Handouts or supplementary materials are available below.

Class Categories:

• Legal
• Leadership
• Safety and Health
• Negotiations
• Union Administration
• Politics and Public Relations
  

Overview of Employment Law
This class will provide union leaders with an overview of the U.S. employment laws that affect fire fighters and emergency workers. Union leaders will learn how the courts define harassment and discrimination in the workplace and how to respond to members who believe their rights have been violated. This information will help union leaders better serve the needs of their membership.

Discipline: Your Rights and Responsibilities as Union Officers
This class 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 laws. This class is applicable to affiliate leaders in collective bargaining and non-collective bargaining environments.

Duty of Fair Representation (2 hours)
As an affiliate leader, you may be subject to a legal standard known as “duty of fair representation” that governs how you represent your members in contract negotiations, grievances and other labor matters. In this class, you will study relevant case law to learn what is required of affiliate leaders, how the courts have interpreted this standard, the consequences of violating the standard, and best practices for avoiding DFR lawsuits.
Download: Duty of Fair Representation
Download: Duty of Fair Representation (handout)

Advanced Duty of Fair Representation (2 hours)
The “duty of fair representation,” the legal standard that governs how unions represent their members, can be particularly difficult to apply in situations where the union is required to represent two or more employees with conflicting interests. Examples of these types of scenarios include seniority disputes, promotion challenges, harassment issues, workplace altercations, and collective bargaining negotiations. In this session, IAFF Legal Counsel will describe the legal standards that apply in these situations and use real-life case studies to help union leaders navigate this complicated area of law. This class is designed for affiliate leaders who have a basic familiarity with the principals of duty of fair representation.
Download: Running a Local Union Election presentation
Download: Advanced Duty of Fair Representation presentation

Fighting Anti-Union Retaliation (2 hours)
This workshop is for union officers looking for a legal primer on the laws protecting them against retaliation for their activities, covering constitutional protections and typical state laws; the remedies and venues in enforcing them; and tips for avoiding some common (and costly) mistakes. During this workshop, affiliate leaders will learn how to build a strong case and how the IAFF can assist them in handling these matters.

LEADERSHIP

Advanced Leadership (2 hours)
This workshop builds on the Dimensions of Leadership workshop by addressing Leadership theory and application in day-to-day practical situations. Participants will address the concepts of Leadership principle, micromanagement, change, Leadership perspective, and labor/management synergy using corporate America as examples. Dimensions of Leadership is a pre-requisite to this workshop.

Advanced Leadership: Principles of Leadership (2 hours)
This workshop builds on the Dimensions of Leadership workshop by addressing Leadership theory and application in day-to-day practical situations. Participants will address the concepts of Leadership principle, micromanagement, change, Leadership perspective, and labor/management synergy using corporate America as examples. Dimensions of Leadership is a pre-requisite to this workshop.

Advanced Leadership: Conflict Resolution (2 hours)
The third in the series of Leadership workshops, this session will teach affiliate leaders how to become more effective in resolving conflicts. In this workshop, participants will complete a profile that will allow them to see how others may perceive them during a conflict or disagreement. They will then move through a series of steps that will take them from judging others to valuing those who have differing opinions. Dimensions of Leadership and Advanced Leadership: Principles of Leadership, are pre-requisites for this workshop.

Writing Effective Fire Act Grants (2 hours)
Each year, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (Fire Act) provides millions of dollars to U.S. fire departments for equipment, materials and training. The key to securing this funding lies in developing a strong and concise grant narrative. This class will give you practical experience in writing an effective narrative using examples from successful applications.
Download: Winning Grants presentation

How to Run a Meeting (2 hours)
The manner in which you run your union meetings will affect member attendance and how you are perceived as a leader. A well-run meeting will draw more attendees and help you earn the respect of your membership. In this class, you will learn IAFF meeting protocol and etiquette; how to plan for and conduct an efficient and productive meeting; and methods for handling conflict. This class is ideal for local union officers with limited experience running local union meetings.
Download: How to Run a Meeting

Increasing Membership Participation (2 hours)
The strength of a local union depends on the 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 class provides methods to increase membership participation and build an effective union.
Download: Welcome to Your Union PowerPoint

