NORTH WEST REGIONAL EDUCATION
A Message to Unite Members
This page provides the dates for all UNITE education courses scheduled in the Northwest Region for 2020/2021, we have now moved in line with the academic year. As a UNITE workplace representative you are the union at your workplace. In order to fulfil your role effectively it is important that you take advantage of our comprehensive training programme.
The cornerstone of our regional provision is the UNITE Workplace Reps Introductory Certificate Course. Every UNITE representative should attend this 20 day course. If you or any of your fellow activists have yet to attend please contact us to reserve your place.
All UNITE courses dates including all of our National courses can be viewed here. To reserve your place on one of our courses either click the 'Book Now' button under your chosen course or contact us on the phone number or e-mail address below.
TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY OF OUR BROCHURE CLICK HERE
John Lea
Education & Development Organiser – Unite Northwest Region
Tel: 0161 669 8701
E-mail: [email protected]
This is the essential course for all UNITE workplace representatives. This comprehensive 20 day course will give you the professional training you need to represent your members’ interests to the highest level. The course is delivered in 4 stages at our 4 main offices throughout the region. The course covers all the essential areas that reps need to be aware of including negotiation skills, representing members, your rights at work and organising at the workplace.
Workplace Representatives Introductory Certificate Stage 1 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
This course is designed to be the core initial training for Unite workplace reps. The course covers the wide range of knowledge and skills needed by the new Rep including:
• Key skills for organising your workplace
• Handling discipline and grievance cases
• Communication skills
• Introduction to Employment Law Equality at Work
Workplace Representatives Introductory Certificate Stage 2 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
For reps who have completed Module 1A.
This course covers:
• Evaluating and assessing your experience since the Stage 1 course
• Understanding the concept of ‘good work’
• Understanding and dealing with Issues around Dignity and Respect in the workplace
• Problem solving skills
• Bargaining skills
• Work-life balance
• Building a strong workplace union
Workplace Representatives Introductory Certificate Stage 3 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
For reps who have completed Modules 1A & 1B.
The course covers:
• Improving confidence and knowledge in exploring, questioning and using employment law
• Exploring research skills and developing the ability to find out how legal provisions impact on your members rights in the workplace
• How changes to employment law impact on your workplace rights
• Planning alternative solutions other than employment law to your workplace issues
• Working as a team to develop collective actions
Workplace Representatives Introductory Certificate Stage 4 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
The course is designed for representatives as follow on training for those that have completed Modules 1A, 1B and 2A.
This course covers:
• Rights to information
• Workplace Rights
• Collective Bargaining
• Agreements
• The Case for Collective Agreements
• Planning for getting an agreement
• Collective Bargaining and Negotiation
This is the essential course for all UNITE Health & Safety Representatives. This comprehensive 20 day course will give you the professional training you need to represent your members’ interests to the highest level. The course is delivered in 4 stages at our 4 main offices throughout the region. The course covers all the essential areas that reps need to be aware of including how to keep your workplace safe, making your employer aware of potential problems, risks and hazards.
Health & Safety Representatives Certificate Stage 1 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
This course is the essential course for all new Unite Health and Safety Representatives. It is designed to help you build the skills, knowledge and confidence to organise effectively in order to carry out your work as a Safety Rep as well as to create understanding of how economic and others aspects affect the working lives, health, safety and welfare of working people.
The course covers:
• Understanding the role of a Unite Safety Rep
• The legal framework of Health and Safety
• Rights of Safety Reps
• Involving the members in Health and Safety
• Accident Investigations – Risk Assessments
Health & Safety Representatives Certificate Stage 2 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
The course develops the skills and knowledge learnt in Module 1A:
• Examining your workplace risk assessment and evaluating them
• Understanding health & safety audits and company accident statistics
• Appreciate health & safety legislation including aspects of criminal and civil law
Health & Safety Representatives Certificate Stage 3 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
Module 2A of Unites Health & Safety training builds upon the knowledge learnt in Modules 1A and 1B.
The course covers:
• Assessment of workplace action plan
• Understanding COSHH and related hazards
• Carrying out a workplace audit
• Explore manual handing and ergonomic risks
• Creating a healthier work environment
Health & Safety Representatives Certificate Stage 4 - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
Module 2B of Unites Health & Safety training builds upon the knowledge learnt in Modules 1A, 1B and 2A.
This course covers:
• Assessment of workplace action plan
• Understanding accidents and finding route cause
• Investigation techniques
• Managing risks and incidents
Course description:
This course is essential for all Unite Equality Reps. It explores how to promote equality at the workplace, understanding discrimination and harassment, workplace equality audits and the 2010 Equality Act. Activists will also learn how to encourage participation amongst under represented groups and how to use equalities as an organising tool.
On completion of the course Reps should be able to:
• Recognise equality issues within the workplace
• Know what constitutes discrimination, harassment and bullying
• Challenge their perception of equality & diversity
• Understand the key points of new equalities legislation, measures and legal decisions
• Decide how best to support workers in response to new equalities legislation
• Use interviewing techniques to deal with individual and workplace equality issues
• Develop equality policies and practice
We offer a wide range of additional courses open to representatives. You may find some of these suitable for enhancing your existing skills. We advice that you complete your initial reps training before accessing these additional courses.
Alcohol & Drugs Awareness - 5 Day
Course description:
The course is designed to assist Reps to understand the impact of Alcohol and Drugs policies. How to support members and ensure that they too understand what is required of them to work safely and adhere to these policies.
Pensions Stage One - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
This course is designed to provide an understanding of the full range of different pension schemes reps are likely to encounter in the workplace, as well as covering state provision, auto enrolment, pension protections and the role of the ombudsman. We aim to enable workplace representatives to develop their understanding and skills to better support their members and gain confidence in dealing with pensions as part of the bargaining process.
Pensions Stage Two - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
Stage 2 of the pensions course looks at trustee decision making, the role of the actuary, fund investment strategies, negotiating pension issues and pension disputes resolution.
Mental Health Awareness - 2 Days
Course description:
This course will help Reps develop a better understanding on mental health issues and how they affect members in the workplace. You will develop a better understanding of Disability Discrimination Law and how it applies to people with mental health illnesses. The training will enable you to develop a strategy to deal with workplace mental health issues and ensure employees are not discriminated against.
Planning for Retirement - 1 Day
Course description:
This course is for members who are looking to retirement within the next two years.
Branch Secretaries Course - 5 Consecutive Days
Course description:
The Branch Secretary is a key player in the Unite team. The concept of this course is to develop Branch Secretaries within Unite by providing them with the knowledge and skills, and nurturing their passion, to drive forward the ideology of our union, to develop our activist base and grow and strengthen our membership. This course is designed for all new Branch Secretaries, and for those who have not attended the course recently.
The course covers:
• The administrative role of the Branch Secretary
• How the union works
• How ‘lay democracy’ starts at local branch level
• Understanding organisation procedures
• Encouraging active participation within the Unite structure
• Branch Finance
• Understanding the ‘Strategy for Growth’ and the crucial role that the branch plays
• Setting out a local ‘strategy for growth’ for recruitment, retention and participation in branch life
• Branch Portal
• Chairing and Organising Skills
Accident Investigation - 4 Consecutive Days
Course description:
An overview of accident investigation principles in the workplace, designed for H&S Reps that have undertaken stages 1-4
Redundancy & TUPE - 4 Consecutive Days
Course description:
This course provides knowledge of the rights of workers and employers duties under Redundancy and TUPE legislation