Please note that applications are now closed. 

Worried you missed your chance to improve your union leadership skills? Well, we have extended the deadline to register for our Union Leadership Development Program!

Come develop your leadership skills and build union power!

New deadline for applications: Sunday, November 5, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Don’t wait, sign up now!

• Are you an elected union leader or an informal leader who has the trust and respect of fellow union members?
• Are you committed to fighting for workers’ rights, human rights and social justice? 
• Do you want to develop a sustainable, collaborative leadership practice? 
• Do you want to know how to lead from an anti-oppressive perspective?  
• Do you want to learn skills that will help transform PSAC into a stronger, more effective, inclusive, better-organized, membership-based union?
• Can you to commit to a year-long, intensive education program and to applying what you learn to your union leadership in the years to come?

The PSAC’s Union Leadership Development Program (ULDP) is an advanced, year-long leadership course for members who are ready to expand their leadership roles within the union.  

For more than 35 years, the ULDP has been recognized as among the best comprehensive union leadership training programs in Canada. Many current national and regional PSAC leaders are graduates of the ULDP and can attest to the learning opportunities the program provides.

This program provides training for both formal union leaders in elected positions as well as informal union leaders who are respected in the workplace. Ideal candidates for the ULDP are leaders who demonstrate that they are in a position to work with others in our union and make meaningful change, and those who have the respect and trust of members.

The ULDP provides leaders at PSAC with training, tools and shared space to develop their individual and collective capacity to transform PSAC into a stronger, more effective, inclusive, better-organized, membership-based union.

ULDP dates and location

The ULDP is delivered once every three years in each of the 7 PSAC Regions. Francophones from the NCR and Atlantic Regions will join the Quebec Region while Anglophones from the Quebec Region will join the NCR Region.  The program has six mandatory steps which include three face-to-face gatherings and three remote steps.

Here are the dates and locations of each step of ULDP in each region.

Atlantic

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to April 9, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – April 10 to April 14, 2024 – Halifax, NS
• Step 3 – remote – April 16 to June 11, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 12 to June 16, 2024 – Moncton, NB
• Step 5 – remote – June 17 to November 19, 2024 
• Step 6 – in person – November 20 to November 24, 2024 – Saint John, NB

BC

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to April 11, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – April 12 to April 16, 2024 – Burnaby 
• Step 3 – remote – April 17 to June 13, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 14 to June 18, 2024 – Burnaby 
• Step 5 – remote – June 19 to October 31, 2024 
• Step 6 – in person – November 1 to November 4, 2024 – Burnaby 

National Capital Region

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to March 1, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – March 2 to March 6, 2024 – Ottawa 
• Step 3 – remote – March 7 to June 1, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 2 to June 7, 2024 – Ottawa 
• Step 5 – remote – June 8 to October 2, 2024 
• Step 6 – in person – October 3 to October 8,  2024 – Ottawa 

North

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to April 23, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – April 24 to April 28, 2024 – Yellowknife 
• Step 3 – remote – April 29 to June 11, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 12 to June 16, 2024 – Iqualuit 
• Step 5 – remote – June 17 to December 10,2024 
• Step 6 – in person – December 11 to December 15, 2024 –Whitehorse 

Ontario

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to April 22, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – April 23 to April 28, 2024 
• Step 3 – remote – April 29 to June 10, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 11 to 16, 2024 
• Step 5 – remote – June 17 to November 4, 2024 
• Step 6 – in person – November 5 to November 10, 2024 

Prairies

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to April 21, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – April 22 to April 26, 2024 
• Step 3 – remote – April 27 to June 10, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 9 to June 13, 2024 
• Step 5 – remote – June 14 to November 23, 2024 
• Step 6 – in person – November 24 to November 28, 2024 

Québec 

• Step 1 – remote – January 3 to April 9, 2024 
• Step 2 – in person – April 10 to April14, 2024 – Québec 
• Step 3 – remote – April 15 to June 4, 2024 
• Step 4 – in person – June 5 to June 9 2024 – Orford 
• Step 5 – remote – June 10 to December 3 – 2024 
• Step 6 – in person – December 4 to December 8 2024  –Brossard 

Course prerequisites

• Talking Union Basics (TUB)
• or Introduction to PSAC for Indigenous Members
• or equivalent experience through activism within PSAC and/or their community

PSAC is committed to ensuring that participants in the ULDP represent the diversity of our union membership.  We encourage applications from members who are Indigenous, racially visible members, members with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ members and members under the age of 36. 

ULDP Overview 

The ULDP includes three five-day in-person trainings; an online course; and independent reading and reflection. Throughout the program, participants are also expected to plan and complete a collaborative leadership project on an issue of importance to them in their local, workplace or community. 

Step 1 – Estimated time commitment: 6-7 hours

• Includes an online course (2 hours); independent work in preparation for collaborative leadership project; a short reading assignment; and one or two Zoom meetings. 

Step 2 – In-person training – duration: 5 consecutive days in residence 

Step 3 – Estimated time commitment: 15-20 hours

• Includes independent work on collaborative leadership (analysis of a film); group work on the collaborative leadership project; and one or two Zoom meetings.  

Step 4 – In-person training – duration: 5 consecutive days in residence 

Step 5 – Estimated time commitment: 30-40 hours 

• Participants focus on their collaborative leadership project during this step.  
• Also includes one reading assignment and one or two Zoom meetings. May include additional Zoom meetings according to the needs of the group.  

Step 6 - In-person training – duration: 5 consecutive days in residence