Education for Union Members

Build skills. Improve your workplace. Get involved and meet new people.

Welcome to UFCW 1518’s member education portal. Here you will find information on all of the education that UFCW 1518 offers to members to level-up their skills. We hold two Online Education Months per year and all courses, prerequisites, and deadlines are posted here. New members can register for Member Orientations and learn more about getting involved in UFCW 1518.

Our next Education Month is in April, 2024. Check the calendar for upcoming courses, tips for getting the most out of our interactive education platform, and opportunities to continue your education.

Upcoming Events

March 20, 2024
  • Monthly Member Orientation

    March 20, 2024  9:00 am - 10:30 am

    This one and a half hour workshop is an opportunity to learn more being a UFCW 1518 member, your rights under the collective agreement and what we do with your dues. Members who have never attended a Member Orientation will receive a $50 reimbursement of their union initiation fee! Join this class to meet other union activists and get inspired by the movement you’re now a part of.

    Register Now

March 21, 2024
  • Monthly Member Orientation

    March 21, 2024  6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

    This one and a half hour workshop is an opportunity to learn more being a UFCW 1518 member, your rights under the collective agreement and what we do with your dues. Members who have never attended a Member Orientation will receive a $50 reimbursement of their union initiation fee! Join this class to meet other union activists and get inspired by the movement you’re now a part of.

    Register Now

April 8, 2024
  • Foundational: Member Orientation

    April 8, 2024  9:00 am - 10:30 am

    Learn about the benefits of your union membership! OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS 

    This one and a half hour workshop is an opportunity to learn more being a UFCW 1518 member, your rights under the collective agreement and what we do with your dues. Members who have never attended a Member Orientation will receive a $50 reimbursement of their union initiation fee! Join this class to meet other union activists and get inspired by the movement you’re now a part of.

    Register Now

April is Education Month

Education Month is your chance to level up your understanding and engagement with key parts of what our union does – learn more about these courses in this section.

All members can register for Member Orientations, Organizing Course, and Get to Know your Contract Courses. Other courses will be invitation-only, but if you are interested in attending them, please contact your union rep.

All courses will take place over Zoom – members booked off for a full day will have their pay covered.

Foundational Courses

April 8, 2024
  • Foundational: Member Orientation

    April 8, 2024  9:00 am - 10:30 am

    Learn about the benefits of your union membership! OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS 

    This one and a half hour workshop is an opportunity to learn more being a UFCW 1518 member, your rights under the collective agreement and what we do with your dues. Members who have never attended a Member Orientation will receive a $50 reimbursement of their union initiation fee! Join this class to meet other union activists and get inspired by the movement you’re now a part of.

    Register Now

April 9, 2024
  • Foundational: Member Orientation

    April 9, 2024  6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

    Learn about the benefits of your union membership! OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS

    This one-and-a-half-hour workshop is an opportunity to learn more about being a UFCW 1518 member, your rights under the collective agreement and what we do with your dues. Members who have never attended a Member Orientation will receive $50! Join this class to meet other union activists and get inspired by the movement you’re now a part of.

    Register Now

April 17, 2024
  • Foundational: Shop Steward Fundamentals

    April 17, 2024  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    What are the responsibilities of a shop steward? What rights and authority do I have?

    In this two-day course, stewards will learn about key principles of good stewardship and UFCW 1518’s member engagement model. Participants will gain more clarity around their rights and responsibilities as union stewards and will be introduced to tactics to solve common workplace problems. Members will leave with an increased understanding of the work of their union and how their role is critical to our fight for fairness at work.

April 23, 2024
  • Foundational: Health & Safety Essentials

    April 23, 2024  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Keeping everyone safe at work

    In this course, Health & Safety committee members and stewards will learn more about their rights and responsibilities for keeping everyone safe at work. The course will revolve around exploring workers’ four key health & safety rights: the right to refuse unsafe work, the right to know about potential hazards, the right to participate in OHS activities, and the right to no discrimination. Participants will leave the course with a variety of resources and checklists to better address any safety concerns at work.

    Note: The session on May 1 will be tailored to workers in community health and home support.

May 1, 2024
  • Foundational: Health & Safety Essentials

    May 1, 2024  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Keeping everyone safe at work

    In this course, Health & Safety committee members and stewards will learn more about their rights and responsibilities for keeping everyone safe at work. The course will revolve around exploring workers’ four key health & safety rights: the right to refuse unsafe work, the right to know about potential hazards, the right to participate in OHS activities, and the right to no discrimination. Participants will leave the course with a variety of resources and checklists to better address any safety concerns at work.

    Note: The session on May 1 will be tailored to workers in community health and home support.

Developmental courses

April 16, 2024
  • Development: Unionizing a Workplace

    April 16, 2024  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Union members are the best organizers - OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS

    Organizing new members is essential to building worker power across industries. Learn about why we organize and how you can become an organizer yourself. In this exciting hands-on boot camp, you will learn about the process of bringing new members into our union, the fundamentals of an organizing campaign and what you can do to mobilize others to bring positive change to their workplaces by joining a union. This course is recommended for members who are interested in participating in future organizing efforts.


    Register Now

Advanced courses

April 18, 2024
  • Advanced Shop Steward

    April 18, 2024  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Take your steward ship skills to the next level!

