Under the Public Employee Department (PED) Strategic Plan, the PED International Coordinating Committee established the PED Academy. This school is a three level course and curriculum uniquely responsive to the needs of Public, Healthcare, Federal and Provincial jurisdictions. Excellent representation, innovative bargaining and member commitment has traditionally been a part of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) legacy in construction and it is even more important in the public sector where representation demands are higher and member to member communication is an indicator of success.
Therefore, the PED Coordinating Committee established a group to develop and deliver a comprehensive education program to strengthen our representational ability and organizing capacity at every level of the local Union from stewards to Business Manager.
PED Level I Training: Union Leadership Development
An introductory course that brings selected activists or new staff members into the experience their role in the local and the International Union. They are brought into the history of the Union movement and LIUNA’s history in particular. Each student is taught the roles of Local Union offices and positions. They are asked to expand and demonstrate their communication skills and taught the fundamentals of members to member organizing and the elements of excellence in representation.
AGENDA
Sunday
1:00pm – 4:00pm Tour
6:00pm – 8:00pm Reception
Monday
8:00am – 10:30 am Personal Union History (2 minute speech)
10:45am – 12:00pm Communications
1:00pm – 3:15pm Communications
3:30pm – 5:00pm Organizing
7:00pm – 8:30pm Organizing (Role playing)
Tuesday
8:00am – 12:00pm Organizing
1:00pm – 4:30pm Headquarter Tour, Archives
Wednesday
8:30am – 12:00am Leadership 101 (Topics: Role of steward and steward structure)
1:30pm – 5:00pm Communication (5-minute speeches)
Thursday
8:00am – 12:00pm Representation (Level I grievances, contracts, role and responsibility of local union officers (constitution), DFR, Weingarten)
1:00pm – 4:30pm Representation (Role play Level I in groups)
6:30pm – 9:00pm Banquet (Awards) (Room 2 - Cafeteria Building)
Friday
8:30am – 10:30am Political
10:45am – 11:30am Wrap Up (Discussion)
PED Level II Training: Representation Theory and Practice
A more advanced course that gives attention to members to member organizing in represented bargaining units through the O.P.E.N. training. However, its main focus is on advanced representation where students are asked to read cases and analyze them and prepare an opening and closing statement in an arbitration.
AGENDA
Sunday
6:00pm – 8:00 pm Reception/Dinner (Welcome and Orientation)
Monday Public Employee Numbers (Public Sector, History of Membership, Demographics of non-construction, assessing current conditions)
9:30am – 12:00pm Organizing (Why do we need to Organize)
1:00pm – 4:30pm Organizing
7:00pm – 8:30pm Organizing (Role Play)
Tuesday
8:30am – 10:00am Organizing (Planning a Campaign)
10:15am – 12:00pm Conducting a Meeting
12:00pm – 1:30pm Women in Labor/Role Models
1:30pm – 4:00pm Political (Why and How, Message Development)
4:00pm – 5:00pm Introduction to Representation
Wednesday
8:30am – 10:00am Laws & Contracts
10:00am – 12:00pm Assessing a Case
1:00pm – 3:15pm Preparation, Research, Briefing a case, File preparation
3:30pm – 5:00pm Elements of Opening and Closing Statements
Thursday
8:30am – 10:30am Representation (Witness Preparation, Direct Examination, Cross Examination, Role Play Witness Testimony)
10:30am – 12:00 pm What Arbitrators are Looking For
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm 5 minute Opening & Closing Arguments
6:30pm – 9:00pm Banquet (Awards)
Friday
8:30am – 10:00am Public, Public Service, Healthcare, and Federal Trends
10:15am – 11:00am Evaluations & Wrap Up (Discussion)
Collective Bargaining Training
The first day of this course gives students an overview of how the union and management prepare for negotiations. Students are assigned to a negotiation team that are either union or management and are tasked to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement by Thursday of the training week. This process allows students to get firsthand experience in preparing and negotiating an agreement. Mentors are either union or management and participate in the training by assisting students during the negotiation process.
AGENDA
Sunday
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Reception/Dinner (Welcome and Orientation)
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Myers Briggs Assessment
Monday
8:00 am – 9:30 am Transition from Organizing to Bargaining
9:45 am – 12:00 pm Meeting of Bargaining Team
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Management Dynamics
2:00 pm –3:15 pm Law of Bargaining
3:15 pm – 4:00 pm Drafting the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Negotiating Committee Roles and Responsibilities
4:00 pm – 5:45 pm Teams Meet
7:00 pm – 8:15 pm Debriefing from groups on request for information
Tuesday
8:00 am – 9:45 am Contract Language
9:45 am – 10:45 am Review Proposal for Submission
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Direct Negotiations
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Direct Negotiations
3:00 pm – 4:15 pm Report Back on Bargaining Status
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm Report Back on Bargaining Status
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Meet with party of interest
Wednesday
8:00 am – 10:00 am Direct Bargaining
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Report Back on Bargaining Status
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Direct Bargaining
3:00 pm – 4:15 pm Report to party of interest
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm Report Back on Bargaining Status
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Negotiation Overview
Thursday
8:00 am – 11:00 am Direct Bargaining/DEADLINE
11:00 am – 11:30 am Party of Interest Ratification
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Mediation
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Mentor Comments
Friday
Departures
Organizing Training
The training begins with a session on Organizing Public Employees Now (O.P.E.N.) which gives students the basics on organizing principles in the public sector. Two students are assigned to a mentor organizer and will work as a team during the week long training in bargaining units represented by the host local or at selected external targets. Organizing and classroom training are continuous throughout the week with organizing results reported by each team on a daily bases. The hands on experience will prepare students to return to their respective locals with a better understanding of the importance of organizing and how to organize.
AGENDA
Sunday
3:00 pm Welcome and Review of Agenda
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm History of the Public Employee Department
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm Instructors and Team Leaders Meeting
Monday
7:30 am – 2:30 pm O.P.E.N. Training
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm Organizing
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Team Site visits
7:00 pm – 7:30 pm Instructors and Team Leaders meeting
Tuesday
5:30 am – 7:30 am Organizing
9:00 am – 10:30 am Debrief Morning assignments
10:30 am – 1:00 pm Work Area Organizing at assigned sites
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Debrief Lunch Organizing
3:00 pm – 5:30 pm Work Area Organizing at assigned sites
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Home visits or Evening worksite Organizing
8:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instructors and Team Leaders Meeting
Wednesday
5:30 am – 7:30 am Organizing
9:00 am – 10:30 am Debrief House Calls & Morning assignments
10:30 am – 1:00 pm Work Area Organizing at assigned sites
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Debrief Lunch Time Organizing Meetings
3:00 pm – 5:30 pm Work area organizing at assigned sites
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Home Visits or Evening worksite Organizing
8:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instructors and Team Leaders Meeting
Thursday
5:30 am – 7:30 am Organizing
9:00 am – 10:15am Debrief Morning Assignments
10:15 am – 10:45am Preparation for Luncheon meetings
10:45am – 5:00 pm Work Area Organizing at assigned sites
5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Debrief Lunch, Afternoon and End of Shift Meetings
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Home Visits or Evening worksite Organizing
8:30 pm – 9:00 pm Instructors and Team Leaders Meeting
Friday
5:30 am – 7:30 am Organizing
9:00 am – 10:15 am Debrief Morning assignments
10:15 am – 10:45 am Preparation for Luncheon meetings
10:45 am – 4:30 pm Work Site Organizing
4:30 pm – 5:15 pm Debrief the day
6:00 pm Banquet and Adjournment
Check out Leadership Education classes scheduled for LIUNA leaders.