Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving industrial relations landscape, effective social dialogue, labour diplomacy, collective bargaining, and workplace negotiation skills are critical for achieving sustainable labour peace and productivity. Organizations and unions are increasingly focusing on conflict resolution, employee relations strategy, grievance handling, labour law compliance, and union-management engagement to build resilient workplaces. Shop stewards play a pivotal role as frontline representatives, bridging the gap between employees and management through structured negotiation and advocacy.

Social Dialogue and Labour Diplomacy Training Course is designed to strengthen competencies in labour diplomacy, negotiation strategy, dispute resolution, mediation techniques, and stakeholder engagement. It equips participants with modern tools to manage workplace tensions, enhance collective bargaining outcomes, promote social partnership, and drive constructive labour relations frameworks aligned with global best practices in industrial democracy and workforce governance.

Programme Curriculum

Social Dialogue and Labour Diplomacy Training Course

Introduction

Course Duration

5 days

Course Objectives

Develop mastery in collective bargaining strategy and negotiation frameworks
Strengthen skills in labour diplomacy and social dialogue mechanisms
Enhance capability in conflict resolution and grievance handling systems
Build competence in shop steward leadership and representation roles
Apply industrial relations laws and labour compliance standards
Improve effective communication and persuasion techniques in negotiations
Understand union-management partnership models and engagement strategies
Strengthen workplace mediation and arbitration processes
Develop emotional intelligence for labour relations management
Build capacity in employee advocacy and rights protection
Apply strategic problem-solving in labour disputes
Strengthen stakeholder engagement and consensus-building techniques
Promote sustainable workplace peace and productivity frameworks

Target Audience

Shop stewards and union representatives
HR managers and industrial relations officers
Labour union leaders and organizers
Government labour inspectors and mediators
Employee relations specialists
Supervisors and line managers
Workplace dispute resolution committees
Organizational development and HR consultants

Course Modules

Module 1: Foundations of Social Dialogue & Labour Diplomacy

Principles of social dialogue and tripartite engagement
Evolution of labour diplomacy in modern workplaces
Roles of unions, employers, and government stakeholders
Importance of industrial harmony and workforce stability
Legal frameworks governing labour relations
Case Study: Analysis of successful national tripartite labour negotiations leading to minimum wage reforms.

Module 2: Role of Shop Stewards in Industrial Relations

Duties and responsibilities of shop stewards
Representation rights in grievance handling
Communication channels between workers and management
Ethical leadership and accountability
Building trust within union structures
Case Study: A manufacturing plant where shop stewards reduced strike incidents through structured dialogue.

Module 3: Collective Bargaining & Negotiation Strategy

Stages of collective bargaining process
Preparation of negotiation mandates
BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)
Power dynamics in labour negotiations
Achieving win-win outcomes
Case Study: A public sector wage negotiation that achieved balanced outcomes through strategic bargaining.

Module 4: Conflict Resolution & Grievance Handling

Sources of workplace conflict
Grievance reporting and escalation procedures
Mediation and conciliation techniques
Emotional control in disputes
Documentation and compliance procedures
Case Study: Resolution of a long-standing union dispute in a logistics company using mediation frameworks.

Module 5: Labour Law & Industrial Compliance

Key labour laws and employment regulations
Workers’ rights and employer obligations
Disciplinary procedures and fair hearing principles
Role of labour courts and tribunals
Compliance risk management
Case Study: A legal dispute involving unfair dismissal resolved through labour court arbitration.

Module 6: Communication & Negotiation Skills

Active listening and persuasive communication
Non-verbal communication in negotiations
Framing proposals and counteroffers
Managing difficult conversations
Building consensus through dialogue
Case Study: Successful negotiation between union and airline management avoiding a nationwide strike.

Module 7: Stakeholder Engagement & Labour Relations Strategy

Mapping labour relations stakeholders
Building union-management partnerships
Designing engagement frameworks
Trust-building and transparency mechanisms
Strategic workforce planning
Case Study: A multinational company improving productivity through structured labour-management forums.

Module 8: Advanced Mediation & Industrial Peacebuilding

Advanced dispute resolution techniques
Third-party mediation processes
Arbitration vs conciliation approaches
Peace agreements and settlement drafting
Sustainable industrial harmony models
Case Study: A mining sector conflict resolved through third-party mediation restoring full operations.

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

Tripartite negotiation stakeholder engagement labour diplomacy consensus building

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