Workshops

• New Activist Workshop
• Steward Training: Please submit request for Steward Training to your ERO (click here to find your ERO)
• NSGEU Week-Long School
  • Advanced Steward
  • Leadership
  • Political Lobbying
  • Mobilizing the Membership
  • Communications
  • Talking Mobilizing Among Generations

New Activist Workshop: (2 days) This course is open to all members of the NSGEU. It includes: an overview of workers’ rights and the relevance of unions; an overview of other labour bodies and relevant Nova Scotia legislation; NSGEU structure and function, including an overview of our constitution and by-laws, and an explanation of bargaining; equity and human rights, and their importance to the union. The program uses small groups to ensure that everyone who attends gets to participate. Back to Top

NSGEU Week-long School: (5 days) This program develops the next generation of union leaders and activists. Members who want to attend must write a description of their union involvement and how they intend to use their education.Back to Top

Classes generally offered at NSGEU Week-Long School:

Advanced Steward – This course is for chief stewards or experienced stewards who have completed Steward Level II with an emphasis on the role stewards play in the workplace, and relevant labour law. This program uses many role-playing and real-life scenarios to improve grievance-handling skills and examine issues like duty to accommodate, harassment, addiction issues and effective ways of dealing with management.Back to Top

Leadership – This course covers leadership skills and styles, conflict resolution, power relations, union building, accountability, inclusion, priorities and planning, and diversity issues.Back to Top

Political Lobbying  – This course covers the history and structure of the labour movement, membership mobilizing, communications, working with coalitions, lobbying, media, and campaigns. This course is not offered every year.Back to Top

Mobilizing the Membership – The mobilizing course trains Local leaders and activists to develop and implement strategies to mobilize the membership, whether in workplace campaigns, public opinion campaigns, lobbying efforts or direct action. The course focuses on the planning and organization of campaigns and developing the skills to recruit and mobilize members.Back to Top

Communications – This course focuses on public speaking for union activists. It teaches activists the tools to improve their public speaking skills to assist them in their leadership roles within the union.Back to Top

Talking Mobilizing Among Generations – Workplaces are rapidly changing, as a new generation enters the workforce. There are at least 4 generations trying to work together, and we need the participation of workers from multiple generations in order to run this course successfully. Its purpose is to increase your awareness of the needs and realities of the members of different generations in the union and workplace. This course will build your level of comfort and skill to engage in meaningful cross-generational dialogue, in order to make and ensure our workplaces are safe and healthy for all. Union membership has to be active to make gains, protect what we have won, or work out new ways of working together to achieve our goals in the workplace.Back to Top