2024 Solidarity Scholarship Winners announced! Congratulations to all of this year’s winners… 

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Training & Education

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Making education more accessible is vital to building a better life for all workers through the Union.

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 is proud to offer a wide variety of training and educational opportunities free of charge to Members of the Union.

Below you will find in-class course listings (as they become available), links to the UFCW WebCampus, weeklong paid training opportunities, and information on scholarships and awards open to Members.

Whether taking an online course to develop personal skills, getting certified for Emergency First Aid, building your toolkit as an active Member, Steward, or Health & Safety member, and more, we hope you will take advantage of some of these learning opportunities.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can always speak to your Union Representative, or reach out to the Training & Education Centre at 1-800-565-8329 or tcadmin@ufcw175.com.

Online

The UFCW Canada WebCampus offers more than 200 FREE courses to Members of UFCW nation-wide. Course categories include: Skills Development, Micro-Credentials, WebCampus On-the-Go, Digital Skills, Health & Safety, Labour Studies, Personal Development, Skilled Trades Programs, and Food & Retail.

PLUS, many of the courses on the WebCampus are recognized by partner educational institutions including: Athabasca University, Brock University, Conestoga College, the Canadian Mental Health Association, the University of Manitoba, and the Workers Health & Safety Centre.

Visit the UFCW Canada WebCampus for more details.

Courses

In-Class

Weeklong Paid Training

2024 Applications are now closed. Deadline was August 1, 2024.

If you applied for a 2024 Weeklong Program, note that ONLY those selected to attend will be notified (approximately four weeks before the course start date).

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 is proud to offer annual training for our Members, Stewards, and Health & Safety Members that takes place over the course of a week at our Mississauga office.

These courses take place at the Training & Education Centre in Mississauga. As per Local Union policies, we cover the cost of:

  • The course, materials, and instruction;
  • Members’ lost wages;
  • Per diems;
  • Transportation costs, and
  • Accommodations.
Members Weeklong Paid Training

This course is open to Members of UFCW Locals 175 & 633. This course provides a basic introduction to the Union, its membership, and what it means to belong to UFCW Locals 175 & 633.

Application window for 2024 closed on August 1.

Course content includes:

  • Why do workers organize?
  • History & Structure of our Local Union and the Labour Movement
  • The role of Stewards & Grievance Handling
  • An Introduction to Collective Bargaining
  • Health & Safety
  • A Local on the move; Benefits; Youth Scholarships; & Education Programs.
  • Why our Local Union is the Leader in Communications & Educational Programs
Stewards Weeklong Paid Training

This course is open only to Union Stewards at UFCW Locals 175 & 633.

Application window for 2024 closed on August 1.

Course content includes:

  • It’s Our Union
  • Human Rights
  • Workplace Injuries
  • Return to Work
  • Duty to Accommodate
Health & Safety Weeklong Paid Training

This course is open only to Joint Health & Safety Committee Members at UFCW Locals 175 & 633.

Application window for 2024 closed on August 1.

Course content includes:

  • Committee Functions
  • Ergonomics
  • Work Refusals
  • Hazard Analysis
  • Critical Injuries
  • Ministry of Labour Inspections
  • WSIB – Dealing with Injuries
  • … and more!

Annual Steward Training

Every year, Union Stewards at UFCW Locals 175 & 633 will have an opportunity to take part in training meant to help build their knowledge and toolkit so they can better represent their co-workers. These training sessions are by invite-only for active Stewards.

Stewards Conferences & Cell Training

This training alternates each year between a weekend conference, and a day-long workshop. Information and invites for both types of training are sent out by the Training & Education Centre well in advance of the dates.

  • 2025: Cell Training will take place in one-day sessions at many locations across the province. This one-day training often allows Stewards who wouldn’t be able to make it to a weekend conference the opportunity to take part in important training.
  • 2026: Stewards Conferences will take place in cities that are central to where most members live for that area. In the past, these conferences have usually taken place in London, Hamilton, Toronto, Sault Ste Marie or Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Ottawa or Kingston. Locations and dates will be available in early 2026.

