Join AFT-Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Union Leadership Institute February 26-28 at the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells! This program will offer an intensive, weekend-long training for AFT-Wisconsin members who want to develop their skills as effective local leaders. This is an excellent opportunity for AFT-Wisconsin leaders and activists to get hands-on training in union skills and to exchange ideas with your union brothers and sisters.
Eligibility
Course Descriptions
Agenda
Costs
Lodging
Registration
The Wisconsin ULI is open only to active members of AFT-Wisconsin. Each course caps at 15 people. Priority will be given to emerging leaders and to those who have not had training like this in the past.
Course Descriptions
Building Political Power in the Workplace
Are you one of those people that have always had an interest in politics, but find engaging in political work to be intimidating? Have you watched the news or heard about an issue and thought “someone ought to do something to change that”? Or are you the person who is tuned in and active in politics, but can’t figure out how to motivate your fellow union members? During the course of the weekend you will learn skills to enable you to testify like a rock star in front of elected representatives, make you a top-notch lobbyist and most importantly, provide you with exceptional strategies, knowledge and skills to get your co-workers and your community engaged in politics.
Introduction to Collective Bargaining
This workshop is the first in series on the mechanics of bargaining. Learning by doing is this participatory course’s key feature, an approach that prepares you to be a full player in the bargaining process. Its focus will be for those who have never been involved in bargaining or who never had the opportunity to take formal training on the subject. While in the class you'll look at how locals prepare for bargaining, how they select their bargaining team and bargaining support committee, how the team and committee are trained and interact with one another, the membership and management. In addition we'll have discussion of all of the stake-holders that influence bargaining and what locals can do to engage them.
A Look at “Continuous” Bargaining: Health Benefits Committees
Negotiating a contract is only one aspect of the collective bargaining relationship between the union and the employer. Issues arise during the term of an agreement that may not be easily resolved by referring to the contract or may not have contemplated by the parties during bargaining. Existing contract language may be insufficient or even cumbersome in dealing with a dynamic situation. We’ll look at the role of labor-management committees in “continuous bargaining” through the experience of health benefits committees, but the lessons learned will be applicable to every aspect of the collective bargaining relationship.
Agenda
Friday
7:00 p.m. Orientation
7:30-8:30 p.m. Class
8:30-10:30 p.m. Reception
Saturday
8:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00am-10:30 Classes resume
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00 p.m. Classes resume
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 Classes resume
2:30-2:45 Break
2:45-4:00 Classes resume
6:00-7:00 Group dinner
7:00-8:30 Classes resume
Sunday
8:00-9:00 a.m. Breakfast
9:00-10:30 Classes resume
10:30-12:00 p.m. Plenary and closing remarks
Costs
There is no cost to participants or locals to participate in the Wisconsin ULI!
Thanks to money allocated by AFT-Wisconsin, hotel accommodations (based on double occupancy) are paid for by the state federation. All Saturday meals and Sunday breakfast are group meals that are sponsored by AFT-Wisconsin.
Lodging
All classes and overnight rooms are reserved at the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells. To save costs to the union, participants are asked to share a room whenever possible. Families are welcome. All reservations will be made through the AFT-W office.
Registration
Registration for the Spring 2010 ULI is now full. You may add your name to the waiting list by clicking the link below.
Classes are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. In the event that AFT-W cancels a class, members registered for that class will be contacted at our earliest convenience and offered the opportunity to participate in another class. Please note that AFT-W representatives will contact registrants' local presidents for attendance approval prior to attending the ULI.
Click here to add your name to the waiting list.
