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Activist programs
Women Activists Program (3-day)
This course covers a wide range of issues, such as women's work, history and activism, and how we can work towards equality.
Canada and the World
This course will reflect on our views of and connections to workers in the global south and look at some alternatives to the environmental and social problems we face.
Women's Advocate - Basic
This 40-hour course is for Advocates who have been selected or elected under a bargained Women’s Advocate program.
Stress: The Workplace Hazard
This course gives leadership/activists the awareness to recognize the physical and psychological hazards of workplace stress.
Economics for Trade Unionists
This course will provide an introduction to economics that will allow participants to confront more effectively and confidently the standard economic arguments about competitiveness, the private sector, and austerity.
Women Activists (1-week course)
The Unifor Women Activists program provides women with the tools to organize, hold ground on the gains we’ve made, and push forward to build a movement for women’s economic and social equality.
Women in Collective Bargaining
Our union needs the voices and priorities of women at the negotiating table. Are you already a member of your bargaining committee, or interested in developing skills to take an active part in union negotiations?
Women in Leadership
Women in the union are very excited about this leadership program which picks up where the Women Activists program leaves off.
Women, Power & Political Action
If women are to realize true equality it means engaging in political action and challenging power.
Women's Advocate - Update
This annual three-day update course for Women Advocates is to keep you up to date on the evolving area of intimate partner and domestic violence.
Women Activists (1-day)
his is a course for women in Unifor. Are you already involved in the union and struggling to balance the triple day (work, home, union); or are you thinking about becoming involved in the union to work on issues that are important to you?
Political Action & Mobilization
Every day decisions are being made by all levels of government that may have a positive, or negative, impact on our lives. This course will touch on the issues that are timely and relevant.
Young Worker Activist
This course is designed specifically for members aged 35 and under, to further develop their skills and to ensure they can access the necessary tools to play an active role in the union.
Conflict Resolution - Level 1
Conflict. It's part of our personal lives and part of our working lives.
Building Activism (1 day course)
Stuck in a rut and looking for some new and creative ways to approach activist work? Just beginning as an activist and want to get some ideas on how to organize around issues?
Women Activists Program (3-day)
This course covers a wide range of issues, such as women's work, history and activism, and how we can work towards equality.
Women's Advocate - Basic
This 40-hour course is for Advocates who have been selected or elected under a bargained Women’s Advocate program.
Women's Advocate - Update
This annual three-day update course for Women Advocates is to keep you up to date on the evolving area of intimate partner and domestic violence.
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Community and Political Action
Climate Change and Our Jobs
This country can no longer afford an economic model that treats the natural environment and human beings as disposable goods. The time has come to chart a new model and direction for Canada's economy.
Building Activism in our Workplace, Union & Community
Ready to take action? Sign up for this course and help mobilize, motivate, inspire and re-energize yourself as an activist.
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EFAP / Substance Abuse
Worker Referral Assistance Program - Level One
This course is for Employee & Family Assistance or Substance Abuse Representatives or new peer referral agents who have not yet had the opportunity to take part in the CLC Labour Community Advocate (previously Union Counselling) course in their communities.
Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
The course introduces the issues and needs that Unifor EFAP programs address from alcohol and substance abuse to other issues where members or their families may need referral to professional counseling.
Worker Referral Assistance Program – Level Two
This Course is for previous graduates of Worker Referral Assistance Program Level 1 or Employee & Family Assistance or Substance Abuse Representatives with equivalent to Level 1 experience.
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General Membership Courses
Planning for your Future (4 day)
The course is aimed at involving Unifor members now – and in retirement – in various union campaigns, community groups, Unifor social justice projects and Unifor retiree chapters.
Pay Equity - Ontario
Did you know?…Ontario has one of the highest gender pay gaps in the world – a shocking 29%. For every $1.00 earned by men, women earn just 71¢.
Environment - Workplace
This course is designed to provide workplace union environment representatives and local union environment committee members with tools and strategies for limiting the damage our workplaces have on the environment.
Union Communications with New Technologies
Building a strong union depends on good communication between members, activists and leadership.
Getting to Know Your Union
This interactive one-day course is a basic introduction to Unifor. This course is ideal for anyone - whether you are new to the union or have been a long time member of the CEP or CAW.
Organizing Workers
If you would like to learn how you can get involved to support an organizing course, then this course will train you on the basics of a campaign.
Finding Your Voice – Public Speaking
You will learn some of the “tricks and traps” of public speaking and respectful conversations.
Planning for your Future
This course is designed for anyone who wants to plan for retirement, even if it’s 20 years away.
Unifor Foundations (Labour & Social Justice Certificate Program Week 1)
The course begins by examining the nature of work and exploring what workers have in common today. We look at how work, conditions of work, and control over work have been shaped by the development of the capitalist system from colonialism to the present day.
Family Education Program
Ever thought of taking a family holiday with your union? Want to meet people from across Canada, learn about our new union and issues facing Canadian families, and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world?
