EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ March Labour School will open Sunday evening.

Approximately 175 AUPE union stewards will attend the advanced four-day union training program. An orientation session will be held Sunday and formal classes get under way Monday morning.

"The labour school will enable us to provide training to members that is significantly superior to what was available in the past," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"The training provided by the school is designed to help AUPE meet our objectives and support the ongoing activities of our union and members," MacLennan said.

Six separate courses will be taught at the labour school, said AUPE Union Representative Greg Maruca, who co-ordinates the union’s education programs.

" The Advanced Steward Course will provide advanced instruction in how to enforce a collective agreement, present grievances, interpret contracts and solve workplace problems formally and informally. There will be two sessions of this course. " Re-energizing Your Safety committee looks at safety committee fundamentals and workplace safety law. " Organizing and Collective Bargaining will show participants how to run a union organizing campaign and teach them about the law as it pertains to organizing. The course will also provide instruction aimed at the process of negotiating a first collective agreement. " Worksite Activist Training aims to develop the skills needed to communicate union issues in the workplace and generate interest among co-workers in union activities. " Leadership Training will emphasize the idea of co-operative leadership – building co-operative teams of union leaders who contribute different skills to a common effort. There will be an emphasis on public speaking and rules of order. " Changing Legislation and Lobbying Government will offer a primer in the operations of Canadian governments at the provincial and federal levels, and look at how unions can achieve policy goals by more effective lobbying efforts.

"This program is about providing advanced instruction to committed union members," Maruca said. "Participants must have attended an introductory level course, or hold a related position within AUPE to take part."

MacLennan said he believes the program in Jasper marks a significant milepost in the history of AUPE. "Participants will have fun, but they will also have to work very hard.

"They will take back to their locals, chapters and worksites an enormous amount of valuable information that will increase the effectiveness and vitality of our union," he said.


For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Greg Maruca, Union Representative, Education, AUPE, 780-930-3358 or 780-721-0788 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)

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