Education Program

Why is union education important?

Every UAW member has a right to access educational tools that allow full participation in their union.

Union power flows from an educated, well-informed membership.  As members grow in their union education, they recommit themselves to the mission of the labor movement and invigorate their local unions.  Active engagement and solidarity in our membership translates into better contracts, stronger communities, and improved quality of life for working families.

Our union education program is designed to develop members’ understanding of our shared values of unionism in principle, while also learning the mechanics, structure, and function of the UAW.  Members who take advantage of educational opportunities tend to get involved in local union standing committees, step into leadership roles, and take action on important issues that matter to working people.  We work hard to develop members’ skills so that they can be effective in bargaining strong contracts and enforcing them at their worksites.  Importantly, educated members hold their union leadership accountable to them, and they push relentlessly for the continuous improvement of our great union.

What classes are available to Region 2B members?  How do we get to take these classes?

The UAW Education Department has over 30 workshops available covering a wide variety of topics.  From leadership to rank-and-file to standing committees, there is a workshop that meets your educational needs.

You can find a complete list of available courses in the UAW Education Department Workshop Catalog by clicking here or on the link below.  If you believe that a workshop is needed for members of your local, simply contact your local union President.

Local unions are empowered to request specific training tailored to their needs.  Please follow proper request protocol to take advantage of this option.

Local Union Education Committees

We strongly encourage local unions to activate their Education Committees so that you can host your own workshops! Our Effective Educator workshop can train members on facilitation skills and offer co-teaching support as needed.  Trained Education Committee members (whom we call Effective Educators) are granted access to a selection of ready-to-use curricula and materials developed by the International Education Department.

How can I attend educational conferences at Black Lake?

In addition to local and regional education opportunities, UAW members have access to a wide range of educational conferences and institutes hosted throughout the year at the Walter and May Reuther Family Educational Center at Black Lake.  Conferences are hosted by the UAW National Education Department, the Health and Safety Department, the Women’s Department, the Civil & Human Rights Department and others, and they provide targeted learning paths to meet the needs of members at all levels of experience.

Conferences and institutes offered in recent years have included:

Region 2B is given an allotment for how many members we can send to each conference.  Call letters announcing conference details are sent to the local unions by Region 2B as they become available.  For more information about how to register for opportunities at Black Lake, talk to your local union leadership.