Union Administration Training

(This article first appeared in the May-June 2017 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

By Research & Education Director Joyce Robinson

The Research and Education Department developed a training program entitled “Union Administration,” and will conduct several training programs in 2017.

The training is a week-long program designed to assist local and state APWU Executive Officers in acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to run an effective union, and to meet the upcoming struggles and challenges of the future.

The training is limited to APWU local and state presidents, executive vice presidents and secretary-treasurers. Training will be provided by APWU national officers, staff and affiliate organizations. The registration fee is $450 per person and includes materials, coffee breaks and a graduation dinner.

Curriculum Synoposis

• Effective Leadership Skills - Discusses the responsibilities and challenges of leadership and explores ways to build an effective team to achieve a common goal.
• Efficient Time Management - Provides participants with time management tools, including setting priorities, managing paper work and eliminating time wasters.
• Coalition Building - Identifies coalition partners and explores how to maintain a successful relationship to collaborate on joint projects.
• Conducting Effective Meetings - Teaches a basic knowledge of parliamentary procedure, and explains how to organize an agenda for productive and efficient union meetings.
• Dealing with Difficult People - Aids in finding alternative approaches to conflict resolution and develops participant’s ability to listen attentively and use “I” messages when giving feedback.
• Duties of Election Committees - Highlights the “Dos and Don’ts” for running union elections.
• Fiduciary Responsibilities - Discusses creating a budget, keeping track of and controlling expenditures and safeguarding union funds.
• Filing and Defending a Charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) - Outlines the documentation needed to file a successful claim with the NLRB and explains how to defend the union when a member files a charge.
• Labor History - Looks at the major struggles of the past and examines how we can apply the lessons learned to the challenges we face today.
• Monitoring Dues Check Off (DCO) - Tracks the processing of 1187 Forms, managing transfers to other locals and making dues adjustments.
• Officers Duties and Responsibilities - Explains how each department interacts with their local/ state counterpart to aid in identifying and resolving work place issues.
• Recruiting Union Activists and Volunteers - Teaches how to effectively identify, recruit and maintain union activists.
• Setting Goals - Assists officers in setting priorities and outlines a procedure to measure its progress.
• Stress Management - Analyzes the causes, the health consequences and strategies for managing or eliminating stress.
• Structuring Constitution and Bylaws - Features policies to include in local and state constitutions and bylaws, also gives instructions on handling charges filed against officers and stewards.
• Understanding Diversity - Aids participants in understanding and respecting that each individual comes from a different background and has a unique prespective and explains how collective diversity makes the union strong.
• Utilizing the News Media - Gives instructions on notifying the media, when to submit press releases or event media advisories and what not to say during interviews.

For additional information, visit the APWU Calendar of Events at www.apwu.org/events/category/national-events, click on the Union Administration Training in your region and follow the link for hotel information and to print a registration form.