Training Opportunities
“An educated member is a powerful member!”
The UAW International Education Department has developed many workshops to train our members, leaders, and standing committees to become more effective in our union. Hundreds of Education Department workshops are held throughout the year at local unions, regions, and national events.
To request to attend a workshop at your local, talk with your local union leadership and coordinate the training with your Regional Education Representative. Additionally, a select series of workshops are available for local union education committees and Local Union Discussion Leaders (LUDLs) to host at their local unions.
To help you navigate your learning path, we have organized our workshops into series based on specific themes. Explore the learning series below to discover the recommended workshops for each topic.
Search the electronic version of our Education Department Workshop Catalog to find out more about each workshop that is offered and see where your educational journey will lead you!
Building Our Union
The building blocks of our union are presented here. Learn the foundations of how our union works, the fights we engage in, and the roles we all play to effectively build our movement. Targeting all levels of union awareness, these workshops will meet the foundational needs of every member.
- Ending Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
- Ethical Consumer
- Fighting for Justice with Union Power
- Globalization 101
- Lessons From Labor History
- Money Matters
- Multicultural Awareness
- Talkin’ Union
- UAW 101
- UAW Core Values
- Understanding Bargaining
- Understanding Contracts
- Understanding Grievances
- Understanding Strikes
- Union Meetings and Me
- Unlearning Bias Through the Power of Our Solidarity
- Using the UAW Constitution
Standing Together
Active standing committees are central to meeting the needs of our membership. They support the inner workings of our local unions, and they proudly put our union values into practice. This group of workshops help local unions reach their full potential and meet their constitutional mandate to establish and activate their standing committees. Current and aspiring standing committee members are the target audience for these workshops.
- Citizen Earth
- Community Mobilization
- Community Services Committee
- Conservation and Recreation
- Consumer Affairs
- Disaster Preparedness
- Education Committee
- Effective Educator Training
- Fighting for Justice with Union Power
- Keys to Effective Standing Committees
- Layoffs, Closings and Strikes
- Strategic Planning to Grow Your Standing Committee
- Strengthening Our Union / Intro to Standing Committees
- Union Label
Leading for Change
Great leaders are visionaries who can lead our union boldly into a better future, inspiring the best in our members and engaging meaningful participation. These workshops develop a range of skills to support effective leadership in our growing union. Current and aspiring union leaders are the target audience for this training.
- Building Unionists
- Creating A One-Year Strategic Plan
- Effective Union Meetings
- Fighting for Justice with Union Power
- How to Plan an Action
- Leadership Essentials
- Leading with Vision
- Member-to-Member
BARGAINING STRONG CONTRACTS
Fighting for a strong contract at the bargaining table comes by no small effort. These workshops offer essential skills needed for the bargaining team to work as a TEAM and with other committees, local leadership, and come to the bargaining table prepared and ready to activate the membership. Learn about communication methods & tools with members, other committees roles in bargaining, planning for the a wide range of scenarios affecting members during bargaining, contract campaigns, understanding leverage points and how to tap into powerful research and communication resources. Bargaining committeepersons and union leaders are the target audience for this training.
- Effective Notetaking
- Bargaining for Bargainers
- Building a Powerful Contract Campaign
- Layoffs, Closing, and Strikes: The Role of the Community Service Committee
- Member-to-Member
- Money Matters
- Understanding Bargaining
- Understanding Contracts
- Understanding Strikes
Enforcing Our Contracts
The gains we make at the bargaining table mean little without active contract enforcement. These workshops equip grievance handlers with essential skills to understand, apply, and defend their collective bargaining agreement. Learn how to identify violations, navigate grievance procedures effectively, and mobilize members to ensure the terms of your hard-won contract are upheld.
These workshops are essential for everyone with a role in the grievance procedure at a worksite, including stewards, chairpersons, and officers.
- Effective Notetaking
- Ending Sexual Harassment in the Workplace for Grievance Handlers
- Grievance Handling
- Understanding Contracts
- Understanding Grievances
Running Effective Local Unions
Effective local unions require a powerful, well-organized leadership team at the helm. Workshops in this category offer role-specific training for local union officers to learn how to effectively carry out the responsibilities of their elected positions. This training serves to improve local union administration skills and is well suited for both seasoned and newly elected local union officers.
- Administrative Responsibilities of UAW Local Unions
- Creating A One-Year Strategic Plan
- Effective PowerPoint Training
- Effective Notetaking
- Fighting for Justice with Union Power
- Role of the Recording Secretary
- Roles of Officers
- Roles of the President and Vice President
- Understanding Strikes
