|
|
 |
Education & Research: Steward's Corner
by Robert
Wechsler, Education Director
New
Stewards
Take
Note
You were
just
elected
or
appointed
steward
for your
section
or work
area.
Congratulations.
Today is
the
first
day of
your new
life.
You have
been
duly
sworn in
as an
officer
of the
Transport
Workers
Union of
America,
AFL-CIO.
With
that
oath
comes
the
important
responsibility
of
defending
the
union
and it's
members.
Hopefully
the
local
has
trained
you in
your
rights
and
responsibilities.
But all
too
often
stewards
are
thrown
into the
thick of
things
before
they
have the
proper
training.
Here are
some
tips for
the new
stewards.
First of
all,
remember
that as
an
officer
of the
union
you have
the
support
of your
local,
your
international
union
and the
100,000
members
who
comprise
the
union.
That
means
that if
you
don't
know the
answer
to
questions
or are
not
familiar
with
procedures,
ask your
local
leadership.
With
your
position
comes a
huge
responsibility
and you
need to
be able
to
provide
the
right
answers
to
members
and
follow
the
correct
procedures
in your
dealings
with
management.
Your
members
will
respect
you for
following
this
simple
advice.
Take
your
time.
Listen
carefully.
Write
things
down.
Buy
yourself
a spiral
notebook
and
begin to
document
your
activities.
If you
investigate
a
grievance,
write
down the
5W's in
your
notebook
or on
the
grievance
information
sheet
that the
local
may
provide
with the
grievance
form.
Be on
your
toes.
You will
be
tested
by
management
the
moment
you
become a
steward.
Think of
it as
hazing.
But
don't
give in.
Act
professional
and be
aware of
your
rights.
Your
supervisor
or
manager
will
probably
try to
tell you
what you
can or
cannot
do as a
steward.
Remember
you are
hearing
this
information
from a
self-serving
and
biased
source.
Know
your
rights.
You are
management's
equal in
all
matters
relating
to the
contract
and the
union-employer
relationship.
Your
contract
may
outline
some of
your
rights
as a
steward
but much
of it
has a
legal
basis.
That
means
the "sit
down and
shut up"
mentality
of some
supervisors
is
incorrect,
unprofessional,
and in
some
cases
downright
illegal.
If you
are
denied
rights
which
make
your
defense
of a
member
impossible,
make
sure
your
local is
aware of
this
situation
--
immediately.
Most
locals
have
grievance
guides
that the
International's
Education
Department
has
produced
for the
local.
Get a
copy and
read it.
Check
out the
steward's
section
of the
TWU's
website
at
www.TWU.org.
Look for
it in
the
Education
section.
You are
a
representative
of your
union to
your
members.
Introduce
yourself
and
greet
new
hires.
Be the
strongest
advocate
for the
union on
the
property.
Pass
along
information
from
your
local.
Squelch
any
rumor
before
it
spreads.
Sign
members
up for
COPE.
Work
together
with
your
local's
other
officers.
That
means
the
politics
of the
past
union
election,
if there
was one,
is over.
You are
part of
the
team.
If a
member
comes to
you with
a
complaint
that
could be
grievable,
investigate
it
quickly
and
professionally.
Resolve
the
issue in
the
quickest
and
fairest
way.
Don't
make the
member
wait
unnecessarily
for an
answer.
Tell
him/her
that you
will get
back to
them
with an
answer
and then
get back
to them.
If the
issue is
not
grievable,
see if
there is
a way to
resolve
it.
If there
is no
grievance,
be
honest
with the
member
but
explain
why the
issue is
not a
grievance
under
your
agreement.
Work
with
other
stewards
so that
they are
aware of
the
issues
you have
been
presented
with.
You
don't
want a
member
going
behind
our back
to
another
steward
because
he/she
did not
agree
with
your
decision
not to
press a
complaint.
Read
everything
you can
about
your
work--your
local
newsletter,
the TWU
Express,
the
daily
newspaper,
and
labor
books.
Make
sure
education
is part
of your
union's
regular
business.
[back]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
