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NIPSA Reps 1
This course will be held in NIPSA Harkin House, 54 Wellington Park, Belfast BT9 6DP
This is the first stage course for union reps. It introduces the key concepts and provides a thorough foundation for workplace representatives to develop their knowledge and skills to enable them to carry out their role effectively.
The course will help you:
- understand the job of the union rep in the workplace and the wider union
- dealing with members problems
- represent members with employers
- use and make agreements
- understand how grievances and disciplinaries are handled
- understand employment rights at work
- recruiting members and getting them involved in the union
- meeting management to discuss a range of issues at work
- keeping members in touch with wider issues
- build confidence in your role and responsibilities as a union rep
- develop the skills you need to be an effective rep.
This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks.
10 Tuesdays
21/04/26 – 30/06/26
No Class 26/05/26
Certificate in Employment Law (Trade Union Representatives Stage 2)
This course aims to deepen the understanding of concepts raised in the stage 1 course and providing guidance on the practical application and development of rep’s skills.
The course includes:
- Employment Law for Trade Union Representatives
- Negotiating Employment Rights at Work
- Trade Union Approach to Employment Rights
This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks.
10 Wednesdays
22/04/26 – 24/06/26
Health and Safety Stage 1
This course will cover the essential knowledge of the role and skills including organising and an understanding of health and safety legislation and how this can be interpreted for the workplace.
The course focuses on the following key areas:
- The role and functions of a trade union health and safety representative.
- Organising for health and safety.
- Preventing accidents and ill health.
- Introduce H&S legislation
- Key skills for a trade union health and safety representative.
The course will help you:
- Identify problems – the main health, safety and welfare issues faced by your members
- Involve members – by making them more aware of health and safety issues and the need for union action
- Improve health and safety – by proposing plans for controlling hazards and improving the working environment
- Use information and the law – tracking down information and knowing how to use it effectively
- Get things done – by working with your union organisation and negotiating effectively with your employer
- Develop skills – to do an effective job as a trade union health and safety representative.
This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks.
10 Wednesdays
22/04/26 – 24/06/26
Health and Safety Stage 2
This stage 2 course is a necessary progression for health and safety reps.
Course content includes:
- Building a Safe and Healthy Workplace
- Trade Union Health and Safety Organisation
- Trade Unions Keeping up to date on Health and Safety
- Trade Unions Effecting Change in Health and Safety
- Health and Safety Representatives – Expanding Skills
10 Tuesdays
21/04/26 – 23/06/26
Handling Grievances
Online
The course will include:
- Understanding discipline and grievance process and procedures.
- Increasing knowledge of the law surrounding the handling of discipline and grievance in the workplace.
- Increasing skills and knowledge to prepare strategies for representing members at grievance and discipline hearings.
This is a 5-day course, delivered one evening a week over 5 weeks.
5 Tuesdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
12/05/26 – 09/06/26
Neurodiversity Champions
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people's brains behave and process information.
Neurodiversity refers to the fact that we all:
- think, learn and act differently
- have different strengths and things we find challenging
This course has been designed to give union reps and officials the knowledge, skills and confidence to represent and support neurodivergent members and to advocate for more inclusive and equal workplaces as workplace Neurodiversity Champions.
Course Participants will be able to:
- Confidently talk about neurodiversity and challenge misconceptions.
- Understand the difficulties that workplaces can cause neurodivergent workers.
- Advocate for improving workplace access and support through reasonable accommodations.
- Provide advice on best practice for processes like obtaining reasonable adjustments, screening, diagnosis, disclosure, and other workplace issues.
- Understand and utilise key legislation.
- Understand the Law and how it applies to adjustments.
- Identify the arguments for neurodiversity as an important equality, health, safety and welfare issue.
- Promote awareness of other organisations that provide support and information.
- Introduce the NIC ICTU Neurodiversity Guide.
3 Thursdays
07/05/26 – 21/05/26
Menopause in the Workplace
OCN Level 2 Accredited 5-day Course
Many women will experience menopause symptoms, which can be a real challenge and impact their day to day lives. This four-day course has been designed to create greater awareness of the menopause as a workplace issue. The course aims to:
- Create awareness of the menopause and the symptoms women can experience
- Help reps consider various workplace factors that may negatively impact on workers experiencing the menopause
- Consider practices and environments with the workplace that may put the health and safety of menopausal women at risk and/or may be considered discrimination against workers experiencing the menopause
- Consider best practice for workplaces and unions to tackle the workplace issues facing workers experiencing the menopause.
Who is the course aimed at?
