Core Trainings help you become a better advocate for members

You can become a positive advocate for members and help strengthen your local union by attending one of Education Minnesota’s Core Trainings, open to any Education Minnesota member.

Education Minnesota’s Core Trainings focus on building strong, effective locals.

The trainings, developed in cooperation with local and Intermediate Organization (IO) leaders, give local leaders and members information and skills in three important areas:

Member rights
Negotiations
Local organizing

Where and when are Core Trainings offered?
Core Trainings are offered through regional IOs. Below are the sessions currently scheduled:

Member Rights Advocacy II
9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 14

Member Rights Advocacy III
9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 15

Education Minnesota Bemidji Field Office
677 Anne St. N.W., Suite E
Bemidji, MN 56601
Sponsored by Education Minnesota Northland United & Kramer Brown Uniserv

RSVP by June 1 to Andrea Gross, 218-751-5957 or 800-622-4971.

Course descriptions

Certified Negotiator Program (CNP) Parts I and II
This training will help you and your local negotiating team acquire the knowledge and skills to lead your local to settlement. There are two versions: one tailored to ESP members and one tailored to teachers. Certified negotiators are an asset to every local as we seek to bargain in these challenging times. Each part of the Certified Negotiator Program is five hours. Participants should complete both parts.
Member Rights Advocacy (MRA) Parts I, II and III
One of the indicators of a strong local is a diverse team of knowledgeable, well-trained elected and appointed leaders. That includes Member Rights Advocates, who deal directly with members to address their concerns, resolve their problems and enforce our contracts.
- MRA I: This session explores the fundamentals of advocacy, valuing member concerns and managing conflict. The Advocacy Model is introduced (five hours).
- MRA II: This session covers investigating an issue, informal problem-solving techniques and organizing as alternatives to more formal avenues such as grievances or legal proceedings (five hours).
- MRA III: Provides in-depth training on grievance processing, representing members in disciplinary meetings and issue organizing (five hours).
Local Contract Action Teams (LCAT) Parts I and II
LCAT training is designed to help a local union support its negotiations team toward achieving a contract settlement. A team of at least four members designated by their local union develops an action plan in this training to build power among members, demonstrate unified support of the bargaining team and create connections with the local community.

Participating local teams should consist of one member of the bargaining team, one member of the local’s leadership group, and two additional members who will become part of the local’s Contract Action Team.

Each part of the LCAT training is five hours. Participants should complete both parts.

To sign up for any Core Training program, see your local union president for more information or contact your Education Minnesota field staff.

April 16, 2012