Course Descriptions and Prerequisites

When applying for any of the courses at this year’s school, please note the prerequisites for each course. Applicants must have the met the prerequisites and/or required positions at time of registration.

Advanced Occupational Health & Safety Advocate

Prerequisite: OH&S for Stewards and must be a Union Steward

Alberta’s Bill 30 has completely updated the province’s OH&S system, a major change since 1976.

Now, all Alberta workplaces will have an onsite safety representative or a joint OH&S Committee. AUPE members will require the knowledge and skills necessary to help reduce the rates of injury and occupational disease.

Are we up to the health and safety challenge?

Learning Outcomes:

• Learn how to resolve common health and safety issues, and hold employers accountable under Alberta’s legislation.
• Gain the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to participant effectively in a worksite committee.
• Understand why limitations in the Internal Responsibility System mean it will be necessary for you to organize for safety.

This course is for: Stewards who want to hone their skills and knowledge to participate effectively on a worksite joint OH&S Committee and promote a culture of safety in the workplace while also organizing co-workers for safety.

This courses utilizes: Working in groups, students will discuss current issues with AUPE’s specialist staff, explore case studies from our award-winning CSI video series, welcome a guest speaker, review checklists, and identify risks by examining photos of workplace hazards.

Comments from previous students: “I learned what should happen in an OHS Committee,” “how to respond constructively to my manager,” and “what to share with our members.”

Arts in Labour History

Prerequisite: Introduction to Your Union course

Course Description: This course is designed to promote the learning of labour history and the expression of working people through arts-based activities, by exploring events in AUPE’s history through a variety of art forms. This year’s course will focus on the creation of the Civil Service Association of Alberta (CSA), AUPE’s predecessor, in 1919.

Learning Outcomes:

• Discover the history of the 1919 Canadian Labour Revolt.
• Learn about how the Civil Service Association of Alberta was created during this time.
• Using various art forms, create a group presentation to express what you have learned through the week, to be presented on the last evening of Labour School.

This course is for:

• Those looking to learn through artistic participation to the fullest extent.
• While note required, those who play an instrument are encouraged to bring it to the course.

This courses utilizes:

• Various forms of artistic expression, including singing, video, theatre, and visual art.
• Historical information on the creation of AUPE’s predecessor. The Civil Service Association of Alberta (CSA), along with information on the Canadian Labour Revolt to set the context for the creation of the CSA in 1919.
• A class presentation of the creations developed over the course (on the last night of labour School, presented to all participants at Labour School).

Comments from previous students:

• “I learned how powerful the arts can be to send am message or point on a sensitive topic”
• “How amazing it was to collaborate with everyone”
• “Helped to drive my work and enthusiasm to keep me engaged and focused”
• “The course provides knowledge while encouraging creativity”
• “We are [now] proposing a labour arts committee at our local to focus on consciousness raising, preparing for bargaining and building community through art”

Beyond Bullying (formerly called Mutual Respect)

Prerequisite: Must be a Union Steward

Workplace harassment, violence and the bullying that stems from them are ongoing issues in the workplace. But what does bullying look and feel like? When does a disagreement cross the boundary into bullying behaviour? In what situations do opinions expressed in the workplace lead to psychosocial, ethical, and/or legal issues?

You will be challenged to examine your own biases, and to begin to develop strategies for navigating such situations as a way of creating a safe and mutually respectful workplace experience for everyone.

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify bullying behavior
• Describe impact of bullying
• Articulate personal and professional boundaries
• Develop strategy to intervene in bullying
• Determine appropriate use of approaches to address bullying
• Apply course content to actions for promoting a bully-free work environment

Note: This course is not designed as a workshop to navigate a past or current personal workplace harassment, violence, or bullying situation. While it does provide opportunity for sharing and reflection on personal experiences that relate to applications of the course content, it is not intended to replace the professional services available to you. If you have a personal issue you need help navigating, we ask that you raise it with your Member Services Officer.

This course is for: Stewards who are looking for more information in order to support and help their members. You will learn how to better discern the boundaries between “the personal and the professional,” and what options are available to both victims and witnesses of workplace bullying.

This course utilizes: Experiential activities, scenarios, games, individual reflection, lecturettes, group work, and role-plays.

Continuing Education for Stewards

Prerequisite: Must be a Union Steward

Continuing Education for Stewards will build on the skills of the Grievance Handler by exposing stewards to a number of case studies with multiple issues.

Learning Outcomes:

• Apply Grievance Handling Steps
• Demonstrate proficiency in completion of required grievance handling documents.
• Describe process for Duty to Accommodate
• Recognize how different jurisdictions are applied to scenarios.
• Model appropriate behaviour in grievance hearings

Note: This is not an introductory course.

This course is for:

• Union Stewards with experience in grievance handling.
• Those looking to build on their reading, writing and research skills.
• Those wanting to practice their grievance hearing presentation skills.
• Those who want to learn about Human Rights legislation and how to be able to identify and assist members who face discrimination at their workplace.

This course utilizes:

• Guest Speakers
• Case Studies in both written and electronic forms
• Group work
• Individual assignments
• Possible work before and after the course

Leadership Essentials

Prerequisite: Basic Conflict Management course

Leadership in today’s rapidly changing world requires a dynamic set of both skills and personal attributes. Challenges to effective leadership include a capacity for communication skills, respect, ethics, empathy, mentoring and relationship building. This interactive course will focus on both skill development in these areas and practical application of demonstrating “leadership”

Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate self-reflection as it relates to leadership style
• Recognize effective communication skills
• Model and incorporate ethical practice
• Correlate importance of relationship building
• Assess motivations for leadership
• Apply presentation skills developed through course

Note: This is not a component officer training course, though the skills can assist with your leadership roles in component positions.

This course is for: Members interested in reflecting on their leadership style and enhancing their skills. Those willing to maybe step out of their comfort zone in order to learn more about themselves and what they can offer to leadership within AUPE .

This course utilizes:

• Group work, Personal assessments, Case scenarios, Videos and Guest Speakers
• Leaders take a stand and have a voice. Learners will have an opportunity for an individual five-minute leadership presentation using the communication ad presentation skills developed in this course.

Comments from previous students:

• “I like that we didn’t just sit and read. It was interactive which made it enjoyable for me”
• “I will have more confidence talking to my members in my chapter and local (my voice will be heard)”
• “Public speaking isn’t as scary as I thought it would be”
• “Learned that being a leader means collaborating with others, it does not mean doing everything”

Talking Union

Prerequisite: Rethinking Politics course (formerly called Introduction to Politics)

Unions are under attack, because they are one of the only institutions powerful enough to stand up to runaway corporate greed and cuts to public services. Fighting back won’t be easy – Alberta has the lowest unionization rate in the country and the media amps up common misconceptions about organized labour. Workers are also divided by barriers to solidarity.

Learning Outcomes:

• Promote the benefits of unions, strong public services, and the value of your work.
• Define union terms in order to “talk union.”
• Explain why business and government often blame workers and attack their unions.
• Start conversations to refine issues and learn from others.
• Identify paths and resources to continue learning and mobilizing.

This course is for: Members who want to gain confidence practice having conversations and tools needed to challenge negative stereotypes about labour.

This course utilizes:

• A homework assignment
• Group work, including story circles
• Current data and research
• Public speaking
• A strong focus on promoting diversity and over coming barriers to solidarity