Thanks to our wonderful facilitators and staff, we’ve lined up a great range of core classes and workshops for you to choose from. Each core class consists of four 3-hour sessions, one each morning. And every workshop is a single 90-minute afternoon session. There are five workshop slots: two on each of Monday and Tuesday, and one on Wednesday.
Core Courses:
Collective Bargaining
In this course we will explore the tenets of bargaining for the common good, how to prioritize competing goals, create a bargaining platform, mobilize membership with coordinated outreach & meaningful actions, and build a successful contract campaign.
Constructive Confrontation: Interrupting oppressive moments
In today's diverse environments, addressing oppressive moments—whether overt or subtle—is essential for fostering inclusive communities. This interactive workshop draws upon Loretta J. Ross's transformative concept of "Calling In," which emphasizes compassion, accountability, and restorative justice over public shaming.
Digital Organizing/Strategies
Description coming soon!
Globalization and Immigration
In this course we will grapple with the collective trauma of pandemic related and non-pandemic related racial violence on both sides of our colonial border. How does the influence of corporations within our political systems affect workplaces, communities, and migration? We will also explore the difficulties certain communities face with respect to migration, and how this relates to globalization.
Labour Activism: Finding your space in the resistance—Women in leadership:
Building the union
In this course, you will learn how to participate meaningfully in your union, what a shop steward's role is, and what it takes to be a productive member of your union's executive board or leadership structure. You'll learn the basics of member engagement, and lobbying techniques for taking your union's message out to law and policy makers.
Mental Health First Aid
The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course was developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada to help people provide initial support to someone who may be developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. MHFA teaches mental health first aid skills. The course does not train people to be therapists, counsellors, or mental health professionals. The philosophy behind MHFA is that a mental health crisis, such as suicidal and self-harming actions, may be avoided through early intervention. If a crisis does arise, an MHFA trained person in the workplace can take action that may reduce the harm that could result. Just as physical first aid is administered to an injured person before medical treatment can be obtained, MHFA is given until appropriate treatment is found or until the crisis is resolved.
Organizing: People, power and change
In this course we will learn what organizing means. Compare community, political and labour organizing, and learn how we can organize both internally and externally to our unions. We will learn and discuss strategies on how to engage and grow your membership, win strategic improvements in your workplace, and establish the best practices necessary to maintain your solidarity and power as a union. This course is both an introduction to the theory of organizing, as well as a practical guide to how we can do the work of organizing ourselves and our fellow workers.
Women in Leadership
This course is for anyone who wants to develop their leadership skills and knowledge. We will analyze leadership in terms of what makes great leaders, our preferred styles, equity and inclusivity, and building effective teams. We will explore what challenges exists for women leading in the union and social justice movements and how we remove barriers and amplify opportunities. You will walk away not only knowing more about how you can be an effective leader, but also how to help bring future generations of women leaders into the union movement.
Workshops:
Activism through song
One of the most important things about movement building is keeping it fun and engaging. The power of song as a tool to uplift, engage, and inspire continued struggle toward liberation is well documented throughout history. In this session you will learn to use song as a tool for movement building with a long time community and climate activist who is also an expert musician.
Anti-Oppression 101
Intersectionality, like "feminism," is an oft-used term in popular political discourse. It's a nuanced concept pioneered by a collective of radical, black, socialist, lesbian feminists. Over time, like all radical discourse, it has been co-opted or recuperated by capitalism. What are its roots and how can we honuor these roots in our work as unionists today? Through presentation and discussion, we will explore this term and consider ways in which we can apply it as a lens to our work in a way that honours its radical origins.
Artful resistance: Placards, chants and rally prop-making
Join us for a hands-on workshop where we'll craft the tools of resistance together! This workshop dives into the history of protest art—learn how creativity has always fueled social movements. Come practice traditional chants, write new ones, and share songs that speak truth to power. The core of this session is making kick-ass signs, banners, and props for Wednesday's rally in support of precarious workers on campus; bold colours, clever lines, and whatever visual punch will grab attention. Whether you've never held a paintbrush or you're the local's creative go-to, bring your voice, your energy, and your solidarity. Note: All materials provided. Beginners encouraged.
Building movements for Trans and Queer liberation
In this workshop, participants will learn strategies for building inclusive movements for social progress which are inclusive of trans and queer lived experiences and centre their full liberation.
