Local 349 Members Take Part in Region 3 Educational
Members attended weekend courses focused on activism, grievance handling, human rights, global solidarity, and workplace surveillance.
Local 349 was represented at the 2026 Region 3 Educational, held June 13 and 14 at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville. The weekend brought OPSEU/SEFPO members together from across the region to build skills, strengthen connections, and bring valuable education back to their locals and workplaces.
Event Overview
The Region 3 Educational offered four courses:
- Women in Activism – Staying Connected
- Advanced Grievance Handling for Union Building
- Human Rights, Union Rights and Global Solidarity
- Workplace Surveillance
Each course focused on a different part of union work, from building confidence and leadership, to handling grievances, understanding rights, strengthening solidarity, and responding to new workplace challenges.
Local 349 Representation
Local 349 was represented in two of the educational streams:
- Gloria Sheffar attended Human Rights, Union Rights and Global Solidarity
- Harvey Vaters attended Workplace Surveillance
Their participation helps ensure Local 349 continues to bring new learning, awareness, and practical tools back to our membership.
Course Focus: Women in Activism – Staying Connected
This course focused on supporting women who are interested in becoming more involved in their union. Participants explored how women have contributed to union and political activism, how to build confidence, and how to encourage others to take part in union work.
This topic is important because strong locals depend on members feeling welcome, supported, and confident enough to get involved.
Course Focus: Advanced Grievance Handling for Union Building
This course looked at grievance handling as more than a formal process. It focused on how grievances can help identify workplace issues, support members, build local awareness, and strengthen the union.
Participants explored how to assess issues, practise grievance-related conversations, consider both union and employer perspectives, and work toward realistic and enforceable settlements.
Course Focus: Human Rights, Union Rights and Global Solidarity
This course explored the connections between human rights, union rights, and broader struggles for fairness and equality. Participants examined how issues such as austerity, discrimination, privilege, oppression, and collective action connect to both local union work and global solidarity.
For Local 349, this learning connects directly to the role unions play in supporting fair, inclusive, and respectful workplaces.
Course Focus: Workplace Surveillance
This course focused on workers’ rights and union responses to workplace surveillance. As technology changes, workplace monitoring can include tools such as cameras, electronic systems, digital tracking, communications platforms, and other forms of data collection.
The course helped participants think about how surveillance affects privacy, trust, workload, discipline, and workplace power. It also focused on how locals can respond through awareness, member education, collective agreement language, and proactive conversations with employers.
Why This Matters for Local 349
Educationals like this strengthen the local by giving members practical knowledge they can bring back to committees, meetings, steward work, and everyday conversations with members.
The Region 3 Educational also provided an opportunity to connect with other OPSEU/SEFPO members, hear about common workplace challenges, and share strategies across locals.
Local 349 is proud to support member education and participation in regional opportunities. When members attend educationals, they return with stronger skills, broader perspectives, and new tools to support the work of the local.
Members interested in future educational opportunities are encouraged to watch the Local 349 website, email updates, and union communications for upcoming events.