SSPage4

Education Steward Manual Cover Page Page2 Page3 Page5 Page6 Page7 Page8

How To Be An Effective Shop Steward

The following can serve as a helpful checklist for Shop Stewards new and old; consider it a partial job description.

Know your contract.
When dealing with management, remember that you are the elected or appointed representative of your fellow members. Never consider yourself to be other than equal to management representatives.
Serve as an example to your members.
Keep the members informed of Union policies and activities.
Attend Union meetings and Union affairs.
Do not hesitate or stall. If you do not know, admit that you do not know, than try and get the answers.
Get your area 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.
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.

Become active politically. Encourage members to exercise their right to vote, and to vote for labor friendly candidates.