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TForce | Stewards

our barn is nominating stewards who are lazy as hell and didn't even want the Teamsters in there to start with!! What are they thinkin?? I want somebody whose gonna get things done!! :wtflol
 
You don't really need any movers,and shakers.
You need someone you can trust who isn't afraid of your management.
That when you have a legal beef about bending the rules in the contract.
That person will be more then happy to address it with your autority figures first.
Then go to the local business agent if it doesn't get resolved.

They can be the laziest thing on two legs,as long as they can take care of the members they are good to be stewards.
 
Not all inclusive, just something I keep in mind when it's time to nominate a steward during the interim time.....What have you done lately?
25 Goals of a Union Steward​
  • Keep yourself informed on union affairs.
  • Serve as an example to your members.
  • Keep the members informed on union policies and union activities.
  • Attend union meetings and union affairs. Encourage and bring the members from your department. Don't chide members for missing meetings. Think of other ways to communicate with them.
  • Meet the new members early, inform them, educate them, help them become members - make them more than dues payers.
  • Get your location to act as a union - have them stick together.
  • Act as a leader - do not let personal likes or dislikes prejudice your actions as a grievance representative.
  • Fight discrimination, whether it be overt or very discreet. Discourage prejudice of any kind.
  • Keep accurate and up-to-date records. Write it down.
  • Do not promise, if you cannot deliver.
  • Encourage political action on the part of your members. See to it that they are registered and vote.
  • Be an active politically. Encourage members to exercise their right to vote, and to vote for labor friendly candidates.
  • Know how to refer to the union contract, by-laws, and international constitutions. If you are not sure, seek help so that you can become familiar with the documents.
  • Encourage and support the union's activities on behalf of organizing the unorganized.
  • Inform the membership of union services. Encourage them to take advantage of not only the services the union sponsors outright, but those that the union helps subsidize. If your local does not already have a community services representative, encourage the local in creating one.
  • Fight, whenever you meet it, the anti-union element. You can best do this by being informed and being dedicated to the labor movement.
  • Do not hesitate or stall. If you do not know, admit you do not know. Then try to get the answer.
  • Keep your workers informed on sources of information. Give pertinent information whenever a worker wants it.
  • In dealing with the management, remember that you are the elected or appointed representative of your fellow members. Never consider yourself to be inferior to management representatives. You are always their equal.
  • Be proud of your position. Remember you are a union representative of your local union which has the full support of tens of thousands of members bound together in an international union, with the support of millions of other union members.
  • Wear your union button and encourage your coworkers to wear it. (Not sure if UPS allows this)
  • Investigate every grievance as if it were your own. Keep the member informed. Make sure you keep your deadlines. There is no excuse for missing a time limit. Research every grievance as if it were going to arbitration but try to resolve it at the lowest possible level. Keep your local union informed of the status of each grievance.
  • Attend and encourage attendance at any labor education program that might be available to you and your members.
  • Remember your goal is to be the best union representative you can be. Always strive for this goal. Excellence has no substitute.
 
Again, Not All inclusive. My next steward will be judged on how he is currently handling our contracts growing pains and how professionally he acts towards his coworkers and management to promote harmony.

A Union Steward's Ten Biggest Mistakes​

Mistake #1 – Fail to represent fairly
Not only does this leave the union open to being sued for breaching its duty to provide fair representation, it's just not the right thing to do. It undermines the whole purpose of the union and the very idea of solidarity.

Mistake #2 – Make backroom deals
Management is notorious for trying to get stewards to trade grievances. "I'll let you have this case if you drop the one we talked about yesterday." Every member deserves a fair shake and every grievance needs to be evaluated on its own merit. Never agree to anything you would be uncomfortable telling your entire membership about.

Mistake #3 – Promise remedies too quickly
You're hurting both the member and your credibility if you pass judgement on a grievance prior to a thorough investigation. Only after you have spoken to the grievor and witnesses and consulted the contract, the employer's rules and past practices are you in a position to make that determination. Given the frequency of poor and mixed arbitration decisions, no steward should ever promise victory.

Mistake #4 – Fail to speak with new workers
The most important way a union gains the support of a new member or a potential new member is by one-on-one contact with the steward. You not only want to provide new workers with information, but need to build a personal relationship and begin to get them involved in union activities from their first day on the job.

Mistake #5 – Fail to adhere to time lines
Even the strongest, iron-clad case can be lost if the time line specified in your contract isn't followed. Even if management agrees to an extension, it is not in the union's interest to let problems fester and grow. If you do get a formal extension of time limits, be sure to get it in writing.

Mistake #6 – Let grievance go unfiled
Every grievance that goes unfiled undermines the contract you struggled so hard to win. While most members see changes and problems only in terms of the impact on them, the steward needs to be able to understand a grievance's impact on the contract and the union as a whole.

Mistake #7 – Meet with management alone
When you meet with management alone, suspicions may arise as to what kinds of deals you're making. It also allows management to lie or change its story. More importantly, when the steward meets with management alone, it takes away an opportunity for members to participate in the union and to understand that it's really their organization.

Mistake #8 – Fail to get settlements in writing
Just as you should protect yourself by not meeting alone with management, be sure to get grievance settlements in writing. Putting the settlement in writing helps clarify the issues and keeps management from backing down on their deal.

Mistake #9 – Fail to publicize victories
Publicizing each and every victory is an important way to build your local union. This publicity not only has a chilling effect on the employer, but helps educate your own members on their contractual rights. It also gives you something to celebrate and builds the courage needed to carry on.

Mistake #10 – Fail to organize
Stewards are much more than grievance handlers. They are the key people in the local who mobilize the membership, and they must be talkin' union and fightin' union all the time. Each and every grievance and incident must be looked at in terms of how it can increase participation, build the union, and create new leaders.
 