Internal Union Organizing (2 hours)
For a local union to be most effective in achieving its goals, it must have the majority of the fire department (or EMS organization) as members. A united membership has more resources at its disposal and more bargaining power. In this class, you will determine the key reasons for lack of affiliation and develop strategies to increase your membership.
Download: Internal Union Organizing
Download: Fire fighter issues

Ethics for Union Leaders (2 hours) Most IAFF leaders are public employees and have fiduciary responsibilities to their membership. Due to the nature of their positions, they are subject to a higher ethical standard than the average member or employee. These standards must be upheld in order to maintain the trust of their members and run an effective local. Failure to do so can result in loss of credibility, loss of union position, or even criminal charges. This workshop will cover the principles of ethics, the requirements of public employees, and strategies for making ethical decisions. Affiliate leaders will use these strategies to analyze scenarios and case studies. Effective Teaching Methods for Union Leaders (6 hours) As part of their union duties, affiliate leaders may be responsible for training their members on labor issues and fire industry trends. This workshop is designed by the IAFF’s Department of Education to teach affiliate leaders a training approach that maximizes student learning and retention. Affiliate leaders will learn how to apply adult learning principles to their training techniques, encourage student participation, and handle typical problems that arise in the classroom. In addition, IAFF staff members will give an overview of the educational programs provided by the IAFF. Download: Advantages and Limitations of Visual Aids Download: Effective Training and Trainers Download: Gagne's Nine Learning Events Strategic Planning for Union Leaders (2 hours) The daily challenges facing today’s labor leaders can be overwhelming. When faced with multiple priorities and responsibilities, it’s easy for union officers to overlook the big picture. This workshop will discuss the importance of strategic planning for your local union. You will learn how to set goals, develop a strategy to obtain these goals, and evaluate the effectiveness of your plan. Download: PowerPoint presentation A Union Building Approach to Joint Labor/Management Committees and Programs (4 hours) Joint labor/management committees can be a mechanism for the union to get problems resolved, get input into decision-making, and better represent union members. Or – these committees can be a waste of valuable union time and actually weaken the union. In this workshop, affiliate leaders will learn how to structure joint committees so that the union is an equal participant and able to bring union concerns to the table and have them addressed. The workshop will focus on how to prepare for joint committee meetings and how to “act like a union” in a joint setting.

Operational Risk Management (2 hours)
This class will engage participants to learn about operational concepts used in the fire service arena including; community risk assessment, fire resource operational design and performance evaluation. This class will also present contributing factors to firefighter line-of-duty death (LODD) and profile a predictive equation for assessing the likelihood of experiencing an LODD in their own department based on community risks and fire department operational design.

Panel: Wellness/Fitness, CPAT & Infectious Diseases (4 hours)
An expert panel of IAFF staff will discuss the latest developments in wellness/fitness, CPAT and protection from infectious diseases. Learn more about IAFF health and safety initiatives that can benefit your members.

Safety and Health for Union Officers (2 hours)
Learn how to play a vital role in protecting the safety and health of your members. This session will provide you with an introduction to the key skills you need to become an effective safety and health advocate for your members and create a checklist of the minimum safety standards each fire department should meet. You will learn how to evaluate and improve upon your department’s SOPs, equipment, and training.

Introduction to NFPA 1710 (2 hours)
The passage of the NFPA 1710 Standard is one of the most important advancements in the fire service and public safety. This class is designed to help you become familiar with its requirements for fire suppression, emergency medical services and support systems. This class is a prerequisite for NFPA 1710: Evaluating Your Fire Department and NFPA 1710: Implementation.
Download: Introduction to NFPA 1710
View Online: NFPA 1710 (job aid)
View Online: NFPA 1710 (online module)

NFPA 1710: Evaluating Your Fire Department (2 hours)
In this class, you will learn how to identify the areas in which your fire department complies with NFPA 1710 and those that fall short. After identifying potential problem areas, you will learn how to develop a plan to bring your fire department in compliance with the Standard. Introduction to NFPA 1710 is a prerequisite for this class.
Download: Introduction to NFPA 1710
View Online: NFPA 1710 (job aid)
View Online: NFPA 1710 (online module)
Download: Evaluating Your Fire Department

