How Not to Kill Off a Good Steward
Most stewards work hard at enforcing the contract.  They need to make sure that every member is guaranteed their rights on the job. Yet some of our own members undercut the stewards' power and at the same time the union's power.

Back in 1958, Local 514 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, published a great article dealing with this issue in their monthly newsletter called, "Preflite."  The article was aptly called, "How to Kill Off a Good Steward."  Here are the six ways any member can undercut the power of the union by not supporting the work of the steward:

1. Whether you have a grievance or not, grumble about supervision and get the place in an uproar -- then blame your steward for doing nothing about it.

2. When you have a grievance, don't call for your steward until it's too late -- then blame your steward for doing nothing about it.

3. When you are unjustly disciplined, sit back meekly and do nothing about it like a "Casper Milquetoast" [a comic strip character of the 1920s who was meek and unassertive]. This is sure to give supervision the upper hand and handcuff your steward.

4. When your steward wins your grievance don't thank him. If he loses, say it was his fault.

5. Just grumble for no good reason whether you are actually hurt or not -- get other people riled up over nothing until no one is happy. When things are sufficiently stirred up, the steward will feel like he must have a conference with the general foreman. Now you can start a rumor that your steward is playing "tootsies" with the "sooper" and kill him off good and proper.

6. Above all, be sure to ask your steward for help and then fail to back him up when he's at bat for you.

So let's turn all this around to see how we can support the steward structure and insure real power in the workplace.

1. If this is a problem with supervision, bring it to the attention of the steward right away so that it can be dealt with. Whether the employer removes a water cooler, starts to enforce a rule that had been rarely enforced, or changes the way overtime is allocated, bring the matter to the union. Sitting around and complaining will accomplish nothing. In fact, by not notifying the union, you are assisting in the destruction of union rights. A union must always be on the offensive!

2. Be aware that grievances must be filed in a timely fashion. Your contract outlines the time limits. Missing a time limit will usually mean that the grievance cannot be entered into the formal grievance procedure. If you have a complaint or a grievable issue, bring it to the steward as soon as you can. A member needs to act responsibly.

3. Never accept unjust discipline. If it happens once, it will happen again. Anytime the employer violates your rights, the union and the contract is weakened. The other side, of course, is that union may be able to mitigate the discipline or even have it removed if the discipline is challenged. But none of this is evenly remotely possible if a member simply accepts discipline.

4. "Thank you" is the two-word expression most overlooked in our business.

Use it when it is merited. All of us need to hear it once in a while.

5. Don't start or spread rumors.  And stewards should always communicate with the members to increase solidarity around issues. Spreading reliable information is one of the best ways to insure that rumors are stopped.

6. Support your steward. Don't shop around for a steward. Use the one assigned to your work group or shift. If you bring a problem to your steward, tell the steward the truth. If the issue is filed as a grievance, stay with the facts that you have told your steward.

Good stewards are a valuable resource to our union. Support them and work with them. The outcome will be a stronger workplace for all of our members.

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