ATU ACTIVIST AND OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAMS

Amalgamated Transit Union5025 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016-4139

202-537-1645 Fax 202-244-1726

Office of the International President

Affiliated with American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations and Canadian Labour Congress

PRINTED ON UNION PAPER

To all Officers and activists attending Chicago training:

We are happy to provide you with a course description for all the ATU trainings for the rest of 2014. As you know our goal is to train 10% of our members. In order to do this we need the highest level of commitment from our officers to fill these rooms with as many knowledge hungry members as possible.

We are making every effort to help you make sure that there are 30 or more people attending each training session. We have already sent flyers and sign-up sheets along with a step by step instruction sheet on “How to Fill up the Room” to your Local. You will find additional copies of these instructions at the training table near the ATU registration table. At that table you will also find a form to fill out to schedule a training day at your Local. Making arrangements for trainings with the ATU International Union is the responsibility of Local Presidents. Please review these courses and decide which is best for your Local. If your president is not attending this conference you may take the sheet back to her/him and they can fax it to the number listed on the sheet, only.

With every best wish, I remain.

In solidarity,

Lawrence J. Hanley International President

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ATU COURSES

Allies at Every Stop: Organizing Passengers and Building PowerThe essential training for understanding what is at stake for our union, learning how to mobilize our members and riders, and learning how to mount campaigns to save our jobs and the transit systems that our communities depend on.

Grievances and Arbitration/The Advocate’s PrayerGrant Me The Ability to Win My Grievance: How do you do that? This training will address the six parts to the theory of the case, the three types of evidence, effective time-line management, and the burden of proof in discipline and contract interpretation grievances

The New Health Care LawNegotiating under the “Affordable Health Care Act” (Obamacare) Key questions and issues facing our locals in 2014 and beyond; bargaining strategies and ATU resources will be discussed.

Parliamentary ProceduresThe essentials for running a better meeting; and handling motions, amendments, challenges to the chair, points of order, reconsideration, voting, and appeals.

Politics That Build Union Power in 2014 and 2016How to build and sustain political power: Defining objectives, organizing members, targeting, effective lobbying, fundraising, grassroots operations, building lasting relationships.

LEADERSHIP

What It Takes to Be an Effective Union Member in a Hostile Labor EnvironmentA program for union members and leaders to demystify the power process of collective activity. This workshop is a motivational encounter with a master organizer who guides the participants through the tools and techniques of what they need to know to build local union power and effectiveness both within the union itself and the greater community where the members live and work.

Advanced Communications Skills for Union Leaders and MembersA workshop that contains all of the elements necessary to help participants identify, understand, and correct their communications shortcomings to become first rate, one-on-one communicators and conflict resolvers. This program addresses listening skills, feedback skills, and consensus decision making. Developing Strategic Bargaining CampaignsA workshop designed to prepare union negotiating teams for upcoming contract talks. This program explores all the critical elements needed to level the playing field when dealing with management by learning how to create leverage by maximizing advantages and minimizing disadvantages. This program is bargaining strategy development at its best presented by a master negotiations strategist.

Strategies for Stewards: Create Advantages and Be SuccessfulA unique, steward centric, interactive program that embodies the pro-active organizing model of representation as opposed to the re-active service model. This workshop engages the participants in activities that take away the mystery of advocating for justice in the workplace. Participants leave this program with greater assuredness in their own abilities and with new skills and techniques to back them up.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Operator AssaultsThis workshop module is designed to educate and activate union members about workplace violence, its causes and prevention. It reviews strategies for control, including new technologies, collective bargaining language, training, and workplace and community policies. The information and activities covered will prepare participants to meet with employers and safety agencies, and reach out to the public, the media, and elected officials to make our concerns known.

Restroom AccessThis workshop module is designed to educate and activate union members about the health impact and other problems related to limited restroom access. It reviews strategies for control, including collective bargaining language, training, and workplace and community policies. The information and activities covered will prepare participants to meet with employers and safety agencies, and reach out to the public, the media, and elected officials for support in solving this common problem.

Chemical HazardsChemicals affect transit workers in operations and maintenance, on the road, in the garages and in offices. Diesel exhaust, asbestos, cleaners and degreasers are just a few of the concerns. This module reviews routes of exposure, control methods, and how to get and use chemical information. Applying the skills covered more extensively on the workplace mapping module, participants will return to their workplaces with tools for indentifying and fixing chemical hazards.