NFPA 1710: Implementation (2 hours)
This class provides information on how to build a campaign to implement NFPA 1710 in your community. You will learn how to develop a campaign strategy, create a political action plan and communicate with the media to achieve your goals. Introduction to NFPA 1710 is a prerequisite for this class.
Download: Introduction to NFPA 1710
View Online: NFPA 1710 (job aid)
View Online: NFPA 1710 (online module)
Download: NFPA 1710 Implementation - Medical Studies
Download: NFPA 1710 Implementation- Case Study Westminster, Colorado

View online: Costing the Contract
Download: Preparing for Negotiations - Collective Bargaining

Conducting Negotiations: Collective Bargaining (4 hours)
Actively negotiating a contract is one of the most important functions our leadership can perform for members and is the key ingredient in labor/management relations. In this class, you will participate in mock negotiation sessions, learn how to apply bargaining techniques, and create ground rules that benefit unions. Preparing for Negotiations: Collective Bargaining is a prerequisite for this class.
Download: Appendix - Conducting Negotiations

Negotiation Strategies & Tactics (6 hours)
Skilled negotiators are proficient in key strategies and tactics that significantly improve their bargaining positions. In this class, you will analyze the power structure of negotiating committees, determine the real impact of your proposals, identify typical management tactics, interpret hidden meanings behind signals at the bargaining table, and make timely and appropriate counter-offers. This class will give you exercises to practice each of these new skills. It is helpful, though not required, to take this class before taking Advanced Skills for Negotiators.

Advanced Skills for Negotiators (6 hours)
To get results at the bargaining table, a negotiator must be able to develop a bargaining strategy and master key negotiation skills. In this class, you will learn how to strengthen your bargaining position, determine an acceptable settlement range, respond to common management tactics and objections, make concessions, and package your proposals. You will have opportunities to practice these skills and participate in mock negotiation sessions. This session is designed for experienced negotiators who wish to improve their skills at the bargaining table. It is helpful for novice negotiators to register for Preparing for Negotiations: Collective Bargaining, Conducting Negotiations: Collective Bargaining, and/or Negotiation Strategies and Tactics before attending this class.
Download: "CBA: Inferno City" handout
Download: "Union/Managment/Observer Info" handout
Download: Model Contract Language

Non-Collective Bargaining Environments: Achieving Goals (2 hours)
It can be a challenge to secure wages and benefit improvements in jurisdictions that do not allow collective bargaining. Despite the absence of collective bargaining laws, there are many things you can do to help your membership achieve its goals. In this class, you will learn how to use the strength of your membership to win over the opposition.
Download: Non-Collective Bargaining

Municipal Financial Analysis (2 hours)
To effectively negotiate for proper staffing and reasonable wage and benefit increases, a local must know the basic financial condition of its government. Municipal Financial Analysis is a service provided by the IAFF that examines a jurisdiction's financial records and determines its financial condition. In this class, you will learn to interpret municipal financial analysis documents and use this information to strengthen your negotiations.
Download: Municipal Financial Analysis

Understanding Municipal Budgets (2 hours)
Involvement in your municipal budget process will help ensure that fire suppression, rescue and EMS delivery are top priorities in your community. This class provides an overview of the components of a municipal budget as well as real-life case studies that exhibit skills leaders need to succeed in this arena. Affiliate leaders will learn that participating in the budgeting process can lessen the fights over dollars after the budget is passed. This is an opportunity for affiliate leaders to learn how to create their future, not have it dictated to them.
Download: Understanding Your Municipal Analysis powerpoint
Download: Instability City Scenario
Download: Living Large City Scenario

Negotiating Health Care Benefits (2 hours)
Negotiating for health care benefits can be particularly difficult in today's economic environment. As the price of healthcare continues to rise, costs are passed along to you and your employer. This class is designed to help local leadership understand current healthcare benefits and assess the impact of any proposed changes. It is imperative that leaders develop the skills necessary to evaluate and implement cost saving tactics to maintain health care benefits for their members.
Download: Negotiating HealthCare powerpoint

Panel: Methods for Obtaining Collective Bargaining (2 hours)
IAFF political staff and local leaders will discuss the different methods for obtaining collective bargaining in a jurisdiction. Learn from successful affiliate leaders who have gained collective bargaining rights with their local and state governments using ballot referendums and initiatives, council votes and other means. Participants will discuss the methods that would work best in their jurisdiction.

