The UFCW’s Education and Staff Development Department supports locals across the U.S. and Canada with hands-on training that equips union leaders, staff, stewards, and members with practical tools to communicate effectively, build stronger teams, and better serve our members.
Since the beginning of the year, the department has brought these programs directly to locals in Michigan, Oregon, Ohio, Alaska, and beyond. Here’s a look at some of the skills teams are building through these trainings.
Strengthening Foundational Leadership
Earlier this year, leadership teams at UFCW Local 951 in Grand Rapids, Mich., and UFCW Local 555 in Tigard, Ore., used the DISC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness) assessment to explore how communication styles shape team dynamics. DISC is a widely used framework for understanding how individuals communicate within an organization; insights that affect how teams resolve conflicts, train new leaders, and even hire new employees. The Education and Staff Development Department partnered with leadership expert Professor Rodney Brown to lead both sessions.
The department also runs multi-day leadership programs. This spring, leadership and staff from Ohio’s UFCW Local 1059 took part in a two-day session focused on strengthening the local’s leadership foundation and improving how teams work together. All 19 participants were engaged in the group discussions, scenario-based learning, personal reflection, and hands-on exercises.
Building Bargaining Skills
Staff at UFCW Local 555 learned bargaining fundamentals this spring, combining role-playing with a review of core concepts such as terminology, frameworks, timelines, and contract costing. They then connected what they’d learned to real-world negotiations.
UFCW Local 951 in Grand Rapids, Mich., took a similar approach this summer, working through the same core concepts before putting them into practice through role-plays. President Courtney Phillips found the trainings helpful for staffers at her local, “The collaboration between the Education and Bargaining department brought an experience that was easy to follow and has helped build the toolbox for my team for now and the future. I’m excited to see what comes next.”
Meanwhile, staff and SPUR leaders in Coldwater, Mich., took part in a Reflective Conversation Training offered in Spanish, expanding access to communication tools for Spanish-speaking staff and members.
Deepening Steward Power
During the first week of May, UFCW Local 1496 partnered with UFCW Local 555, the Education and Staff Development Department, UFCW’s Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) Office staff, and representatives from Region 7 to host a Steward Conference in Alaska. The goal of the training was to deepen workplace representation, strengthen member engagement, and build worker power across the state.
Union stewards from a wide range of workplaces came together for immersive, hands-on training grounded in the real challenges workers face every day. Through interactive workshops, group discussions, and practical exercises, participants sharpened skills essential to effective workplace leadership, including contract enforcement, workplace safety, communication strategies, and steward rights.
Participants also learned their rights and their employer’s responsibilities under Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations. The UFCW’s OSH Office also led a session on active-assailant response, designed to help members proactively identify, prevent, and respond to potential workplace violence threats.
(Learn more about those trainings and find out how to sign up your local.)
“The assistance of the Education Department and OSH Office in Region 7 made a huge difference in helping our membership sharpen their skills to be more effective enforcing their contracts on behalf of their members,” said UFCW Local 1496 President Frank Mutchie. “We are thankful for the expertise and thrilled to see all the resources of our international at work.”
A central theme of the conference was the power of meaningful conversation. Stewards practiced building trust, identifying workplace concerns, and communicating in ways that help members feel heard, respected, and supported, which are the foundations of strong union workplaces and a key part of staying connected to the issues that matter most to co-workers.
The conference also underscored the steward’s role in helping workers understand and use their collective power, with sessions on preparation, communication, escalation, and collective action. With the next bargaining cycle approaching, these tools will be essential to strengthening unity and getting members ready to stand together.
As workplaces continue to change and workers face new challenges, steward development remains one of the most important investments the UFCW can make. Conferences like this one ensure stewards are ready not just to represent their co-workers, but to organize, lead, and win together.
To learn about these and other training opportunities from the Education and Staff Development Department, contact educationdept@ufcw.org.