Stewards training
Courses to help you to represent our members and follow-on training to help you grow in your role
Training for workplace representatives
Our training programme is designed to give UNISON activists the skills you need and to ensure you can perform them with confidence. You can find a full list of courses relevant to your chosen role in our Learning Hub. All courses are free for you to attend, although there may be a charge to your branch.
The Organising Steward
Your training pathway begins with this five day introductory training course, which is aimed at newly elected UNISON stewards and is delivered online or in a classroom. It will help you understand the steward’s role in organising members at local level and help you to feel confident in carrying out your duties.
There is also a three-day, option for those who do not wish to perform all the duties of a fully-trained steward.
Stage 1
The first three days of training will help you to understand the steward’s role and the skills you need to get started.
Stage 2
The final two days will certify you as competent to accompany members at a disciplinary and grievance hearing to comply with the Employment Relations Act (ERA) 1999.
The course will cover:
- the role of an organising union
- the importance of equalities in UNISON
- working with members to tackle issues and resolve cases in the workplace
- where and when to seek advice and guidance
- how procedures work in practice
- building a strong organising union
- your next steps in UNISON
You can find a full list of courses relevant to your chosen role in our Learning Hub. All courses are free for you to attend, although there may be a charge to your branch
Other courses on the steward’s training pathway
Once you have completed the Organising Steward training, you need to undertake equality training (Equality in Your Branch or Making Equality Central To Your Union Practice) within your first two years in the role. After that, you can choose to take further training to develop your skills as a steward.
- Developing representation skills
- Further representation skills
- Introduction to negotiating
- Introduction to employment law
- Advanced employment law
You can find a full list of courses relevant to your chosen role in our Learning Hub. All courses are free for you to attend, although there may be a charge to your branch
Keeping your knowledge up to date
In order to make sure that your skills and knowledge remain up to date, and to protect your legal rights as a UNISON workplace representative, you need to take our two-day ERA Refresher course every five years.
Training for reps: