Purpose of Education Committee:
To keep our members informed and up-to-date.
Committee Chair:
Judy Denniss, Saskatoon City Hospital – 373.1706 or 655.8796
Committee Members:
Colleen Denniss, Wheatbelt Centennial Lodge, 882.2201 or 219.8095
Kathy Derksen, Royal University Hospital, 655-6773
Sandi Hankla, Central Haven
Lee Hiebert, St. Paul’s Hospital, 655.0540 or 373-4500
Laura Marchessault, Extendicare Moose Jaw, 693.3696
New Member Kits:
These kits are given to new members joining SEIU-West, welcoming them and giving them information on the BEST UNION to represent Health Care Workers and community services.
Career Fairs:
Members of the Education Committee endeavour to attend Career Fairs sponsored by agencies such as SIAST so as to provide prospective union members with information about our strong union as well as valuable detail regarding specific career opportunities including Collective Bargaining Agreement rates of pay.
Scholarship for SEIU-West Members:
SEIU-West has a scholarship program for members: SEIU-West Scholarship Program.
Education Events across the province:
The Education Committee works to provide members with access to many educational opportunities.
Below is a brief description of some of the courses and workshops that are offered or endorsed by SEIU-West.
Go to our Calendar of Events and look for items beginning with the word “Education”
Stewards in Action
A “must” for all elected Shop Stewards in each unit. This entry level workshop provides a two-day introduction to the basic duties that Shop Stewards perform in their workplaces.
Stewards in Action II – The Next Steps
This is the advanced Shop Steward training workshop. It provides participants with a thorough understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a steward. It is designed to explore collective agreement language, and most importantly, the afternoon will be spent on understanding how to handle grievances and complaints and identify the grievance process and steps. Participants will practice writing grievances and will be provided with sample language to use in the future. The work of the steward will be supported by the many resources offered in the Bargaining & Enforcement department. In order to participate in this course, the Steward’s in Action Level I is a prerequisite.
Facing Management
The facing management course is designed for all stewards and unit officers and will give participants the skills necessary to begin, or continue, to deal with worksite concerns directly with their management. The course also goes over the Duty of fair representation and describes how management and worker objectives differ. Participants should leave with a better understanding of how to address and resolve member concerns and how to advance those issues forward that remain unresolved.
Unit Leadership – Building Strength & Solidarity
The teaching objectives for participants to:
• Understand the role of the unit officer positions;
• Understand the structure of SEIU-West and provide a review of the Org chart;
• Recognize the influence of Government and Employers in the workplace and be able to strategize solutions for building internal unity;
• Developed skills for facing management; and
• Understand the importance of note-taking and proper preparation.
2012 SFL Spring School
This is a week-long school is being held in Humboldt. Some of the courses offered may include:
- Building Workplace Harmony
- Labour Law
- Young Workers in Action
- Labour History, Culture & Song
2012 SFL PSUW (Prairie School for Union Women)
Young Workers in Action
- Women Speaking Up
- Transforming Conflict in to Union Activism
- Women, Work & Ability
SFL Kids’ Camp
