NEW The 2022 mid-term elections have ushered in a new Congress and established new majorities on Capitol Hill. Instructors will review the election results, identify hot topics and themes for the incoming House and Senate majorities, and discuss the impacts these changes will have on the IAFF’s policy priorities. This class will provide opportunities for collaborative discussions about political trends at the national, state, and local levels.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
Branding Your Local: A Case Study in Best Practices, Historical Perspectives, and Winning the Public. Branding is a term we hear thrown around a lot, but have you ever thought about the brand of your local union? How does your current band impact your ability to make tangible gains for your members? How do firefighters view their union? How do elected officials and the public view your union? In this class, students will review creative ways throughout history that labor unions have created effective branding campaigns with pro-union messaging that resonated with the public at large. We will discuss the national fire service brand and how we can leverage that brand with this new historical knowledge to win over elected officials and the public.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
This workshop will provide union leaders with an overview of their rights and responsibilities during the employment disciplinary process. Union leaders will learn how to best represent their members in accordance with their contract, civil service laws, and the Weingarten, Loudermill and Garrity decisions. This workshop is applicable to affiliate leaders in both collective bargaining and non-collective bargaining environments.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
NEW Regular exercise can help and is recommended as one of the first options for treating and preventing chronic conditions afflicting too many fire fighters. However, education and mandated fitness programs are not the answer. Emerging evidence highlights the need for behavioral solutions to improve the physical activity habits of fire fighters. The IAFF is leading an innovative charge to improve fire fighter health and wellness by launching the F2T program, a comprehensive initiative designed to help more fire fighters be more active more often. This workshop will outline the program’s commitment to education, training, support and mentorship and provide tips to assist with implementation.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
Currently, there are as many as four generations employed and working side by side in fire departments throughout the U.S. and Canada. Each generation brings its own individual values and behaviors, and these can be a source of conflict in the workplace. This workshop will examine each of the four generations in a humorous way, providing a better understanding of generational behavior, the value that each generation brings to the workplace, why conflict exists among them, and identify communications styles that work for each.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
Health Insurance Track: Health Insurance Basics, Do You Know All the Acronyms?! The IAFF can help.
Healthcare is typically one of the largest contributors to personnel costs. This class will discuss terminology and the inner workings of insurance plans, including indemnity pans, HMOs, PPOs, EPOs, HDHPs, HSAs and many more acronyms! Understanding your Explanation of Benefits (EOBs), different types of networks, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and independent Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) is paramount to being able to negotiate healthcare plans.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
IAFF Wealth Management Initiative Track: Helping New Firefighters Get Off on the Right Foot Financially. What you need to know as Affiliate Leaders to help your new members make successful financial decisions in their life. Topics include:
Credit card debt
Basic personal finance •
Setting and executing financial goals
Creating a budget
Creating an emergency fund
Deferred Compensation Deferrals
Mortgage Basics
IAFF 15 x 5 Principle
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
NEW How to Effectively File and Handle a Grievance and Other Member Complaints. The work that you do before an arbitration hearing on a case is often more important than the actual presentation of the case at arbitration. In this class, you will learn the best practices and top tips for handling member grievances and complaints, including handling disciplinary interviews, investigating grievances, writing and presenting grievances, dealing with difficult management personnel, and settling grievances. We will put these skills to practice during the class.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
NEW The most effective affiliate leaders prioritize behavioral health programming as central to the fabric of their organization. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of all behavioral health resources currently available to IAFF affiliates, including peer support and resiliency training, advanced peer training, clinician education, addiction recovery support, behavioral health toolkits, technical assistance, and more. An introduction to the IAFF Center of Excellence will be provided, including how to be prepared when a member needs help fast. Attendees will also receive exclusive updates on the IAFF west coast treatment center, as well as emerging treatment resources specifically for Canadian affiliates. Learn about the IAFF resources you need to be an effective behavioral health champion back home.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
The strength of a local depends on the active involvement of its members. Whether it’s a committee meeting, political campaign, or public relations effort, your members make the difference between success and failure. This workshop provides methods to increase member participation and build an effective union.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
You’re a member of your local’s executive board, now what? This class will work to provide new union leaders with the tools and perspective to communicate the mission and the brand of their local. We will review proven, basic terms, messages, and key branding “must-haves” to help you promote your local effectively.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