Writing Contract Language (6 hours)
When drafting contract language, affiliate leaders must choose their words carefully so that each article reflects their intent and puts them in the best bargaining position. The language in a collective bargaining agreement is precise, and one word could alter the meaning of an entire section. This workshop will teach affiliate leaders how to interpret a labor agreement, draft clear and unambiguous language, work with “borrowed” contract language, and understand the full impact of their goals. Affiliate leaders will be able to practice these skills by drafting articles of a contract and initial proposals to bring to the bargaining table. It is helpful for novice negotiators to register for Preparing for Negotiations: Collective Bargaining and Conducting Negotiations: Collective Bargaining before attending this class.

Download: Common Used Words in Contracts

Representing Injured Workers (6 hours)
This workshop will provide union leaders with an overview of the situations, conditions, and laws that affect fire fighters and emergency workers when they are injured, both on- and off-the-job. Union leaders will learn about the laws and insurance policies involved in workplace injuries and illnesses, as well as the contract articles and employer policies that affect injured or sick workers. This information will help union leaders better serve and represent the needs of their membership.
 

Secretary/Treasurers & Taxes (4 hours)
As part of their fiduciary responsibilities, local secretary/treasurers must interpret and prepare tax documents for their locals. This class will address such topics as contractor vs. employee issues, individual tax deductions, fund raising issues, IRS forms and IRS audits. You will also learn how to keep the proper records that are required for tax reporting.
Download: Secretary/Treasurers and Taxes presentation

Budgeting for Local Unions (2 hours)
Budgeting is an essential function for those who safeguard local union assets. In this class, you will learn the art of planning your local's income and expenditures. Topics discussed will include preparing, adopting and amending your budget as well as items that should be part of your plan. This class is ideal for local union officers who are new to budgeting.
Download: Budgeting

Introduction to Grievances (2 hours)
The manner in which you process grievances will determine how quickly they are resolved and how your members will perceive you. An understanding of the grievance process will better enable you to enforce the collective bargaining agreement and avoid costly arbitration hearings. In this class, you will learn how to evaluate and file a grievance, reduce your chances of receiving a DFR claim, and develop grievance strategies. This class is ideal for local union officers who work in collective bargaining environments and have limited experience with grievances.
Download: Introduction to Grievances

Preparing for Grievance Arbitration: Evidence (2 hours)
To win your case in grievance arbitration, it is crucial to have evidence to support your arguments and assertions. Without sufficient evidence, it would be difficult to convince an arbitrator to rule in your favor. This class will teach you how to gather evidence and determine which types carry the most weight with arbitrators.
Download: Preparing for Grievance Arbitration: Evidence

Preparing for Grievance Arbitration: Contract Language (2 hours)
The collective bargaining agreement is a contract between union and management that outlines wages, benefits, and working conditions. To maintain flexibility in the workplace, negotiators sometimes include language that is ambiguous or general. Occasionally, this ambiguity leads to disputes over the meaning of the contract. When disputes are brought to arbitration, the arbitrator must determine which interpretation is reasonable and best reflects the mutual intent of the parties. This session will teach you how arbitrators consider contract language, past practice, and other factors to reach a decision.
Download: Preparing for Grievance Arbitration: Contract Language

Introduction to Federal Service Labor-Management Relations (6 hours)
The Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute protects the rights of Federal workers by allowing them to join a union, bargain over conditions of employment, and appeal management decisions through a grievance process. In this class, affiliate leaders will learn about their rights and responsibilities and how to apply them to the workplace to ensure the best working conditions for their members. In addition, this class will cover the current status of the Department of Defense National Security Personnel System (NSPS) and applicable laws and regulations. This session is ideal for affiliate leaders from the 16th District.
Download: Introduction to Federal Service

