Education and Training

Did you know: Union education sponsored by USJE

For members participating in PSAC education courses, know that USJE will pay your salary to take part in courses that occur on your scheduled day of rest. For courses that take place on your scheduled workdays, PSAC will cover your salary.

Training is an essential part of strengthening your skills and understanding as a union member, and USJE supports our members looking to expand their knowledge. PSAC offers a wide variety of training from union basics to advanced grievance handling. If you take these courses on a weekend or on your scheduled day of rest and PSAC does not provide you with salary compensation, please submit this form along with your training completion certificate to USJE Finance at for payment.

The USJE provides training geared to the specific needs and concerns of our members. We are proud to be one of a small group of PSAC Components to offer such “in-house” education opportunities.

The USJE training program was created in 2004 as a pilot program. At the 2008 USJE Convention in Edmonton the delegates voted unanimously to keep the program. Thereafter, the training program was further revamped following the 2014 USJE Convention so as to allow for a more directed training approach for all USJE members. Currently, USJE’s Labour Relations Officers (LROs) are available to provide on-site education and training to members.

Locals are encouraged to communicate with their Regional Vice-Presidents (RVPs) to request training. The planning of Local-requested training shall be done in conjunction with the respective RVP and LRO.

Labour Relations Officers have prepared and are now providing the following training modules:

  • Organizing a Local
  • Grievance 101
  • Advance Grievance (Grievance 102)
  • Duty to Accommodate
  • Health and Safety

Further, in July 2010, the National Executive established a USJE Standing Education Committee. Their mandate is as follows:

Each member of the committee will solicit from RVPs in their region all information relating to education and training. Each committee member will forward that information to the USJE Standing Education Committee (SEC) for review and recommendations.

As such, while there are presently a limited number of available training modules, members are encouraged to speak with their RVPs to suggest any specific topics/issues for future training modules.

PSAC Education

PSAC also offers education courses. USJE members attending PSAC training will be compensated for loss of wages up to their daily rate of pay when training is during their work week. USJE will also compensate members attending weekend PSAC courses up to an amount equivalent to their daily rate of pay for each day in attendance on their scheduled days of rest. You must provide proof of attendance.