Introduction

Shop Steward Development Programme Training Course is designed to empower employee representatives with advanced collective bargaining skills, labour law compliance knowledge, conflict resolution strategies, and union leadership competencies. In today’s evolving industrial landscape shaped by workplace digitisation, labour rights activism, gig economy expansion, and employee engagement transformation, shop stewards play a critical role in ensuring fair representation, social dialogue, and sustainable industrial harmony.

This programme builds strong capacity in employee advocacy, grievance handling, negotiation excellence, dispute resolution, occupational health and safety (OHS), and organisational communication frameworks. It equips participants to confidently engage management, interpret labour legislation, and drive constructive labour-management relations while fostering productivity, workplace justice, and industrial peace in both unionised and non-unionised environments.

Programme Curriculum

Shop Steward Development Programme Training Course

Introduction

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

Develop mastery in labour law interpretation and workplace compliance
Strengthen collective bargaining and negotiation techniques
Enhance grievance handling and dispute resolution skills
Build competence in industrial relations management
Improve conflict management and mediation capabilities
Understand employee rights and union responsibilities
Develop leadership skills for shop steward representation
Strengthen communication and stakeholder engagement
Promote awareness of occupational health and safety (OHS) standards
Build capacity in disciplinary hearing procedures
Enhance emotional intelligence for workplace diplomacy
Strengthen documentation and reporting skills in labour processes
Foster ethical leadership and fair workplace advocacy

Target Audience

Newly elected shop stewards
Experienced union representatives
HR practitioners involved in labour relations
Supervisors and line managers in unionised workplaces
Trade union officials and organisers
Employee relations officers
Workplace dispute resolution committees
Public and private sector labour representatives

Course Modules

Module 1: Foundations of Industrial Relations

Evolution of labour relations systems
Roles of shop stewards in modern workplaces
Employer-employee relationship dynamics
Labour rights and responsibilities
Trade union structures and governance
Case Study: A manufacturing plant experiences repeated strikes due to poor communication between union and management—analysis of breakdown in industrial relations.

Module 2: Labour Law and Workplace Compliance

Key labour legislation frameworks
Employee rights vs employer obligations
Disciplinary codes and procedures
Contractual employment principles
Legal compliance audits
Case Study: A dismissal dispute arising from alleged misconduct and procedural unfairness in a logistics company.

Module 3: Collective Bargaining Strategies

Bargaining power dynamics
Negotiation planning and preparation
Wage negotiation techniques
Conflict-to-consensus transformation
Agreement drafting fundamentals
Case Study: Salary negotiations between a teachers’ union and education authorities leading to nationwide tension.

Module 4: Grievance Handling & Dispute Resolution

Grievance identification and classification
Escalation procedures
Mediation and arbitration processes
Workplace complaint resolution systems
Documentation of grievances
Case Study: A workplace harassment complaint escalating into arbitration in a corporate office setting.

Module 5: Conflict Management & Workplace Harmony

Sources of workplace conflict
Negotiation vs confrontation approaches
Emotional intelligence in disputes
De-escalation techniques
Peace-building strategies
Case Study: Interdepartmental conflict affecting productivity in a public service institution.

Module 6: Leadership & Shop Steward Effectiveness

Leadership styles in union environments
Decision-making under pressure
Representation ethics
Team mobilisation strategies
Accountability in leadership
Case Study: A shop steward facing mistrust from members due to lack of transparency in negotiations.

Module 7: Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

Effective workplace communication
Report writing and documentation
Public speaking for union leaders
Stakeholder mapping and engagement
Persuasion and influence techniques
Case Study: Miscommunication between union leadership and employees leading to misinformation and unrest.

Module 8: Occupational Health, Safety & Workplace Welfare

OHS legal frameworks and standards
Hazard identification and risk assessment
Workplace wellness programmes
Incident reporting systems
Safety committee participation
Case Study: A construction site accident caused by ignored safety protocols and weak enforcement of OHS standards.

Training Methodology

This course employs a participatory and hands-on approach to ensure practical learning, including:

Interactive lectures and presentations.
Group discussions and brainstorming sessions.
Hands-on exercises using real-world datasets.
Role-playing and scenario-based simulations.
Analysis of case studies to bridge theory and practice.
Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
Expert-led Q&A sessions.
Continuous feedback and personalized guidance.

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@fineskilltrainingcenter.org or call +254769199797

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

a. The participant must be conversant with English.

b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to Fineskill Training Center account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.

Skills & Software Covered

Leadership skills grievance handling workplace representation negotiation skills

Programme Fee

Duration: 5 Days

Method: Online or Physical

Online Price: $1,000

Physical Price: $1,500

Certification: Accredited Certificate

View Available Dates 📄 Download Course Outline (PDF)

Available Sessions

Location

Month

Year

Nov 02 2026

02 Nov — 06 Nov 2026

💻 Online / Virtual session

Online $1,000