other protected groups under the Ontario Human Rights Code. It builds activists’ skills to support members requiring an accommodation, and to deal with employer resistance to accommodation in the workplace.
Local Treasurers Course
Prerequisites: None
This course is aimed at Local Treasurers and Trustees who are either new to the role or experienced members who are seeking a “refresher course”. The goal is to give the necessary tools and education to Local Treasurers and Trustees in order for them to fulfill their roles in the Local. It will also draw on members’ experiences to solve problems occurring with the administration of Local funds.
Important Information
- The Participant and Course Selection Process will be carried out in accordance with OPSEU/SEFPO Education Policy.
- Confirmation will only be sent to applicants who are accepted.
- As a reminder, in accordance with OPSEU/SEFPO policy, full attendance is mandatory for participants at the educational. If you are unable to attend with full attendance without an acceptable reason, you will not receive credit for the course and your expenses (if any) may not be paid.
- Lost Wages will not be provided for this Educational.
If you’re attending online-only
- When registering participants must confirm that they have their own computer with proper internet connections (training cannot be completed over a cell phone). The computer must have a camera which remains on during the training.
- The virtual training is being delivered via Zoom and participants must download the free Zoom software in advance of the training. Please check for the most current version.
- If you are participating in the online-only courses, no expenses outside of Family Care/Attendants claims (if required) will be reimbursed except in special circumstances where expenses have been pre- approved. To inquire further about pre-approval, please email [email protected]
If you’re attending in-person
- Single accommodation is approved for this Educational.
- OPSEU/SEFPO’s 60km rule will be waived on Saturday – this means that if you live further than 60km from the hotel you are entitled to single accommodations on Friday and Saturday; if you live within 60km of the hotel you are entitled to single accommodations on Saturday night only.
- You are responsible for booking your own accommodations directly with the hotel, if required. An online direct booking link for rooms in the Event Group Block will be issued to successful applicants at the following rates: Single $329 (taxes not included). Individuals may also call the hotel directly, toll free 1-800-CHELSEA (243-5732) or 416-595-1975. These individuals must also identify themselves as part of OPSEU September Educationals to take advantage of the discounted group rate.
- Valet parking will not be covered
- As a reminder, in accordance with OPSEU/SEFPO policy, full attendance is mandatory for participants at the educational. If you are unable to attend with full attendance without an acceptable reason, you will not receive credit for the course and your expenses (if any) may not be paid.
- Persons attending OPSEU/SEFPO meetings are requested to refrain from using perfume, cologne and other fragrances for the comfort of other participants.
- Participants are also to refrain from bringing nut products, bottled water and Coca Cola products to OPSEU/SEFPO Events.
- All applications must be approved/signed by a Local Executive Committee member from the applicants Local, per OPSEU/SEFPO Policy 6.2.2. Applications without the required signatures will not be processed.
Accommodation (in-person only)
- A block of rooms has been reserved at the Chelsea Hotel, 33 Gerrard St W, Toronto, ON M5G1Z4
- Members are responsible for making their own Accommodation and Payment arrangements. Accommodations must be booked no later than Aug 30, 2024. All unreserved rooms will be released for re-sale after this date. OPSEU/SEFPO Policy states that members are responsible for their own rooms and paying for same, you are also responsible for any cancellation. Failing cancellation, you are responsible for the room charges.
- An online direct booking link, and telephone instructions for reserving a hotel room will be issued to successful Educational applicants prior to the hotel-booking deadline of Aug 30, 2024.
- For this event, members living outside 60 kms of the hotel will be entitled to room accommodation for both Friday and Saturday nights of the weekend educational as per OPSEU/SEFPO policy. Members living within 60 kms of the hotel will be entitled to room accommodation for Saturday night only, as required. Members will be reimbursed for the cost of a single room.
Cancellations
- Notification by a member to cancel course attendance should be received by both the local president and the Regional Office no later than 48 hours before commencement of the regional school (no later than 9 am on the Thursday prior to the weekend school). When a member does not attend and the Regional Office has not been notified 48 hours prior to the school’s commencement, the member will be assessed a $50 penalty. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into consideration.
- A member cancelling participation must notify [email protected] and their local president on or before 9 am on Sept. 26, 2024
- All hotel reservations must be cancelled by 4 pm EST 48 hours (2 days) prior to the day of arrival. Late cancellations will result in a charge of a 1-night stay plus taxes. A valid credit card is required at time of booking
Child / elder/ dependant care
- Use of OPSEU/SEFPO’s on-site child care is encouraged.
- Members who arrange their own child care will be reimbursed at $15 an hour to a maximum of $220 per 24-hour period, per OPSEU/SEFPO Policy 4.2.2.
- Child care claims will be honoured for children up to and including age 16, for whom the member is the parent/guardian.
- Friends, family, or professional or Commercial Services or any other arrangement satisfactory may provide care to the member making the claim. Claims may be verified and must be signed by the service provider.
- Members seeking child care through OPSEU/SEFPO for this educational must include the completed Child care Registration paperwork with their application forms.
- If child care is requested, the child/dependant must be in attendance with the program.
- Family/Attendant care will be reimbursed at the rate of $15 per hour to a maximum of $220 per 24-hour period and must be signed by the care provider(s). Please specify hours claimed for each day in the Family / Attendant care form. This policy covers the expenses for persons over the age of 16, permanently residing with, and under the care of a member, who are differently abled and/or aged.
Expense claims
- If you are participating in the online-only courses, no expenses outside of Family Care/Attendants claims (if required) will be reimbursed except in special circumstances where expenses have been pre- approved. To inquire further about pre-approval, please email [email protected]
- A member will be reimbursed for the actual cost incurred for travel by public transportation. As per the policy of the Union, the most economical means of transportation should be used.
- Where a member is required to use their private vehicle, they may claim for such travel at the current rate. The total distance travelled and destination points are to be indicated on the expense form.
- Members must arrange their own travel and are encouraged to carpool.
- Current Kilometric Rates:
- 1 OPSEU/SEFPO member travelling alone, $0.55/km
- 2 OPSEU/SEFPO members, $0.60/km
- 3 OPSEU/SEFPO members, $0.75/km
- Any transportation/kilometric expense claim form involving OPSEU/SEFPO members as passengers must have the members name and address on the expense form.
- All expenses must be submitted on proper Expense Claim Forms or via the Member Portal.
Lost wages
- Lost Wages will not be provided for this Educational as per OPSEU/SEFPO Policy; this means that time-off letters are not being issued for this Educational.
Meals (in-person only)
- Breakfast: Members who stay at the hotel or had to be present for an OPSEU/SEFPO event before 8 am are eligible to claim $22.
- Lunch: Members attending this educational may claim $30 for lunch on both Saturday and Sunday.
- Dinner: Members who stay at the hotel or had to be present for an OPSEU/SEFPO event past 5 pm are eligible to claim $39.
Advance
Indicate the amount required on the Advance Form and return to [email protected].
Application
To apply for this event, please download and complete the appropriate fillable forms. Please email the completed forms by 4 pm on Aug. 19, 2024 to [email protected]