The IATSE’s Labor Education Assistance Program provides reimbursement money to local unions whose officers enroll in qualifying Labor Studies Courses.. The program covers all Officers, Officials, Trustees, and Executive Board Members of all local unions, who are eligible to be reimbursed for one (1) labor studies course each calendar year. Now every representative has access to a broad range of educational opportunities to help them better represent the workers in their jurisdiction.

Educational opportunities exist to fit every schedule and level of education and cover a spectrum of topics. IATSE-sponsored LEAP participants have participated in workshops sponsored by the AFL-CIO, Canadian Labour Congress, and the Labor Arbitration Institute; studied a wide variety of topics, including collective bargaining, organizing, public speaking, parliamentary procedure, and contract writing at skillstraining seminars on college campuses; and attended United Association for Labor Education (UALE) Women’s Schools and Regional Young Worker programs. Many people have also begun to take advantage of online learning classes, which allow freelance workers with unconventional schedules to learn on their own time in degree courses, short workshops, and one-time webinars. Local officers are encouraged to avail themselves of this tool in order to expand their labor knowledge and better represent their workers.

HOW TO APPLY FOR LEAP

Representatives from local unions may, with pre-approval, have tuition and reasonable housing expenses reimbursed for qualifying labor studies courses and courses that aid in the performance of their duties as union leaders (such as Excel or Parliamentary Procedure). The request must contain the name of the course and teaching establishment, along with the cost of instruction and any anticipated housing expenses, and be submitted to the International President, in writing, on the local’s letterhead. This pre-approval process is essential to guarantee reimbursement of educational expenses, which will be provided via check to the local union upon the receipt of proof of successful completion of the course. The International will pay for course tuition and for pre-approved housing expenses for short courses lasting less than one week. Not included is transportation, which will be the responsibility of the individual or the Local Union.

Click here for a sample LEAP application letter (PDF)

Cliquez ici pour un exemple de lettre de candidature LEAP en français (PDF)

HELPFUL LINKS

• LEAP Directory (US)
• LEAP Directory (Canada)
• Cornell University ILR School
• Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) – Labour Education

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

SOLD OUT February 24 – 28, 2025 – Atlanta, GA

May 12 – 16, 2025 Cambridge, MA 

October 6 – 10, 2025 St. Louis, MO 

The IATSE Officer Institute is a five-day, intensive certification program that will be delivered in multiple cities. The week’s courses range from Labor Law and Collective Bargaining to Union Finance, to managing day-to-day challenges and dealing with conflict. Instructors are experts in their fields and classes will provide hands-on, practical tools to be brought back to the local. Officers will earn a certificate and must attend all classes to graduate.

HOW TO APPLY:

Fill out the application form that corresponds with the Officer Institute you wish to attend and return the completed application via email to officerinstitute@iatse.net or by mail to:

IATSE Officer Institute
207 West 25th Street
Fourth Floor
New York, NY 10001

FINANCIAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM

For Local unions with smaller treasuries, the International has a subsidy program to make attendance feasible. Local Unions are also encouraged to contact their District Secretaries, as many IATSE Districts are also offering financial assistance to students at the Officer Institute.

Through this program, costs of the Officer Institute are split: Local Unions are responsible for transportation, hotels (unless a subsidy application has been awarded), and per diem, and the International Union will pay for the program and instructors.

Rules of the Subsidy Program are as follows:

1. Subsidies are only available for the Officer Institute 1.0, not the Advanced 2.0.
2. Local Unions who submit a Form LM-4 or LM-3 (or, in the case of Canadian locals, those with gross yearly receipts totaling less than $250,000) are eligible for a hotel subsidy for the Officer Institute. (The application form asks subsidy applicants to confirm their local falls within this category.)
3. Once awarded, the subsidy will pay for up to five nights lodging at the designated IATSE hotel, and will be paid directly to the hotel. No funds will be paid directly to the student or the local union. Subsidy recipients must stay at the designated IATSE hotel.
4. Ten (10) individual subsidies will be available for each session of the Officer Institute, and will be awarded subject to eligibility and on a first come, first served basis to qualifying local union leaders. Each qualifying local union may receive subsidies for no more than two officers in a calendar year.
5. Subsidy applications must be received at least six (6) weeks prior to the first day of the applicable Officer Institute session.
6. Transportation, meals, and incidentals are the responsibility of the local union and/or the individual students.
7. The subsidy request form should be submitted together with an officer’s regular application to the IATSE Officer Institute. Both forms must be signed by an authorized representative of the Local’s Executive Board

   Download subsidy application

There are currently no scheduled trainings. Check back here for updates.