This course is designed for all trade union reps, officials, and people with an interest in menopause in the workplace. This is a 5-day course, delivered one day a week over 5 weeks.
5 Fridays
15/05/26 – 26/06/26
No Class 05/06/26 and 12/06/26
When registering, it is advised to supply an email that you have access to, as all course information is conveyed via email
Negotiation and Communication Skills
This course for all types of union rep focuses on effective negotiation skills. The course includes:
- Recognising different negotiating styles
- Identifying negotiating skills
- How to negotiate as part of a team
- Preparing and presenting a case to management
- Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses when negotiating with management
The course also develops communication skills for reps when dealing with members, management or running public campaigns.
3 Thursdays
11/06/26 – 25/06/26
Handling Grievances
Online
The course will include:
- Understanding discipline and grievance process and procedures.
- Increasing knowledge of the law surrounding the handling of discipline and grievance in the workplace.
- Increasing skills and knowledge to prepare strategies for representing members at grievance and discipline hearings.
This is a 5-day course, delivered one evening a week over 5 weeks.
5 Tuesdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
12/05/26 – 09/06/26
Neurodiversity Champions
Neurodiversity describes the natural differences in how people's brains behave and process information.
Neurodiversity refers to the fact that we all:
- think, learn and act differently
- have different strengths and things we find challenging
This course has been designed to give union reps and officials the knowledge, skills and confidence to represent and support neurodivergent members and to advocate for more inclusive and equal workplaces as workplace Neurodiversity Champions.
Course Participants will be able to:
- Confidently talk about neurodiversity and challenge misconceptions.
- Understand the difficulties that workplaces can cause neurodivergent workers.
- Advocate for improving workplace access and support through reasonable accommodations.
- Provide advice on best practice for processes like obtaining reasonable adjustments, screening, diagnosis, disclosure, and other workplace issues.
- Understand and utilise key legislation.
- Understand the Law and how it applies to adjustments.
- Identify the arguments for neurodiversity as an important equality, health, safety and welfare issue.
- Promote awareness of other organisations that provide support and information.
- Introduce the NIC ICTU Neurodiversity Guide.
3 Thursdays
07/05/26 – 21/05/26
Menopause in the Workplace
OCN Level 2 Accredited 5-day Course
Many women will experience menopause symptoms, which can be a real challenge and impact their day to day lives. This four-day course has been designed to create greater awareness of the menopause as a workplace issue. The course aims to:
- Create awareness of the menopause and the symptoms women can experience
- Help reps consider various workplace factors that may negatively impact on workers experiencing the menopause
- Consider practices and environments with the workplace that may put the health and safety of menopausal women at risk and/or may be considered discrimination against workers experiencing the menopause
- Consider best practice for workplaces and unions to tackle the workplace issues facing workers experiencing the menopause.
Who is the course aimed at?
- This course is designed for all trade union reps, officials, and people with an interest in menopause in the workplace.
- This is a 5-day course, delivered one day a week over 5 weeks.
5 Fridays
15/05/26 – 26/06/26
No Class 05/06/26 & 12/06/26
Health and Safety Stage 1
This course will cover the essential knowledge of the role and skills including organising and an understanding of health and safety legislation and how this can be interpreted for the workplace.
The course focuses on the following key areas:
- The role and functions of a trade union health and safety representative.
- Organising for health and safety.
- Preventing accidents and ill health.
- Introduce H&S legislation
- Key skills for a trade union health and safety representative.
The course will help you:
- Identify problems – the main health, safety and welfare issues faced by your members
- Involve members – by making them more aware of health and safety issues and the need for union action
- Improve health and safety – by proposing plans for controlling hazards and improving the working environment
- Use information and the law – tracking down information and knowing how to use it effectively
- Get things done – by working with your union organisation and negotiating effectively with your employer
- Develop skills – to do an effective job as a trade union health and safety representative.
This is a 10-day course, delivered one day a week over 10 weeks.
10 Wednesdays
22/04/26 – 24/06/26
Health and Safety Stage 2
This stage 2 course is a necessary progression for health and safety reps.
Course content includes:
- Building a Safe and Healthy Workplace
- Trade Union Health and Safety Organisation
- Trade Unions Keeping up to date on Health and Safety
- Trade Unions Effecting Change in Health and Safety
- Health and Safety Representatives – Expanding Skills
10 Tuesdays
21/04/26 – 23/06/26
Further information
If you require any further information about the above courses, please contact Kevin Doherty at,
Registration
If you are interested in any of the above courses, please return a completed application form by email to
Confirmation of acceptance will be issued directly from NIC-ICTU. You will also receive pre-course materials nearer the time of the course from NIC-ICTU.