Planning Meeting for Area Courses
A 'Planning Meeting' is an informal, interactive meeting held with local union executive leadership and education activists that will provide an opportunity for area locals to collectively draft an area course schedule.
Collective Bargaining (1-week course)
This week-long program focuses on the importance of preparation, research, drafting contract language and maximizing your bargaining power by developing a strategic approach to bargaining.
Environment – Community
We all care about our environment. But if you want to actually do something about the threats to our water, our air, our land, and our health, then this course will provide you with knowledge and skills to increase your involvement.
Planning for your Future
This course is designed for anyone who wants to plan for retirement, even if it’s 20 years away.
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Health & Safety / Workers Compensation
Health & Safety for Provincial Workers
This one day program is for Unifor health and safety representatives and all those who want to help reduce and eliminate the toll of occupational injury and disease on the worker.
Health & Safety (1-week course)
This is a hands-on course that members and Health and Safety representatives will find invaluable in the work they do on behalf of working people.
Health & Safety for Women
All workers face health and safety issues at work - injuries, workplace hazards, disease and stress. But many of these issues also have a gender dimension - they affect women's bodies in particular ways.
Workers' Compensation - Basic Introduction
This program will provide basic information about workers’ compensation.
Introduction to Ergonomics
This course has been designed to demystify the "Ergonomic Process", allowing our leadership/activists to see beyond the one-dimensional aspect of injury reduction (important as this is), while also recognizing a powerful tool to be used to improve the ergonomic and psycho-social well-being of our members as they proceed through their working lives.
Health & Safety Certification 1 - BC
This introductory course will introduce new committee members to the basic principles of workplace health and safety. Unifor has developed this course to meet the standard and the 3 important changes to the WCB Regulation that became effective April 1, 2017.
WSIB - Claims Strategy (Workers Safety & Insurance Board ONTARIO ONLY)
This OFL course focuses on developing and strengthening the skills needed for effectively filing claims.
WSIB - Medical Orientation (Workers Safety & Insurance Board ONTARIO ONLY)
The medical orientation course is a comprehensive program designed to break down the barrier of communicating in 'medicalese'.
Compensation for Ontario Workers - Level 1 (formerly WSIB – Level I & II)
This course is an introductory program designed for Ontario members who are new to the field of workers’ compensation but want to develop the skills and knowledge to represent injured workers in the initial stages of a claim.
WSIB – Return to Work (Workers Safety & Insurance Board ONTARIO ONLY)
This program focuses on the process of helping injured workers return to work as quickly and safely as possible, with dignity and job security.
WSIB – Topical Issues (Workers Safety & Insurance Board ONTARIO ONLY)
This Ontario Federation of Labour program combines a series of short workshops on topical WSIB issues.
Resisting Abuse - a course for BC Transit Workers
Unifor is working to stop the epidemic of workplace violence against transit workers and road transport workers in British Columbia. Workplace violence means physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse that occurs in the course of any work-related duty.
Accident and Incident Investigation for Workplace Health & Safety Representatives
This 5 day course is an introduction to accident investigation. The prime objective of accident investigation is prevention – finding the causes of an accident and taking steps to control or eliminate it can help prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.
Workers’ Compensation (3-day)
This three-day course on workers’ compensation is for workers' compensation advocates (both new and experienced), bargaining committee members, stewards and committeepersons, worker health and safety committee members, other union workplace representatives, and interested members.
WSIB Appeals – Level III (Workers Safety & Insurance Board ONTARIO ONLY)
The program is designed to provide the skills necessary to enable worker representatives to represent workers in various dispute resolution schemes.
Health & Safety: Beyond the Basics
Participants discuss the causes and solutions to the hazardous working conditions workers face in the workplace and learn about regulations and legislation required under the Occupational Health and Safety Act .
Health & Safety for Federal Workers
This Health and Safety program focuses specifically on health and safety provisions known as Part II of the Code.
Compensation for Ontario Workers - Level 1 (formerly WSIB – Level I & II)
This course is an introductory program designed for Ontario members who are new to the field of workers’ compensation but want to develop the skills and knowledge to represent injured workers in the initial stages of a claim.
Health & Safety Certification 1 - BC
This introductory course will introduce new committee members to the basic principles of workplace health and safety. Unifor has developed this course to meet the standard and the 3 important changes to the WCB Regulation that became effective April 1, 2017.
Resisting Abuse - a course for BC Transit Workers
Unifor is working to stop the epidemic of workplace violence against transit workers and road transport workers in British Columbia. Workplace violence means physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse that occurs in the course of any work-related duty.
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Human rights & Anti-Harassment
Human Rights are Workers’ Rights (1-week course)
Our week-long human rights program is a must for leadership and activists in our growing, diverse union.
Pride Activist Course
Are you a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Unifor member? Are you interested in improving your social change skills?