Local Human Relations Committees (4 hours)
The IAFF recommends that every local affiliate establish a human relations committee. This can assist you in resolving conflict, sorting through the opportunities and challenges that diversity presents, and developing a proactive strategy for change. In this class, you will explore strategies for developing your own committee. You will learn how to assess membership needs, develop long-term strategic plans, report your progress, and devise strategies to fund your activities. Once you learn how to set up a human relations committee, you will then develop strategies to ensure productivity.
Download: Local Human Relations Committees (online module)
Download: Human Relations Committees (job aid)
Download: IAFF Human Relations Manual
Download: HR -Next Steps
Download: HR - Getting Started

Planning a Fire Ops 101 Event (2 hours)
Fire Ops 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 its elected officials, the media, and department management. This class serves as a complement to the pre-conference Fire Ops 101 Train the Trainer and will focus on how to customize a Fire Ops 101 event for your community.

Building Coalitions (2 hours)
A coalition is a group of individuals or organizations that work together to achieve common goals and solve problems. A coalition can be formal or informal in structure depending upon its purpose. Due to its size and scope, a coalition can often accomplish more than an individual organization. This class will teach affiliate leaders how to build coalitions and use them to achieve their goals.

Introduction to Public Relations (2 hours)
A strategic public relations program will enable your local to use public support to achieve its goals and handle an unforeseen crisis. By communicating effectively with the public and local officials, a union is more likely to secure better wages for its members, improve staffing, and avoid budget cuts. This class is designed to give affiliate leaders the tools and tactics they need to set up a successful public relations program for their local unions.
Download: On Message
Download: Starting a Public Relations Program

Introduction to Political Action (2 hours)
Local government officials are ultimately responsible for making decisions that affect the wages and benefits of fire fighters. To secure the best working conditions for your members, it is essential that your local union becomes politically active and backs candidates who support fire fighter issues. This class will give you an overview of the political process and teach you how to set up a plan that is most effective in achieving your goals.
Download: Introduction to Political Action

Panel: Defeat Taxpayer Bill of Rights Legislation (TABOR) (2 hours)
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights legislation (TABOR) seeks to reduce revenue growth in U.S. state and local governments by setting tax restrictions. These tax restrictions can hinder the government's ability to raise the necessary funds to provide essential services, including fire department operations, to fund negotiated collective bargaining agreements and/or to pay for employee health and pension programs. Without the proper funds, a jurisdiction if often forced to cut the fire department budget, which can place the lives of fire fighters, as well as the citizens they protect, in jeopardy. This panel discussion will show affiliate leaders how to defeat these TABOR initiatives through the use of political and public relations campaigns.

Recruiting, Selecting & Endorsing Candidates (2 hours)
Are you not satisfied with the candidate choices you have in elections at the state legislative and local level? Are you sometimes in the position of deciding between the lesser of two evils? Do you have difficultly determining which races to get involved in and how to allocate your PAC resources? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then this workshop is for you. Learn how to recruit candidates, develop a thorough candidate screening and endorsement process and how to maximize your support for the candidate you endorse.
Download: Recruiting, Endorsing & Supporting Candidates presentation

Protect Your Pension (2 hours)
The retirement security of the nation’s public safety is under attack. Proposed changes to government pension programs and the new GASB reporting requirements are jeopardizing the foundation of a retirement system the IAFF helped to create. This session will present an ambitious IAFF initiative to counteract these attacks wherever and whenever they arise.

Establishing a PAC (2 hours)
In order to run an effective political program, you need to ensure that it is adequately funded. A local’s political influence will be severely diminished if it lacks the resources necessary to execute its plan. This class will teach affiliate leaders how to enhance their local political activity by establishing a PAC fund. Participants will also learn how to set and meet fundraising goals, including techniques to enhance member participation in fundraising efforts.
Download: PAC Fundraising presentation

Spread Your Message: Creating Email Networks (2 hours)
Learn how to create e-mail messaging campaigns and manage networks of activists using the Internet with the AFL-CIO’s Working Families Network (WFN). This free database system can help you inform your members and other constituent groups about important fire fighter issues. In addition to e-mail campaigns, WFN allows participating groups to build a database of activists who can be called on for rallies, political action, election campaigns and other activities.