Winter/Spring 2021 NSO Union Development Trainings

NSO will be offering a limited series of virtual trainings to assist affiliates and members with needed skill and knowledge acquisition during these virtual times. 

All sessions will be held on Saturdays beginning at 1:00pm (Eastern time) and will run for approximately 2 hours.There are limited spots available and a waitlist will be created as sessions fill up.

Registered participants will be sent a Zoom link prior to their session to access the training. 

Register Here

February 27, 2021—Unionism, NSO and YOU!

Designed for newer staff (less than 5 years), this session will discuss what it means to be a member of your staff union; where NSO fits in and what is the role of a union member in the larger world of organized labor. Some history, some resources, and a chance to discuss threats and opportunities facing organized labor. 

March 13, 2021—Public vs. Private: Understanding the National Labor Relations Act

As a private sector union, NSO members have different rights and protections than public school employees. “In this session, NSO members will learn what types of practices and behaviors of union members are protected and which are not under the National Labor Relations Act as determined by the NLRB, focusing on how that organization has most recently dealt with social media and public conversations and criticisms of employers and how our collective bargaining agreements tie into protecting our members’ rights under the NLRA. 

April 3, 2021—Getting from A to Z: A Bargaining Primer

A good session for beginning bargainers and those needing a refresher. Everything you need to know from prior to bargaining through the bargaining process will be discussed. This will be an interactive session between the participants and the trainer. Participants will understand the necessary steps and the various options available to reach an agreement.

April 17, 2021—Grievances 101

Grievances are a necessary activity in protecting what you have negotiated into your contract. In this training, discussions and activities will focus on your duty of fair representation, knowing the rights of the member and union advocate, gathering information when a member has a problem, determining the path to get a resolution, understanding your grievance procedure, and the act of writing a grievance. You will need to have your contract to fully participate in this training. 

May 1, 2021–All Aboard the Ally-ship: Practicing Cultural Competency

This workshop focuses on allyship as an introduction to cultural competency. As we strive to become a more culturally competent society, recognizing opportunities to ally with marginalized communities is an important practice. In this session, we will help one another identify the spaces we each occupy and how those spaces affect those around us. How do we support our members and SO sisters and brothers who are different than we are? How do we check our biases and ensure they are not influencing our work and our workplace? 

May 15, 2021—Writing Contract Language

Writing effective contract language is an engaging, hands-on course designed to help participants identify contract language pitfalls. Participants will develop skills and learn best practices for their bargaining needs. Clear contract language enables better management/labor relations by avoiding varying (and unintended) interpretations. Participants will be able to recognize problem areas in their contracts and write clear, comprehensive language for new contract provisions. You will need to have your contract to fully participate in this training.