On a daily basis, fire departments are confronted with a variety of issues that require labor and management to work together. The best departments have the tools in place to work through those issues successfully • even if they don’t always agree. This workshop will address best practices and how labor and management leaders create a team culture, build trust over time and develop consistent involvement. Case studies will be addressed where labor management cooperation was utilized to address situations that are generally met with conflict. In addition this workshop will address that there is no perfect system and even with collaborative labor-management relations, there will always be ups and downs.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
We are a union regardless of the status of the economy. Therefore, when we are in tough economic times, we may adjust our mission but not change our vision to continually advance. These challenges may be in the form of decreased tax revenues, cuts in state aid to local government, or cuts in other sources of revenue. The reductions in revenue that result in municipal budget cuts have affected IAFF locals by influencing wages, benefits, or operational resources. This workshop will provide an understanding of how fiscal crises impact the negotiation process, as well as providing insight on how to address wages, benefits, working conditions, and staffing issues in tough times. The workshop will specifically address the above outlined issues for locals with collective bargaining agreements or a formal negotiation process.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
Preparing for Negotiations: Collective Bargaining workshop addresses the collective bargaining process which allows you to negotiate for wages, benefits, and other conditions of employment. To be successful at the bargaining table, you must thoroughly research and develop your strategy. In this workshop, you will learn how to set realistic goals for your membership and collect the data needed to support your case.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
Time
1/30/2023 1:00 PM - 2/1/2023 12:30 PM
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
From Right to Work States to Collective Bargaining States every professional firefighter deserves to be represented by the IAFF. Both internal and external organizing brings Safety, Security, Dignity, and a Voice to those that are not represented. This session will provide you with the tools to begin your own organizing campaign.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
This interactive course on Parliamentary Procedure is an interactive learning experience designed to give participants the ability and confidence to fully prepare for and participate in a meeting and to understand and exercise their rights as members. It covers topics such as making motions, amending and disposing of motions, presiding, the roles of the officers, the bylaws, committees, reports, voting, secret ballots, elections, the minutes, and the role of the board. Questions are encouraged.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
This workshop will give you the tools you need to analyze the status and outlook of your pension system, including funding levels, the underlying assumptions on which cost calculations are based, and the funding history of the plan sponsor.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
FIRE OPS 101 is a unique event that teaches elected officials and community leaders about the risks and challenges involved in the fire service. At this event, decision-makers suit up in protective gear and put out fires, rescue victims and perform other duties that fire fighters and EMS workers do on the job. Through FIRE OPS 101, participants learn about the importance of sufficient staffing and the critical role that time plays on the scene of an emergency. A FIRE OPS 101 event is one of the most effective ways an IAFF local can build relationships with elected officials, the media, and department management. This workshop will focus on how to customize a FIRE OPS 101 event in your community.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
NEW This workshop will examine the recent arbitration decision in Sudbury, Ontario where the affiliate was successful in convincing an arbitration board that: (1) safe staffing for firefighters was an arbitrable issue; and (2) deciding that safe staffing for a first in apparatus was four firefighters. This landmark decision marked the first successful staffing arbitration in Canada in 30 years. Focus will be on the expert evidence and other factors necessary to successfully advance a staffing argument based on firefighter health and safety in both the U.S. and Canada.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
Understanding Union Leadership workshop will address many facets of being a union officer, including the responsibilities associated with each role. This workshop will also address how to be a union advocate, using the skills of the executive board, and how to organize members and increase their participation to build a stronger local.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
Time
1/30/2023 1:00 PM - 2/1/2023 12:30 PM
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|
Through its constitution and by-laws, your local establishes its basic organization, including the duties and responsibilities of your local union officers, executive board and committees, as well as the various procedures that govern different types of meetings. Your local’s constitution and by-laws should provide the precepts necessary for governing your members. It should meet their needs, as well as be flexible for reasonable and future change. In this Local Union Governance workshop, you will learn the important aspects of your local’s constitution and by-laws, be given tools to understand how this document influences your role as a union leader and learn how to properly govern your local based on this important text.
Category
01/30/2023 - Monday Workshops (Session 1)
Time
1/30/2023 1:00 PM - 2/1/2023 12:30 PM
1/30/2023 1:00 PM
|