Labor Relations Training Courses

With one Executive Order, President Joseph R. Biden created a dramtic shift in the world of federal labor relations, resciding numerous Trump Executive Orders, including those regarding official time, bargaining topics, negotiation timeframes, and union responsibilities to pay for things they never had to pay for before.  FELTG’s Labor Relations training will help you understand what these changes mean to you, whether you’re an attorney, L/ER specialist, or supervisor. FELTG courses instruct practitioners on how to safely and legally navigate the complex terrain of federal labor relations, while providing fundamental understanding and practical application to the daily requirements of those employed in this field.

LR-1: Fundamentals of Federal Labor Relations: Nuts & Bolts (1-2 days)

Do you have someone on your staff who is working with unions for the first time? Do you have seasoned L/ER practitioners looking for a refresher? Did employees in your organization recently organize and form a union, or change unions? No matter which applies, this is the course for you. Because of the significant changes in federal labor relations in the past few months, this course will get you immediately up to speed with the world of federal labor relations. Attendees will learn about the foundations of the federal labor relations system, from who the major players are (FLRA, FSIP) to how the grievance and arbitration processes work, and they will leave the training with a working understanding of the major labor relations issues of the day.

Course Topics: An overview of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute; the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA); fundamental employee, union, and management rights; Weingarten meetings; formal discussions; a bargaining unit employee’s right to be represented by the union in certain meetings.

LR-2: Handling Grievances & Arbitration (1 day)

Government and private sector arbitration are two very different processes. After this full-day training, you’ll understand the unique aspects of the federal sector grievance and arbitration processes. You’ll also learn how arbitration awards, while usually binding, may be reviewed for legal sufficiency.

Course Topics: Invoking arbitration under the collective bargaining agreement; the agency grievance process vs. the negotiated grievance process; the arbitration process; selecting an arbitrator; rules of evidence; educating the arbitrator.

LR-3: Navigating Negotiability Issues (1 day)

Negotiability may be the most complex topic in federal sector labor relations, and an understanding of which topics are negotiable, and which topics are not, is fundamental to helping determine the legality of your negotiations and contract provisions. Attendees will learn what subjects must be bargained, what subjects may not be bargained, and what subjects may be bargained at the agency’s discretion.

Course Topics: FLRA process and procedures; management rights; mandatory bargaining; permissive topics; intersection of grievances, MSPB appeals, and EEO complaints; bargaining styles; impact and implementation bargaining; bringing the bargaining process to closure.

LR-4: Effective Negotiation Techniques & Strategies (1-2 days)

It’s a new era in federal labor relations. Ensure you know where the law stands and that you have the right skills for negotiations with your union. This one- or two-day training will cover it all — everything from understanding management rights and management maybes to handling emotion (both yours and others) at the bargaining table.

Course Topics: Bargaining procedures related to collective bargaining agreement (CBA) timelines; impact and implementation bargaining; management-union relationships; position vs. interest-based bargaining; good and bad ways to implement bargaining; effective word choices; choosing your battles.

LR-5: Labor Relations Meetings, Official Time & ULPs (1 day)

Not all meetings are created equally. In fact, some meetings can get your supervisors in trouble, despite their good intentions This training will provide a detailed explanation of when meetings become formal discussions or Weingarten meetings, Brookhaven meetings, and management and employee rights. Plus, the program will cover what constitutes an Unfair Labor Practice, complete with an explanation of ULP procedures start to finish.

Course Topics: Agency obligations; Weingarten and Brookhaven meetings; formal discussions; official time – what is covered by law and what is bargained for; unfair labor practices; procedures; common legal missteps; practical strategies.

LR-6: Legal Writing Skills for LR Practitioners (1 day)

Whether you’ve been to law school or not, you can always use a refresher on legal writing, particularly for the specialized craft of writing in federal sector labor relations. Let FELTG’s experienced instructors sharpen your team’s skills and provide them with the tools necessary to produce effective and legally sound documents.

Course Topics: Legal writing overview; writing a Memorandum of Understanding; pre-ULP writing considerations; drafting arguments under contract interpretation; persuasive legal writing.