FOR U.S. AND CANADIAN LOCALS

PRE-REQUISITE: You must currently hold office in your Local Union as Secretary or Treasurer or (regardless of office) be a graduate of a prior IATSE Officer Institute.

This training offers advanced work in issues of Financial Record Keeping, IATSE procedures, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud Prevention, Taking Minutes, and more. Content will be tailored for both Canadian and U.S. local leaders who have graduated from the IATSE Officer Institute and/or currently hold office as Secretaries and Treasurers in their local unions.

HOW TO APPLY:

Fill out the application form that corresponds with the Officer Institute you wish to attend and return the completed application via email to officerinstitute@iatse.net or by mail to:

I.A.T.S.E. Officer Institute
207 West 25th Street
Fourth Floor
New York, NY 10001

Costs of the Officer Institute are split: local unions are responsible for transportation, hotels, and per diem and the International Union will pay for the program and instructors.

Please contact officerinstitute@iatse.net with any questions.

UPCOMING TRAININGS:

April 23 – 24, 2025, Austin, TX

IATSE Local Union Trustees may attend this two-day course designed specifically for IATSE Local Unions. The instructors are Certified Public Accountants and IATSE Staff, and are experienced educators and experts in their field with considerable experience overseeing audits and investigations, working with Labor Unions, and assisting clients with system implementation and analysis. After sessions on Fraud Prevention, the Role of the Trustee, and Planning an Audit, the class will conduct a mock audit.

Trustees must attend the full two days of class to graduate and earn a certificate.

Only members who serve their local unions as Trustees responsible for periodically auditing their locals’ books and records are eligible for this training. There is no other prerequisite. This training in NOT applicable for Benefit Fund or Training Fund Trustees.

HOW TO APPLY

Fill out the application form and return the completed application via email to officerinstitute@iatse.net or by mail to:

I.A.T.S.E. Officer Institute
207 West 25th Street
Fourth Floor
New York, NY 10001

Costs of the class are split: local unions are responsible for transportation, hotels, and per diem, and the International Union will pay for the program and instructors.

Leadership Development Week is an opportunity to customize your leadership training.

The 2023 sessions of Leadership Development Week have concluded. Check back to this page regularly for updates and announcements.

HOW TO APPLY

Fill out the Leadership Development Week application and return the completed application via email to officerinstitute@iatse.net or by mail to: 

I.A.T.S.E. Officer Institute
207 West 25th Street
Fourth Floor
New York, NY 10001

Costs of the class are split: local unions are responsible for transportation, hotels, and per diem, and the International Union will pay for the program and instructors.

Please contact officerinstitute@iatse.net with any questions.

UPCOMING TRAINING:

This 4-day course includes: Labor Law and the Mechanics of an Organizing Campaign; Best Practices and Tactics; Targeting and Strategy; Messaging to the Public, Unrepresented Workers, and to the Membership; Developing a Blueprint, and more.

Local Unions are encouraged to send candidates who have the power to move an action forward in their Local which fosters growth and strength.

The 2023 session of the Organizing 2.0 has concluded. Check back to this page regularly for updates and announcements.

HOW TO APPLY:

Fill out the application form that corresponds with the Officer Institute you wish to attend and return the completed application via email to officerinstitute@iatse.net or by mail to:

I.A.T.S.E. Officer Institute
207 West 25th Street
Fourth Floor
New York, NY 10001

Costs of the Officer Institute are split: local unions are responsible for transportation, hotels, and per diem and the International Union will pay for the program and instructors.