Conflict resolution in polarizing times
In changing times, polarizing debates about issues can divide families, communities, and workplaces. Exploitation of those divisions by right-wing groups, politicians, and financial interests for their own gain also undermines the solidarity on which unions, governments, and democratic society is founded. When we can’t find the common ground that we need to work together, we fail. This workshop is designed to help union members engage in difficult conversations about divisive topics and offers new tools and skills to navigate through conflict, bridge the divide, and move forward together.
Crafting a good land acknowledgement
Land acknowledgements are an important part of recognizing whose territory we live on, and at whose expense we conduct our business. There are components to consider when crafting your own territorial or land acknowledgement that should be included to make it sincere, genuine, and meaningful. Take this workshop if you want to take your own land acknowledgement practice from performative to transformative.
IGBA: Intersectional Gender-Based Analysis
Have you heard of IGBA? It is the newest corporate and government favourite buzzword — or acronym, and it stand for Intersectional Gender-Based Analysis. When used correctly, as originally intended, this method can be effective in policy making, to ensure that no one is left behind. When used incorrectly, it can cause harm and become a weapon against anyone who has been left out and is seeking to be included. This workshop will give you the tools to use IGBA effectively and as a tool for inclusion, and to recognize and course-correct when it isn't being used as intended.
Integrating gender into occupational health and safety
Women and gender diverse people face difference safety risks at work, because of physiology, societal attitudes and unique occupational exposures. Gender-based harassment and violence, ill-fitting tools and PPE, pregnancy, menstruation and menopause are often not given enough attention or are ignored completely. In this workshop, we’ll explore these issues and strategize around practical solutions to make work safer for women.
Labour history: Women
In this workshop we will explore the history of women shaping our workplaces and our unions, we will discuss their contributions and learn from them as we seek to help shape our collective future as women and gender diverse uninon activists.
Living Library session: Women labour leaders tell all
In this session participants will have access to labour leaders who are women who have come up through the ranks and into top positions in their organizations wether that be in their union, a provincial or state or territorial labour federation or a national labour body. Come and ask your questions tho this powerhouse group of union leaders!
Looking for gender equity language in contracts and bylaws
Women and gender diverse people need to have access to equitable language in collective agreements, and in union bylaws and constitutions. These measures are critical to ensuring that women and gender diverse people can be just as successful in their workplaces, and in their unions as men are. In this workshop you'll learn how to look for and advocate for this type of important language.
Migrant workers: Acting in solidarity to reduce precarity
In this workshop participants will learn to act in solidarity with migrant workers and gain a deeper understanding of the conditions workers face while working to grow our local economies.
Parliamentary procedure
This workshop will teach you the ins and outs of Robert's Rules, Bourinot's rules and how to run successful union meetings. Participants will leave with the tools to participate in union spaces and help change them for the better!
Resisting the oligarchy
An oligarchy is a system where power and resources are concentrated in the hands of a small group of elites. Resisting this centralization of power and resources requires a multifaceted approach. including addressing the concentration of wealth and political influence, promoting more equitable systems, and ensuring that democratic institutions function effectively. Take this workshop to learn how to use your own tools from your own sphere of influence in community to help make big systemic change.
Running for leadership
We all win when women and gender diverse people are leading in our spaces. Take this workshop for a quick rundown of everything you need to prepare you to run for leadership. This session is a great starter for anyone thinking about running for local office, provincial or state office, or leadership of your own local union!
Self and community care: Radical interdependence
This workshop will talk about the need to divest form the commercialization of individual wellness industries which extract from working people ad especially Indigenous communities and communities of colour. Participants will learn the principles of caring for self and caring in community and will discuss strategies for sustainable and radical interdependence within a holistic and liberatory framework.
Sex workers' rights
Participants in this workshop will learn about sex work as what it is: work. Learn about the need for labour movement activists to embrace sex workers as workers fighting for better wages and working conditions, including occupational health and safety, and the right to unionize.
Sharing your story
We all know that nothing engages would be supporters like a personal story that is relatable compelling and short enough to present in a few minutes. In this workshop you'll learn how to tell your own personal story!
Yoga
Part of being a union activist is caring for your body. Our bodies are powerful tools for justice and this workshop will help you meet your body and heal some of the stress stored in it. Get ready for some quality time with yourself, in a space shared with others and led by an experience, trauma informed yoga instructor.