Health Protection and PromotionTransit employees, and bus operators in particular, have high rates of diabetes, stroke, musculoskeletal disorders, digestive problems, fatigue and sleep disorders, compared to other workers. Most of the health problems are affected by a combination of factors, including workplace and environmental conditions. Local Unions often face management health programs that focus on individual behavior but exclude work. This workshop reviews how health can be improved through changes in the work environment, in how work is organized and in support for workers with health problems. The innovative practices for protecting and promoting worker health will provide participants with concrete ideas for taking control of health in the workplace.

Workplace and Health Hazard MappingThese workshops demonstrate practical tools to help transit workers identify hazards they face at work, plan controls and corrections, and track success. The workplace mapping module can be applied to the entire workplace, or a location or issue of special concern. The body or health mapping module is a productive way both to open up a free discussion of workplace health and safety and to analyze and document what the current problems are.

ErgonomicsWorking too hard, too long, in awkward positions and without moving leads to pain and strain. In this workshop, body mapping techniques are applied to the problems active and sedentary workers face. Tactics will be explored for avoiding and correcting work conditions that lead to muscle strain, back pain and nerve compression problems that are common across transit titles. The focus is on finding out what factors in the work environment cause these problems, and what needs to be done to eliminate them.

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BIG PICTURE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL TOPICS

The War on PensionsEmployers from the Fortune 500 to City Hall are looking to dump traditional pensions and retiree benefits. Learn how unions are successfully fighting back to defend their pensions, what information you’ll need to extract from management in bargaining in order to hang on to what you’ve got, and how recent changes in the law may affect your retirement. We’ll also review the distinct issues facing employees in public pension programs, those in the private sector participating in single-employer pension plans, and those in multi-employer plans.

Roots of the Public Sector Budget CrisisStates are swimming in red ink, and politicians across the spectrum are putting public services on the chopping block. From Wisconsin to West Virginia, unionized teachers, bus drivers, and librarians have become Public Enemy Number One. This workshop will explain how state and local budgets got to be such a mess, why politicians are slashing and burning public services instead of reversing a generation of tax cuts, and what public sector unions need to do to get out of this bind.

Fighting Privatization and OutsourcingThis workshop will explain who’s behind the push to privatize transportation services in cities and states around the country and what you can do to stop it. We will also examine several successful campaigns to defend essential services, highlighting their work to build solidarity with other unions and find allies in the community.

How the Global Economy is Connected to YouMany jobs are part of the global production chain, yet we don’t always see how our work has been transformed by the forces of globalization. This workshop will explore how transit workers are connected to the global economy, and how you can build solidarity in your workplace and beyond. We will review what some unions are doing to strengthen global connections and how they’re using those relationships to bolster local campaigns.

CONTRACT CAMPAIGNS, BARGAINING, AND STRIKES

Building an Effective Contract CampaignLearn how to build a comprehensive contract campaign that can tip the odds in your favor. This workshop will review how to bring members in early, mobilize, and turn up the heat. We’ll discuss campaign escalation, creative tactics, and other building blocks of a good campaign, including working with community allies and taking the fight directly to management.

Successful Bargaining: What You Do away from the Table Matters the Most

Too often union leaders get bogged down in details of bargaining and neglect our most powerful tool in negotiations: our members! This workshop will teach proven strategies for engaging members, in bargaining and in the workplace, to turn up the heat during negotiations and get movement from management.

LABOR NOTES STAND-ALONE WORKSHOPS (Pick 2 per day)

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Bargaining Table TacticsLearn skills and strategies to help your members and bargaining team win a strong contract. This workshop will review all the issues you’ll face in your next negotiation: preparing for bargaining, finding pressure points, planning timelines, balancing different interests among the membership, using information requests, avoiding impasse, communicating with members and keeping them involved, and confronting demands for concessions.

Preparing Your Bargaining TeamWhether it’s your first time or you’ve been bargaining for years, this workshop will help you get ready to sit down with management. We’ll review how to set ground rules for your negotiating team, the roles of the chief spokesperson and bargaining committee, best practices for communicating with members and involving members in bargaining sessions, and how and when to caucus. We’ll also examine common problems bargaining committees run into—and how you can avoid them.

Continuous BargainingIs management introducing new technologies, new policies, or work restructuring programs like lean, 5S, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, or the Toyota Production System? Are you finding your contracts ineffective at protecting against changes that hurt members and weaken the union? Is the employer hiding behind “management rights”? This workshop will teach you “Continuous Bargaining,” a strategic approach that builds on the union’s legal rights while focusing on an active member response to management’s daily effort to undermine what we’ve won at the bargaining table.

