The principle of union equality, sometimes termed “steward’s immunity,” is also recognized by the courts. In another decision, the Board said: “Some profanity and even defiance must be tolerated during confrontations over contractual rights.” Under the National Labor Relations Act, when stewards and officers engage in representational activity, including grievance meetings and bargaining sessions, behavior that in other circumstances would warrant discipline must be tolerated.Īccording to one NLRB ruling, “The relationship at a grievance meeting is not a 'master-servant' relationship but a relationship between company advocates on one side and union advocates on the other side, engaged as equal opposing parties in litigation.” To resolve this dilemma, labor law accords a special status to union representatives. Some legal treatises call this the “master-servant rule.”īut if stewards were subject to this rule while engaging in union activity, they would face an intolerable risk: speaking up for a member could put their own jobs in jeopardy. In many cases you should be able to make your points temperately, practicing “quiet diplomacy.” But occasions will undoubtedly arise when you will want to raise your voice, challenge a supervisor's credibility, or argue your case in other vigorous ways.Ī widely accepted labor relations canon allows employers to discipline workers who fail to act respectfully toward management. On the shop floor and in grievance meetings, you must defend the actions of members and contest those of management. Standing up to bosses is essential to being a steward. Read about it here: Trump Labor Board Upends Special Status of Union Stewards. You could know the collective agreement inside-out, but if you don’t take care to be approachable, then members may not ask you for help, and you may not know what is really going on in the workplace.Important update, 2020: Unfortunately, the Labor Board recently overturned this longstanding principle of labor relations. Organizing skillsīeing a good organizer is essential and requires a blend of skills and qualities. These are: organizing skills, educational skills and communications skills. There is no one single personality style that makes for a good steward, but there definitely are certain skills which everyone will need to be a good steward. We are all different and have different strengths and weaknesses. There is great satisfaction in doing a tough job well, of being a key link, and in being a leader in your own organization. You’ve got another full-time job to do in addition to your regular job in the workplace – without extra pay.īut it does pay off. You have to set an example because your members and the employer keep an eye on you. You have to give up a lot of your own time. Sometimes there are more kicks than pats on the back. But one constant remains: as steward, you are the daily point person – the “support system” – for members with questions and concerns. As the role of unions has developed, so has the role of stewards. Today, the role of a steward has expanded beyond enforcing the contract to include connecting with members and building more inclusive unions. A steward’s primary job was to make sure that collective agreements were worth more than the paper they were written on. This structure served to support members and make sure the collective agreement was enforced. Historically, the steward system was created to help newly formed unions stay functional by creating a formal leadership role within the local. To navigate to the other chapters, see the right-hand box to get there. This chapter talks about what a union steward is, why we have them and what they do for us.
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