The Union Education Program (AMENDED)

Friday March 13 2020

CUPW’s Union Education Program (UEP) is a four-week residential program aimed at developing knowledge and skills for union activists. It is an intensive, enriching and experiential learning practice focused on addressing current labour and social issues; finding adequate tools to combat social and economic injustice; discovering links among various unjust systems and practices; and developing solidarity to fight back with direction, vigor and efficacy against systemic oppression.

The Union Education Program is not a tools based program. You will not learn about the specifics of Collective Agreement issues.

The objectives of the UEP are to:

Increase our knowledge of the world and of politics
Increase our knowledge of the labour movement
Increase our knowledge of the climate emergency
Deconstruct concepts that form part of our accepted belief system, but which need to be questioned such as:

- Colonialism
- Capitalism
- Neoliberalism
- Patriarchy
- Systemic racial, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, age, faith-based oppressions, and others
Sharpen our skills in debating
Explore our leadership abilities
Develop public speaking tools
Learn how to develop campaigns
Consolidate our campaign development abilities
Expland skills in relating with the media
Re-connect with ourselves, each other, the land and nature
Develop our solidarity

And have fun while exploring all these aspects of labour activism!

Venue and dates

The UEP takes place at the Unifor Family Education Centre, in Port Elgin, Ontario

Port Elgin is 220 km northwest of Toronto.

The four-week program takes place one week at a time, over 6 months:

– Week 1: October 03-09, 2020 (2 days of preparation; 5 days of training)

– Week 2: November 15-20, 2020 (5 days)

– Week 3: February 21-26, 2021 (5 days)

– Week 4: March 21-26, 2021 (5 days)

Eligibility

All CUPW members in good standing are eligible.

Preference will be given to members who are actively involved in the Union, and who have attended CUPW educationals.

Other relevant criteria include membership in an equity-seeking group and activist experience outside CUPW.

Participant Expenses

The Union Education Fund pays the following costs for participants:

– Lost wages

– Meals and accommodation at Port Elgin

– Travel costs

– Child care and elder care expenses per CUPW policy (7.63)

Application form

Our CUPW Royal City Local has made an online (fillable)UEP_Application_Form_2020-02-14. for any member who wishes to apply to attend the CUPW Union Education Program at Port Elgin. If you choose to use this fillable form, please save your copy to your computer so that you use it as an attachment in your email to president@royalcity.ca for endorsement. The local will forward any U.E.P applications to our National office.

Or download it from https://www.cupw.ca/sites/default/files/UEP%20Application%20Form%202020-…