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Social Media for the Rank and FileTrain up on using blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a host of other online tools to kickstart your local organizing. This workshop will review best practices from across the union movement, with a particular focus on how rank-and-file union activists are putting these tools to work to expand their reach and get their message directly to the public.

How to Craft an Effective Public MessageThis workshop will help union leaders and activists connect with the public and frame union issues in a way that maximizes public support. We will look at cases where unions have won the battle of public opinion, and talk about the connection between our message and our actions.

Learning to Tell Your StoryThere is nothing quite as powerful as a compelling story. This workshop will show participants how to use individual stories as part of building successful organizing campaigns. We will identify the elements of an effective story and learn how individuals can tell powerful stories to motivate our co-workers and connect with our communities. Participants will also get hands-on practice to sharpen their storytelling skills.

Public Speaking for Rank-and-File Union MembersAre you terrified of speaking in public? This workshop will help you get a grip on your nerves and learn practical tips for effective public speaking. Participants will get hands-on practice making presentations, motivating others, and providing feedback.

How to Make Effective Flyers and NewslettersThis workshop will cover all the basics—plus a few advanced tips—for writing flyers and newsletters. We’ll look at examples of the best and the worst, and offer practical tips for getting your point across and getting your flyer read. Participants are encouraged to bring examples of their work to share.

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A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Taking Photos that Can Build Your CampaignsDon’t just snap photos. Find out how to work with perspective, angles, light, and motion to tell compelling stories with the pictures you take for leaflets and newsletters. This workshop will increase your knowledge of image preparation, creation, and editing in a digital environment. This is a hands-on class, so bring your digital camera, your computer, and any equipment needed to download photos.

COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL ORGANIZING

Building Effective Labor-Community AlliancesA community coalition where the union’s approach is “support our fight” can only go so far. This workshop will help participants learn how to cement long-term relationships with community organizations. We’ll also talk about what it takes to get beyond “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”

Political Action that Builds the UnionThe labor movement is facing a sustained political assault across the country. Budget-cutting Republicans and Democrats both have public sector unions squarely in their sights. This workshop will discuss how the labor movement can confront these attacks and push a political program that benefits working people everywhere. We’ll provide a round-up of what’s working—and what’s not—in our efforts to reshape the political landscape, and talk about what can be done locally to rebuild workers’ political power.

Coalitions Defending Public ServicesIt seems everything from health care to public transportation is now on the chopping block. How do we beat back austerity? This workshop will review what works and what doesn’t. We’ll look at various examples of unions and community groups who are banding together to protect services and build sustainable alliances.

GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE

Assertive Grievance HandlingFighting grievances isn’t just about enforcing the contract. It’s about building union power on the job. This workshop for stewards and union reps will look at how to use the grievance procedure strategically—including how to choose your battles, prepare your case, and mobilize members to put muscle behind your grievances.

Investigating and Writing GrievancesThis workshop will teach participants the best practices for investigating and writing grievances. We’ll cover the five W’s (who, what, where, when, and why) of interviewing witnesses, as well as the common mistakes stewards make in the process. We’ll present several examples of effective grievance language, teaching participants how to be clear and direct while leaving flexibility to expand your case. Participants will also review the difference between a grievance and a gripe, and why sometimes the best grievance is the one you never have to write.

Legal Rights of Union StewardsThis workshop will review the “special status” of union stewards under federal labor law, and the key rights that union stewards have on the job. We’ll cover Weingarten rights, the duty of fair representation, and the dos and don’ts of effective representation.

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What is Just Cause?Just Cause is the cornerstone of most union contracts. This workshop will provide you with an updated version of the “seven tests” of just cause and help you understand and apply these principles to real-world union situations. We will also cover examples related to friction with supervisors, off-duty conduct, and offenses such as sleeping on the job, absenteeism, and sexual harassment. We will also provide sample contract language and tips for using just cause as foundation for grievances and arbitrations.

Getting Results without GrievancesSometimes the most effective grievances are the ones you never write. This workshop will help participants identify ways to solve worksite problems through a range of methods outside the grievance procedure, as well as how to use the grievance procedure as part of a comprehensive strategy. We will also explore ways to build escalating pressure on management to solve on-the-job problems. We’ll also sift through the difference between a grievance and a gripe.

Interpreting Contract LanguageSometimes your best defense isn’t spelled out in the contract but relies on how contract language is interpreted. This workshop will teach participants some of the common ways transit workers use broad contract language to defend their rights on the job. We will also look at some of the more creative ways contract language has been used to keep management at bay.