Turtle Island: A first peoples awareness for union activists and leaders
Unionism on Turtle Island is a course in which we will explore the shared history between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
Human Rights are Workers Rights - 1-day
Participants will learn about human rights from a working-class perspective and apply basic trade union principles and tools to the struggle for human rights.
Harassment Investigator Training (3-day)
This 3-day program is designed for local union workplace representatives and their management counterparts, and is designed to increase the investigator’s communication skills, knowledge, and confidence to deal with harassment complaints.
Aboriginal & Workers of Colour - Week 2
This is a two-week program designed for Unifor members who are Aboriginal and/or workers of colour.
Harassment Investigator Training (5-day)
This course is designed for local union workplace reps, to help increase communication skills, knowledge and give you the confidence to deal with harassment complaints.
Human Rights are Workers' Rights (3-day course)
Our three-day Human Rights are Workers’ Rights Course provides Unifor leadership and activists with the opportunity to develop the skills and perspectives we need to build a stronger, more inclusive union.
Turtle Island: A first peoples awareness for union activists and leaders
Unionism on Turtle Island is a course in which we will explore the shared history between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
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Leadership & Leadership Development
Collective Bargaining (1 day course)
If you’re on your bargaining committee, or if you want to know more about the bargaining process, or run for election, this is an important course to take.
Arbitration for Leadership
This course is designed to provide local union representatives with a detailed guide on how to investigate and write up grievances and prepare for arbitration.
Collective Bargaining - Health Care Workers
Want to strengthen your negotiation skills and learn more about Unifor bargaining priorities in the health care sector?
Collective Bargaining - Retail/Service Workers
Want to strengthen your negotiation skills and learn more about Unifor bargaining priorities in the retail, service and hospitality sectors?
Grievance Handling & Workplace Leadership - Health Care Workers
This program is designed to equip workplace leaders within the health care sector, with the skills and tools needed to defend the rights of workers and to develop an understanding of the role of a workplace representative in building a strong membership and local union.
Grievance Handling & Workplace Leadership - Retail/Service Workers
This program is designed to equip workplace leaders representing workers in a retail, service or hospitality setting, with the skills and tools needed to defend the rights of workers and to develop an understanding of the role of a workplace representative in building a strong membership and local union.
Aboriginal & Workers of Colour - Week 1
This program is intended to build the skills, knowledge and confidence of Unifor Aboriginal and workers of colour members to increase their activism and take up positions of leadership within the union.
Grievance Handling – Basic
Would you like to know how shop stewards or committeepersons investigate grievances, present them to management and write them up properly?
Grievance Handling & Workplace Leadership (1-week course)
Are you a Chairperson, Steward or a Committeeperson? Would you like to develop or sharpen your skills?
Grievance Handling & Workplace Leadership (3-day course)
Are you a Chairperson, Steward or a Committeeperson? Would you like to develop or sharpen your skills?
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Local Union Executive Training
Executive Board Training
In this week-long program we’ll explore the duties and responsibilities of executive board members, consider various aspects of leadership and address membership involvement.
Local Union Finances (3 day)
The program will cover all aspects of recording and safeguarding the funds and financial records of a local union; and the duties of the financial officer as an integral part of the Local Union Executive.
Building Strong Local Unions
Having a strong local union is important in fighting back against some of the challenges currently facing Unifor members across the country.
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Workplace Issues
Lead Hand Program
Are you a lead hand, team leader, journey person, shift leader, head cashier, or similar? This course is designed for Union members who provide direction to other members in their workplace.
Conflict Resolution - Level 2
This advanced Conflict Resolution course is designed to deepen our understanding of conflict and the roles each party plays in that conflict.
Building a Respectful Workplace Environment (Anti-Harassment)
This course concentrates on defining harassment and exploring the legal and moral obligations of both employers and unions in creating and maintaining a harassment-free workplace.
Lead Hand Program
Are you a lead hand, team leader, journey person, shift leader, head cashier, or similar? This course is designed for Union members who provide direction to other members in their workplace.
Time Study - Easing the Pace of Work
This course is a basic introduction for production standards reps and in-plant reps whose job it is to challenge management’s job standards.
Toxic Substances in the Workplace
This course gives leadership and activists awareness of the hazards of toxic substances.
Duty to Accommodate
If you are a shop steward, workplace representative, chairperson, accommodation rep, or employment equity rep/women’s advocate, then this course is especially for you.
Collective Bargaining (3-day)
In this program we will focus on maximizing our bargaining power by developing a strategic approach to bargaining.
Resisting Abuse: A Course for Health Care Workers
Studies show that health care providers are at sixteen times greater risk for non-fatal workplace violence than other workers, including law enforcement workers.
Workplace Bullying: An Occupational Hazard
This workshop is about identifying the hazard of workplace bullying. It will give workers and union representatives the tools to help identify, investigate and resolve the very serious issue of Workplace Bullying.