A critical component of our Council’s identified goals and direction is to increase our available trainings for locals to increase our membership numbers, grow our union solidarity, strengthen our locals, increase activism and improve the lives of our members!

The following trainings are available upon request through your Council 5 Field Representative. Customized trainings are also available to focus on your local’s particular needs. In addition, a training can highlight a particular area to complement the local’s experience and availability. Training times often vary from 1-hour, 4-hours, a full-day, or anything in-between. We’re happy to help!

ALL SECTOR TRAININGS

Arbitration Merit Training
This training is for locals that are working to establish a review panel for grievances that have been through the steps prior to arbitration. Locals will learn what merit in an arbitration is, and how to assess it. This training is imperative for any local establishing a review panel, and for the review panel once it has been established.

Contract/MAT Training
A Member Action Team (MAT) is part of any well-organized local. But what do they do, and how do you build a successful one? This training will help locals assess where they’re at and assist locals with creating a MAT team plan so they can have a robust contract structure.

Governance Training
Running a local union has many facets. This training will teach local officers how to effectively plan and execute meetings, ensure constitutional compliance, and discuss how your local union fits into the larger AFSCME and labor union picture. 

Local Website, Social Media Training
Local website training is for locals who are interested in creating and maintaining a website for your local to keep members updated with news alerts and calls to action, articles, meetings, events, and more. We are happy to offer a separate social media activism training that will ensure your local is prepared to externally communicate with members and the public on the great work of your local union and successful workplace actions and solidarity.

Negotiating Team Training
The negotiations table team is an integral part of the negotiations process. The Negotiations Team Training is meant to help the team learn their role in negotiations, as well as discuss how to make sure members' voices are heard at the table, and the beginning phases of an escalation campaign.

New Member Orientation Training
New Member Orientation is the best time to approach co-workers about joining the union. However, creating a program that works for your individual local can feel daunting. This training is to help local leaders create a new member orientation program that works for them so that they have successful conversations with new co-workers.

Steward Training
This training is for anyone that is a current steward, new steward, or maybe interested in becoming a steward. This comprehensive training examines why we decide to become stewards, the steward’s role in investigations, filing grievances, labor management committees and more. This training can also be modularized to be offered in short pieces to fit your local’s needs. Modules include Investigations, Writing and Filing Grievances, 7 Tests of Just Cause, Labor Management Committees.

Strike Training
Strikes have been making national attention recently, and for good reason. They are a tool in our union’s toolbox to apply pressure for a fair contract. But strikes take a lot of planning and thought. This training will help locals and bargaining units create a strike preparedness plan, as well as a bargaining strategy. 

STATE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TRAININGS FOR LOCALS AND MEMBERS

Lay-off Article Training
This short training focuses specifically on Article 15-Layoffs of the state executive branch contract. While it is some of the most robust language that AFSCME has for layoffs, it’s often very confusing. The training helps to dispel some of the confusion around the language.

State Bargaining Process Training
The state bargaining process is a lengthy process that has many moving pieces. Because it’s such a large undertaking, it can become convoluted. This training is meant to give state executive branch locals a look at how the process works and why we do the things we do during the state bargaining season. 

State Contract Training
This training is a good companion for steward training, as it is intended to be a deep dive into the state multi-unit master contract. This training is for both new and seasoned stewards to gain a firm understanding of state contract interpretation.

State Steward Training
This training has some components of the State Contract Training added into the steward training.

All trainings, except Financial Responsibility, can be scheduled through your assigned Field Representative. Please contact your Council 5 Field Representative by calling our Member Action Center at 651-450-4990 or 1-800-652-9791, or by email at [email protected].

Financial Responsibility Training
This training is conducted by AFSCME International. Any AFSCME member who signs checks or conducts audits for their local is encouraged to take the class. Join fellow AFSCME leaders to develop these critical skills. To register and attend the next Financial Responsibility Training, please call our Member Action Center at 651-450-4990 or 1-800-652-9791, or by email at [email protected]. Check out our website calendar for any scheduled trainings.

Short on time, or just need a quick refresher? Members who deal with their local's finances are also invited to take advantage of the Financial Standards Code video tutorials at afscmetreasurer.org/trainings.