MEMBER-TO-MEMBER ORGANIZING

Secrets of a Successful OrganizerHow do you get your co-workers to join you in building union strength and taking on the boss? Learn proven strategies that get more members involved. This workshop, perfect for new activists or up-and-coming leaders, will cover the basics of successful organizing. We will first examine how to have effective organizing conversations, how to identify issues in the workplace, and how to spot other potential leaders. Then we will learn how to build on-the-job organizing campaigns.

Beating ApathyAre you beating your head against the wall trying to get other workers involved? This workshop is for you. We’ll review success stories from workers who turned their workplaces around and turned apathy into action. Learn practical organizing tools for mapping your workplace, talking to members, and building to action on the issues people care about.

Organizing New MembersThe labor movement’s numbers are shrinking, but there are plenty of workers who still want to join the union. This workshop will examine how local unions can increase their strength by organizing the unorganized. Participants will learn the building blocks of a successful organizing campaign, and how rank-and-file union members can plug into new organizing efforts.

Building an On-the-Job Organizing NetworkSometimes the most valuable things we can do to increase our on-the-job power are the simplest. This workshop will go step by step to describe how an on-the-job organizing network can be built. The first steps are mapping your workplace, identifying co-workers for one-on-one conversations, and planning for outreach. Then you build to assessing and testing co-workers’ ability to help build the network, and planning simple steps to express unity. We’ll also cover trying out different communication techniques and learning how to discuss hard issues without drama.

Organizing Across DifferencesNothing makes a boss happier than dividing workers against each other. Whether the differences are race, gender, age, skill, ethnicity, or even tiny distinctions in job title (Tech A vs. Tech B), the tactic is the same: their magic weapon is keeping us fighting each other, instead of joining each other to fight the boss. In this workshop you’ll gain an understanding of how this divisive tactic is used, and what you and your co-workers can do to call it out, challenge it, and overcome it in your workplace.

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UNION SOLIDARITY AND LABOR HISTORY

Lessons from Labor History The U.S. and Canada both witnessed impressive upsurges in worker and community activity in the 1960s and 70s, and earlier in the 1930s and 40s. These upsurges led to important social and economic gains—though today we’re fighting to defend many of these gains against fresh attacks. How did contemporary economic conditions fuel these upsurges, and what lessons we can draw for today’s economic and social justice organizers? What do good union activists need to know about our history?

Why Do Unions Matter?Are unions a thing of the past? Union membership has been falling in the U.S. since the early 1950s, and the politicians and pundits are happy to conclude this is because workers don’t want or need unions. But the truth is that employers have found so many ways to prevent unionization—legally and otherwise—that most workers who want a union can’t join one. This workshop will help you understand why unions matter, and how they protect workers’ rights and interests better than any other system could.

More than Bread and Butter: Why Social Justice Matters to Unions“Bread-and-butter unionism”—focusing only on improving wages and economic benefits for members through collective bargaining—has been the union movement’s main focus for so many years that many members assume it’s the only thing the union can, or should, do. But this narrow approach actually limits the benefits of union membership. “Social justice unionism” means also taking on the root causes of inequality that make workers vulnerable: lack of a strong social safety net, discrimination, sexism, bad government spending priorities, poor public education. When unions take on these issues, the benefits spread beyond the workplace into members’ lives and communities. This workshop will highlight successful social justice campaigns by a variety of unions, and explore how they can take root in your own union.

Solidarity Works! Build Unity with Other Unions The lessons of solidarity are consistent all over the country and throughout labor history: one group of workers—no matter how large, how well-organized, or how critical to the economy—is weakened if it’s fighting alone. Striking teachers need bus drivers to refuse to drive kids across their picket lines. Hospital maintenance workers get a big boost when the nurses rally with them. This workshop will help you understand who are potential union allies, how to begin communication, steps to build trust, how to construct shared campaigns, and how to anticipate—and avoid—problems that may crop up.

If Not Us? Understanding Each Member’s Responsibility to Build the UnionAs a union leader, how many times have you heard from a member: “What has the union done for me lately?” And if you are a rank-and-file member, maybe you feel tired of hearing from your officers or union staff: “I can’t do everything for you. Remember, you are the union.” This workshop will help us get beyond the frustration and finger-pointing and understand how each member, leader, and union staffer can contribute to a strong, well-organized union. Through simple steps—including setting goals, timelines, division of tasks, and developing support systems—the work can get done, and the union’s power can grow.