WOW talk about crossing every (T),and dotting every (I).
I think you've really got all of the qualities of a good steward covered in these two posts Dockworker.

I must say you really now how to pick them,there in house union rep's.
 
you think the company gives a damn about stewards or the contact...dream on driver, you fail to realize they have the power and the money and they do not car how many grievances you file.
 
Come on now webidiot,cool your jets.

Everybody is still getting used to the change over form being non-union,to now being union.

The workers are trying to get the respect they've always deserved.

The authority figures are dragging their feet.
Give it some more time,things have a way of working out.

Yes even though I'm retired now I think the company does give a darn about you people being in the union.

If they don't they will find out what they can get away with,as well as paying fines,and back pay for the things they used to get away with,but can't happen the old way anymore.

Maybe just my opinion,but I was a Teamster LTL city driver for just over 20 years.
I don't really think to much has changed reguarding signed contracts the way they are now.
 
Dockworker said:
Again, Not All inclusive. My next steward will be judged on how he is currently handling our contracts growing pains and how professionally he acts towards his coworkers and management to promote harmony.

A Union Steward's Ten Biggest Mistakes​

Mistake #1 – Fail to represent fairly
Not only does this leave the union open to being sued for breaching its duty to provide fair representation, it's just not the right thing to do. It undermines the whole purpose of the union and the very idea of solidarity.

Mistake #2 – Make backroom deals
Management is notorious for trying to get stewards to trade grievances. "I'll let you have this case if you drop the one we talked about yesterday." Every member deserves a fair shake and every grievance needs to be evaluated on its own merit. Never agree to anything you would be uncomfortable telling your entire membership about.

Mistake #3 – Promise remedies too quickly
You're hurting both the member and your credibility if you pass judgement on a grievance prior to a thorough investigation. Only after you have spoken to the grievor and witnesses and consulted the contract, the employer's rules and past practices are you in a position to make that determination. Given the frequency of poor and mixed arbitration decisions, no steward should ever promise victory.

Mistake #4 – Fail to speak with new workers
The most important way a union gains the support of a new member or a potential new member is by one-on-one contact with the steward. You not only want to provide new workers with information, but need to build a personal relationship and begin to get them involved in union activities from their first day on the job.

Mistake #5 – Fail to adhere to time lines
Even the strongest, iron-clad case can be lost if the time line specified in your contract isn't followed. Even if management agrees to an extension, it is not in the union's interest to let problems fester and grow. If you do get a formal extension of time limits, be sure to get it in writing.

Mistake #6 – Let grievance go unfiled
Every grievance that goes unfiled undermines the contract you struggled so hard to win. While most members see changes and problems only in terms of the impact on them, the steward needs to be able to understand a grievance's impact on the contract and the union as a whole.

Mistake #7 – Meet with management alone
When you meet with management alone, suspicions may arise as to what kinds of deals you're making. It also allows management to lie or change its story. More importantly, when the steward meets with management alone, it takes away an opportunity for members to participate in the union and to understand that it's really their organization.

Mistake #8 – Fail to get settlements in writing
Just as you should protect yourself by not meeting alone with management, be sure to get grievance settlements in writing. Putting the settlement in writing helps clarify the issues and keeps management from backing down on their deal.

Mistake #9 – Fail to publicize victories
Publicizing each and every victory is an important way to build your local union. This publicity not only has a chilling effect on the employer, but helps educate your own members on their contractual rights. It also gives you something to celebrate and builds the courage needed to carry on.

Mistake #10 – Fail to organize
Stewards are much more than grievance handlers. They are the key people in the local who mobilize the membership, and they must be talkin' union and fightin' union all the time. Each and every grievance and incident must be looked at in terms of how it can increase participation, build the union, and create new leaders.
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I have to disagree with making deals. If you get the OK from the grievant, then a deal is a deal, we have made trade offs. As long as the grievant agrees. Just don't do it without the consent of the grievant. Joint cooperation is part of the contract also, the idea is not to break the company! Only to have them follow the rules. It is the old saying, " fool me once, shame on you you, fool me twice, shame on me." Give management a chance to keep their word. Maybe, just maybe, we can develope some kind of semi-trusting relationship. Remember that joint cooperation, is stated twice in the contract. It is up to the stewards to protect the members, but also to not abuse the the process either. If you only file a grievance when you know you will win, then the company will respect the process and be more likely to settle at a pre-hearing. If you are filing on everything and streching the contract thin, you will not gain anything but a rep as an instigator and that will not serve the members or the company. LET THE TRUTH BE YOU SHIELD! :1036316054:
 
Crazy Horse said:
I have to disagree with making deals. If you get the OK from the grievant, then a deal is a deal, we have made trade offs. As long as the grievant agrees. Just don't do it without the consent of the grievant. Joint cooperation is part of the contract also, the idea is not to break the company! Only to have them follow the rules. It is the old saying, " fool me once, shame on you you, fool me twice, shame on me." Give management a chance to keep their word. Maybe, just maybe, we can develope some kind of semi-trusting relationship. Remember that joint cooperation, is stated twice in the contract. It is up to the stewards to protect the members, but also to not abuse the the process either. If you only file a grievance when you know you will win, then the company will respect the process and be more likely to settle at a pre-hearing. If you are filing on everything and streching the contract thin, you will not gain anything but a rep as an instigator and that will not serve the members or the company. LET THE TRUTH BE YOU SHIELD! :1036316054:
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you. Being a Stewart and talking to the drivers I represent that's what they want to. Just make sure they get a fair shake and the company follows the Mother of all contracts we have. :biglaugh:
 
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