    In this course, stewards will learn more about the history of the labour movement, how to work more efficiently with their collective agreements and how to address grievances. We will explore some more advanced steward topics, including grievance investigations and discipline meetings. Through various exercises and cases studies, participants will gain new knowledge and tools to empower their important role as the face of the union at work.

April 24, 2024
  • Advanced Shop Steward

    April 24, 2024  9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Take your steward ship skills to the next level!

    In this course, stewards will learn more about the history of the labour movement, how to work more efficiently with their collective agreements and how to address grievances. We will explore some more advanced steward topics, including grievance investigations and discipline meetings. Through various exercises and cases studies, participants will gain new knowledge and tools to empower their important role as the face of the union at work.

Scholarships

At UFCW 1518 we strongly believe in the importance of lifelong learning and encourage all of our members to pursue their interest in education, whether for personal growth or professional development. We are proud to support our members by offering a variety of scholarships for those attending, or planning to attend, post-secondary school in British Columbia.

Founded on the belief that we are stronger together, this scholarship supports respectful and positive work environments by promoting diversity awareness. Successful applicants demonstrate their commitment to developing strong, healthy and mutually beneficial relationships with the diverse communities we serve.

The scholarship is open to UFCW 1518 members with at least one year of service with Overwaitea Food Group and their dependents who are pursuing a post-secondary program.

Up to 10 scholarships worth $1000 each are awarded annually.

Deadline: May 1, 2023

Apply: Find more information on the Team Member Information Site.

The Overwaitea Food Group offers this scholarship to all Canadian citizens in communities served by UFCW 1518 members and the OFG, at any stage of their post-secondary education. Successful applicants demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to diversity awareness in their schools and communities.

Up to 10 scholarships worth $1000 each are awarded annually.

Deadline: May 1, 2024

Apply: Click here to apply.

Since 1958, the UFCW Charity Foundation has distributed more than $2 million in scholarships to members and their families. Past winners have gone on to make significant contributions to society in areas like the law, public service, medicine, business and teaching. Many have returned to UFCW as staffers, organizers and community activists who advance our values and mission.

Six scholarships worth up to $8,000 each are awarded annually.

Requirements:

  • You must have graduated from high school, have your GED, or will graduate this spring.

Deadline: The online application or Part A is due by May 14th. To allow more time to gather needed documents, transcripts with the attached Part B of the application must be postmarked by May 28.

Apply: Find more information and apply here.

Named in honour of three past leaders of UFCW Canada – William Beggs, Fred Dowling, and Roméo Mathieu – this scholarship supports members and their families pursuing full-time studies at an accredited post-secondary institution in Canada.

You don’t need to be an A+ student – you just need a passion for learning! Eighteen scholarships worth $1000 each are allocated by region across Canada annually.

Requirements:

  • You must be an active UFCW Canada member in good standing or a dependent/spouse of an active UFCW Canada member in good standing.
  • Eligible candidates cannot have won the BDM scholarship before.
  • The student must also be enrolled (or will be enrolled on September 30) and attending full-time studies at an accredited Canadian college or university.

Deadline: September 30

Apply: Find more information and apply here.

The UFCW 1518 Affiliation Scholarship #547 awards 20 scholarships of $1,000 each to students beginning or continuing studies in a full academic program at the University of BC, University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, BC Institute of Technology, or at a college in British Columbia. The scholarship is awarded to students entering from Grade 12 and students continuing with their post-secondary education. The awards are normally made to the applicants with the highest academic standing.

Eligibility:

Applicants must be a member of UFCW 1518 in good standing, or a child or legal ward of a member in good standing, and have earned a minimum grade of 75% in the previous year’s studies.

Required documentation:

  1. Letter of recommendation from UFCW 1518 confirming your or your parent’s membership in good standing. Please email your request to reception@ufcw1518.com with the subject line UFCW 1518 Scholarship 547.
  2. Most recent high school or post-secondary transcripts.
  3. A brief summary of how you meet the requirements.

Apply online:

Applications currently closed but will reopen in summer 2024. Click here to learn more.

In partnership with Thompson Rivers University, UFCW 1518 offers members full tuition and partial living expenses to attend the Retail Meat Cutting Program. This nine-month program trains members to take up employment as a meat cutter and join a thriving industry that is always seeking talented and dedicated workers.

For admission information, contact Corey Davison at 250-828-5351 or cdavison@tru.ca. Learn more about the course here.

Deadline: Next program intake begins August 26, 2024.

The Columbia Institute is committed to lifelong learning that benefits all segments of society. That’s why it supports adult learners interested in re-training and skills upgrading.

The Dennis McGann Bursary is a one-time bursary, worth up to $1,000, for those studying or planning to study Communications who demonstrate a commitment to the issues affecting working people. Find more information and apply here.

Deadline: August 1

This scholarship honours the memory of Dick Martin, a tireless health and safety advocate and a pioneer of workplace health and safety in Canada.

This CCOHS National Scholarship is worth $3,000 and is available to any student enrolled full-time or part-time in occupational health and safety-related studies at an accredited post-secondary institution in Canada, including mine safety, occupational or industrial health and safety, industrial hygiene, safety management or other related safety degree program.

Deadline: January 31 each year.

Apply: Find more information and apply here.