Please contact officerinstitute@iatse.net with any questions.

Essentials of Union Leadership: An online IATSE Officer Institute leadership series developed in partnership with and administered through the University of Wisconsin School for Workers. The series focuses on effective leadership principles and tools to help attendees build a high-capacity local union, effectively represent workers, communicate clearly, and set and achieve long-term goals.

Each course is designed so students can engage independently and learn at their own pace and on their own schedule for a total time of approximately 6-8 hours over the course of a week. Each module includes short readings, videos, recorded PowerPoints, quizzes, and discussion boards where reflective questions are discussed among the instructor and classmates. Courses do not need to be taken in any particular order.

These virtual complements to the Officer Institute are open to officers, officials, trustees, and board members of IATSE Local Unions. There is a limit of three individuals per local union per class.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!  January 7 – 15, 2025 | Building Capacity: Internal Organizing is designed to make every local stronger within – where members are connected to each other, to the local union and to the community in strategic ways that build connections for member strength, security, and growth.

To register for this course, send an email to officerinstitute@iatse.net with the Subject line: Jan. 7, 2025, Building Capacity”. Include the following information in the body of your email:

• First and Last Name
• Phone Number
• Email Address that you would like to use to log into the course
• Local Union
• Mailing Address
• Position at Local Union

Please copy your Local Union’s Secretary-Treasurer on your application email. If you are the Secretary-Treasurer, please CC one of your local’s other primary officers. We will verify your application. There is a limit of three (3) individuals per local union. You will be notified within 3 business days of your acceptance. When the class is full, additional students will be placed on the waiting list.

Click here for more information.  

Check back to this page for updates and announcements of these courses:

October 8 – 15, 2024 | Foundations of Union Leadership is designed to help Union leaders understand key components and considerations for leading their local unions. This class is focused on effective leadership principles and tools to help attendees to build a high-capacity local union, effectively represent workers, communicate clearly, and set and achieve long term goals.

November 15 – 22, 2024 | Leadership Theories and Styles explores different types of leadership and how they apply to labor unions. Participants study and evaluate the difference between managing and leading, assess their strengths, interpret key leadership practices, and apply different leadership models and practices to their own situations. 

December 5 – 13, 2024 |  Strategic Planning explores the process organizations undertake to do long-range planning. Students learn the components of a strategic plan and the process for developing one, with an eye toward constructing elements of a strategic plan relevant to their own situations. All of this lays out considerations for work in every local and with any team to incorporate essential elements of a plan for progress.

Please contact officerinstitute@iatse.net with any questions

The IATSE Road Show: Why Unions Matter is an informative and enlightening presentation developed by the Labor Education Program at the University of Arkansas Little Rock and the IATSE.

The Road Show covers:

• How are unions essential to a healthy political & economic democracy?
• Who acts as the safeguard to corporate power?
• What role do unions have in building an equitable future for all?

How Worker Power Builds an Economy That Creates Jobs, Raises Wages, & Promotes Economic Dignity for All.

Three versions are available: U.S. (English), Canadian (English), and Canadian (French).

REQUEST AN IN-PERSON ROAD SHOW STOP

If you would like to host this presentation in your city, please contact Jennifer Halpern at the IATSE General Office at jhalpern@iatse.net to receive more details and to schedule a date.

WATCH THE IATSE Road Show WEBINAR

To access a recording of Why Unions Matter, register here:

U.S. Locals: https://iatse.co/May11whyunionsmatter

Canadian Locals: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/3332091300754810635

Canadian Locals (French): https://iatse.co/PorquoiLesSyndicats

The IATSE Leadership Training Webinar Channel includes recordings on a range of topics, including Labor Law, The Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer and Trustees, Communication, Mental Health, Public Speaking, Resources of the IATSE Training Trust Fund, Leading Union Teams, and more!

For access to the Leadership Training Webinar Channel, email officerinstitute@iatse.net with the subject line “Leadership Training Webinar Channel”.