In collaboration with the Employee and Labor Relations (ELR) Network, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Partnership and Labor Relations, sponsors training for management representatives and managers who work in federal agencies. The Labor Relations Professional Development Series I (LR-PDS I) course was first offered in June 2009. It was developed to assist agency labor relations practitioners to enhance the skills needed for successful job performance. Since then, training opportunities expanded into more advanced training with the advent of Labor Relations Professional Development Series II.

Training is facilitated by a variety of senior labor relations management personnel across the federal government. We bring together experts from agencies such as the Department of Defense, Department of the Treasury, Department of Labor, Department of Veterans Affairs, the Office of Personnel Management, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Justice. Training is provided at no cost to the agency or employee, and requires a nomination from the agency.

To request a nomination form or for more information about upcoming training opportunities, please email PLR@opm.gov.

Professional Development Series I, or PDS I, is developed for management representatives who have three years or less of experience in Employee or Labor Relations. PDS I is held two or more times per year in Washington, D.C., and often included the following topics:

• Executive Order 13522- Creating Labor-Management Forums
• Overview of Federal Sector Labor Relations
• Labor Relations Research Tools
• Labor-Management Dispute Resolution
• Unfair Labor Practices
• Collective Bargaining
• Contract Administration
• Negotiations
• Unit Certifications

OPM will host PDS I training on the following dates in Fiscal Year 2012: March 5-8, 2012 and June 25-28, 2012. For more information or for a nomination form, please contact PLR@opm.gov.

Professional Development Series II, or PDS II, is developed for management representatives who have three years or more of experience in Labor Relations. PDS II is held two or more times per year in Washington, D.C., and often includes the following topics:

• Negotiability II
• Representation before a Third Party
• Unfair Labor Practices
• Unit Determinations
• Collective Bargaining

OPM will host PDS II training on the following dates in Fiscal Year 2012: March 27-30, 2012, and July 23-26, 2012. For more information or for a nomination form, please contact PLR@opm.gov.

Labor Relations for Managers is the newest course offering, designed to give managers and supervisors in the federal government training on the federal labor relations. The course is tentatively designed to include discussion on the following topics and best practices:

• Federal statutory and case law
• Addressing performance and nonperformance issues
• Performance management
• Executive Order 13522 and pre-decisional involvement
• Official time

Labor Relations for Managers is scheduled for April 24-27, 2012 in Washington, D.C. For more information or for a nomination form, please contact PLR@opm.gov.