Members can now take online training from a computer (laptop or desktop – not phone) at their own pace – and receive a certificate once complete through our MRC Portal. All courses are available in English, Spanish and Chinese, unless otherwise noted.

These classes are:

Welcome and Introduction to SEIU 1021

New to SEIU or want to learn more about union business? This course is for you! Join us online for a self-paced orientation to SEIU, labor rights and union jargon. We explain the SEIU leadership structure and how we work together across chapters and cities to agitate, educate and organize members into action.

Basic Steward Training

Learn about labor rights, how to advocate for yourself and others as a steward. This course introduces you to the rights and roles of union leaders, legal protections for stewards, problem-solving skills, and Weingarten rights. Become a leader and help build a united, organized, and involved membership in your workplace! This is the first course in a 3-part series.

Intermediate Steward Training

Building on the Basic training course, this course explores more advanced steward roles, such as addressing grievances and investigations, the tests of just cause, how to deal with management, and the union’s right to information.

Labor-Management – Tips and Traps

This course explores how the Labor-Management Committee operates, who is involved and what kinds of issues it reviews. Learn more about why this committee is so important to union work, some tips for success and cautionary tales on advantages and disadvantages.

The Steward’s Role in the ADA Interactive Process

The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates all employees engage in an interactive process to determine if a reasonable accommodation of an employee’s disability can be made. Learn what role stewards and advocates can play in assisting differently-abled employees or those returning to work after an injury or illness.

Introduction to COPE

This course is an online introduction to COPE, the Committee on Political Education, how it supports SEIU 1021, its mission and communities we support through targeted action. It covers not only the history and need for COPE funds, but also how to help members sign up using a COPE signup form, address typical questions and issues from members, and participate in the COPE incentives program, designed to reward you for helping members sign up initially or increase current COPE contributions.

New Year, New (California) Law 2024

This course presents a 20-minute video explanation of selected California state laws impacting SEIU 1021 members that changed as-of January 2024, with an introduction to the legal team who created it and their tips and suggestions for additional learning.