Scholarships

Across North America, UFCW is committed to lifelong learning and helping our Members achieve their educational goals. We know that college and university can be expensive and that every dollar helps.

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 has had an educational scholarship program for decades. Over just the last 20 years, the Solidarity Scholarship program has awarded just over 1,500 Members or their children a combined total of more than $1.5 million to put toward their post-secondary education.

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 Solidarity Scholarship

McKay, Thompson, Hoebink, Gibson, Williamson, Kensit, Lachance, Hoffman, Labelle, and Northern Joint Council Technology Scholarship

Each year, the Local Union is proud to award 104 Solidarity Scholarships of $1,000 each. Members and their children/dependents studying full-time at a post-secondary institution are eligible.

The application window for 2025 will be announced in the new year.

Applications closed. Deadline was August 1, 2024.

Please note that only winners will be notified and will be required to provide proof that they are registered and attending in the current school year. The Training & Education Committee will notify the winners by email and a list will be published to the website.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Training Centre at tcadmin@ufcw175.com or 1-800-565-8329.

UFCW Canada National Council

The BDM (William J. Beggs, Fred Dowling, Romeo Mathieu) Scholarship

Each year the National Council offers eighteen $1,000 BDM scholarships to UFCW members and their family members attending a post-secondary institution.

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 Members, their spouse and children are eligible to apply for the BDM Scholarship. The student must also be enrolled (or will be enrolled on September 30 of the application year) and attending full-time studies at an accredited Canadian college or university.

Deadline: September 30

Visit the UFCW Canada BDM Scholarship web page for more information and to apply.

UFCW Charity Foundation Scholarship Program

UFCW believes in creating opportunity for the Members of the Union so they can reach their goals and build better lives for themselves. That is why each year the UFCW Charity Foundation awards several scholarships of up to $8,000 each to UFCW members or their unmarried dependents under the age of 20.

For more information, and to find out if you are eligible, please visit ufcwcharityfoundation.org/scholarship.

The 2024 scholarship application window closed May 12, 2024.

Visit ufcwcharityfoundation.org for more information.

Scholarships offered by other Organizations

The scholarships below are not offered through or administered by UFCW Locals 175 & 633, UFCW Canada, or UFCW International. Please contact the relevant provider for more information or any application questions.

OFL/AIL Jack Layton Labour Post-Secondary Scholarship

For more information, visit the OFL website.

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU)

The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists offers two scholarships:

Awards & Grants

Outstanding Member Achievement Award

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 awards four Outstanding Member Achievement Awards every year. There are four nomination categories and the winner of each receives $500.

The categories are:

  • Demonstrating outstanding contributions to the community;
  • Manifesting leadership and advancement of the UFCW;
  • Dedicating themselves to fundraising for Leukemia research, or;
  • Enhancing & achieving improvements in health & safety (including WSIB) for their workplace.

Nominees MUST be a member in good standing of either Local 175 or Local 633 for at least six consecutive months. You can nominate yourself, a co-worker or a family member that belongs to our Local Union.

The annual nomination window runs from August 1 – November 1.

The 2024 Nomination Window is Closed

UFCW Canada Equity Grant

The UFCW Canada Equity Grant Program launched on December 10, 2020, to coincide with Human Rights Day. The program builds on UFCW Canada’s longstanding mandate to support the work of both UFCW members and the communities they serve. The UFCW Canada Equity Grant program upholds our union values which include recognizing the social justice work being undertaken by our membership and communities across Canada.

The Equity Grant Program aims to support newcomer programs, human rights initiatives, and community action projects. Annually, the new Equity Grant Program will consist of a total of three grants – worth $1,000 each – made available to UFCW Canada members and allies.

Eligibility: Open to UFCW members and community justice activists outside of UFCW who are currently engaged in or looking to engage in a social justice initiative.

Deadline: September 30, 2023.

For more information and to apply, visit the UFCW Canada website.