Protecting The Workers Who Protect America's Workers

· The Duty to Furnish Information Under the National Labor Relations Act

· FLRA on De Minimus

· Download a Steward Manual

 

Tools For Stewards 

· Core Hours Petition

· Example Flexiplace documents:

If you don’t have a PDF modifier then just copy and paste the document into word

E-mail to supervisor

Flexiplace Agreement 

Flexiplace Checklist

The job of a steward is a challenging, rewarding and important job in our union. It has been written many times that the Steward is the Heart of the Union. Stewards have an enormous impact on our members’ faith and belief in the union.

 

Stewards are the first person a member will look to for guidance and interpretation of their collective bargaining agreement, and for informed representation when there is a dispute with management. Members often judge the Union by their Steward. If the Steward is fair, and looks out for their interests, they will respect and support the Union. The Steward keeps members informed about the Union, and keeps the Union leadership informed about the workplace.

 

As a representative of the union, the Steward has a legal obligation to represent all of the employees in the bargaining unit fairly, without regard to their union membership status, race, religion, nationality, age, or sex. This legal obligation is known as the duty of fair representation.

 

DUTIES OF A STEWARD:

 

Educate members about their rights and how to exercise them; explain the contract, grievance procedure, health and safety and other workplace regulations and protections, internal union procedures, and relevant laws.

 

1. Represent all workers in the bargaining unit fairly and without discrimination.

 

2. Act as the primary contract enforcer and work to make management live up to the contract.

 

3. Listen to employee complaints; investigate, prepare, present, and write grievances.

 

4. Resolve problems before a worker is adversely affected or before the situation escalates to a grievance.

 

5. Develop relationships of respect and trust among the membership.

 

6. Work to develop open communication with supervisors.

 

7. Encourage members to take an interest in the Union and take part in it.

 

The Steward’s job requires an assortment of skills and knowledge, but no one expects you to become an expert overnight. You’ll learn from training and experience as issues and questions come up.

 

REQUIREMENTS:

 

1. You must be a member in good standing.

 

2. Your appointment by the President of the Local is subject to confirmation by the membership.

 

AFGE Local 12 is looking for a few more good Stewards, if you are interested and feel that you can fulfill the above requirements and duties, please send us an email with your name, agency, telephone number and email address. You will be contacted by the President of AFGE Local 12 or the Chief Steward. E-mail us

Courtesy of http://www.afgelocal1534.org/index-4.html

Text Box: 15. TIPS ON HOW TO REACH THE UNION MEMBER


Text Box: There are many ways to reach the union member besides union meetings. Not everyone can or will come to a union meeting no matter how hard you try, though you can improve attendance if union meetings are more interesting and run efficiently. How to run an interesting, democratic and efficient meeting is the subject of this booklet. Some other ways are: Welcome the new member. Make new members feel that they are a significant addition to the union and will share many benefits won through collective bargaining. Tell them about union-won benefits in a letter or a new member's kit. Plan an initiation or orientation program. Shop stewards should invite new members to the union meeting, and explain how the union functions to protect every member's rights. Reach out to the young member. Union solidarity requires involvement of younger people as well as more experienced trade unionists in running the union. Recruit young members with leadership potential to serve on committees and participate in training programs, summer schools, and other activities. Keep the union open to all groups and welcome their ideas. The generation gap disappears when the democratic process works. Train shop stewards. Shop stewards are the average member's direct link with the union. When the shop steward does not know the answers, there is a serious break in the union's ability to function. Contract enforcement, grievance procedure, information on political action, in-plant safety all depend on a strong, well informed, dedicated crew of shop stewards. Hold periodic classes to train new stewards and provide senior stewards with an opportunity to review the contract and swap information. Start a public relations campaign. Union members as well as other citizens are influenced by the distorted image of unions created by the public press. To counteract this unfavorable image, local unions should have a public relations program to tell the truth about the union, the employee, the contract, and the problems. Write letters to the editor of your favorite newspaper, and send out press releases on union activities that are newsworthy. Learn to tap newer outlets such as cable TV and the Internet. Improve your union publications. Whether you publish a newsletter or a newspaper, it will only be widely read IF you plan each issue carefully. By planning and working in advance you can achieve an attractive, readable format and publish timely, relevant stories. Stick to the facts and write a good news story long on facts and short on adjectives and opinions. Use cartoons, pictures and features. Announce the union meetings. The paper can help get members to attend. Communicate through a variety of techniques that will stimulate greater interest and attention. Try using some of the following media: videotape, movies, colorful posters, audiotape cassette recorders. Remember the AFL-CIO has the largest labor film library in the country. Write for a catalogue today at AFL-CIO, 815 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006 (202) 637-5000, fax 637-5058, www.aflcio.org.


Text Box: ALL THE RULES AT A GLANCE


Text Box: The chart on the following page is designed to be a quick reference guide for a chair who is conducting a meeting. It contains a list of the motions most often used at a union meeting. The motions are listed in order of priority. Thus, with some exceptions, a motion on the list is in order even if one below it is pending; and when any motion is made those below it are out of order. As can be seen on the chart, there are three groups of motions other than main motions. Privileged motions have a very high priority. They are motions which, while having no relation to the pending question, are of such urgency that they take priority over all other motions. Incidental motions are motions which arise out of main motions or other pending questions and must be decided before the pending question, or before other business is taken up. Subsidiary motions are motions to dispose of or change a main motion or certain other motions. No simplified chart can enumerate all the very fine points of the rules, but it can be helpful in the usual situations.

Courtesy of Afge.org
Text Box: To contact us: Text Box: American Federation of Government Employees, Local 12 AFL-CIO Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Ave, NW Room N-1503 Washington, D.C. 20210