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New stewards come into the job with a million questions, ranging from the simple, like where to obtain grievance forms, to the difficult, like how to achieve just the right kind of working relationship with management. Here are some of the most basic questions - and answers - designed to help new stewards get up and running and familiar with their new responsibilities.

1. What are my rights in handling grievances?
Youchave the right to aggressively enforce andcpolice the contract, to get information fromcyour employer to aid in enforcing theccontract, and to vigorously represent co-workers in grievance handling. You have the right to investigate grievance matters. That investigative authority includes interviewing witnesses, visiting areas where grievances occur, and getting all relevant documents.

2. What are my other rights?
You have the right to sign up new members. You have the right to listen to complaints from all employees. You have the right to conduct other union business, at appropriate times: examples include helping employees with worker compensation claims, passing out leaflets and helping people get registered to vote, and so forth. You can't interrupt someone's work for routine union business, but you can't be prevented from conducting any union business you believe appropriate during breaks and before and after work. You have the right to speak up forcefully, in a way that recognizes your equal status with employer representatives when dealing with union representation issues.

3. Is the union legally bound by my actions?
When acting as the union steward you are the agent of the union. Your actions are no longer personal actions; they are legally considered the actions of the union. For example, sexual harassment or racial bias displayed by a union steward can create financial liability for the union. At the same time, stewards do not have the legal right to agree to anything barred by the union contract, or to ignore language of the contract.

4. Do I have to go to the boss's office to talk about a worker’s grievance?
No. It's not up to management to decide where a grievance is discussed, but it's not up to you, either: it's a negotiable issue. While you might want to enforce the contract in front of a worker whose rights have just been violated, you don't have that right. You and the supervisor have to agree on a time and place to talk about it.

5. Can management refuse to hear a grievance?
No. The union has the right to file and process grievances that it believes are legitimate. If your supervisor refuses to acknowledge your grievance, the union has the right to take it to the next level of management.

6. Can I lead a workplace action to protest management's failure to honor a grievance settlement?
A protest is considered protected union activity when it is held in a peaceful, non-violent manner during nonworking time. You can also do certain things during the workday: boycott the company cafeteria, for example, or, assuming no dress codes are in place, wear identical, message bearing T-shirts or buttons.

7. If my contract gives me paid time for union business, what kind of business does that include?
You have the right to police the contract, file and process grievances, and speak out in enforcing the contract. Fulfilling these duties comes under union business. Some contracts may outline additional duties considered union business, for which stewards may be paid.

8. Can I be disciplined for insubordination?
Only if your extreme actions threaten the authority of a supervisor in the presence of other workers. Generally a steward (when acting in his or her role as a steward) can be disciplined only for conduct that is "outrageous" or "indefensible" and is "of such serious character as to render the employee unfit for further service." Gesturing and talking loudly and forcefully cannot be considered "outrageous." But you can't use racial epithets or extreme profanity or threats of violence, or organize illegal slowdowns or work disruptions, lead prohibited work stoppages or file grievances in bad faith.

9. Can I put what I want on a bulletin board?
Not necessarily. Check your contract: some things may be barred, like notices supporting political candidates or documents that personally attack management representatives. But if your union contract allows the use of bulletin boards, you can probably post a wide range of things, including notices, cartoons, photos... most anything that pro- motes the union's legitimate work.

10. Can I be held to a higher standard than other workers?
No. If you come in late or make an error on the job, you can't be treated any differently than any other worker who does the same thing.

Every union steward knows that stress is built into the job. You work closely with other people to try to resolve their problems, and that means your are constantly dealing with crises and frustration. At the same time, you have to stay on top of time limits and understand complex and confusing work rules and contracts.

Unless you are careful, these constant stresses and tensions can quickly lead to burnout. Psychologists have identified burnout as a definite set of symptoms most often experienced by workers whose job requires them to work constantly with other people's problems.

"Dealing with people can be very demanding." writes psychologist Christina Maslach in her book Burnout: The Cost of Caring. "It takes a lot of energy to be calm in the midst of crises, to be patient in the face of frustrations, to be understanding and compassionate ... While most people can find the energy to do it occasionally, it is very hard to do all of the time. And yet, 'all of the time' is the expectation we have of people workers."

If you find yourself feeling tires all the time, getting irritable at everyone you know, and working longer but getting less done, you may be experiencing burnout. Other symptoms include feeling isolated from friends and family, losing your sense of humor, and feeling guilty about not working hard enough.

Even if you don't have theses specific symptoms, the stress of the steward's job can wear you down. Try these suggestions to reduce stress and prevent burnout.

  • Think Positively about your steward's job. Make a point of periodically reviewing your accomplishments. And if you have a particularly challenging problem to solve, think about optimum solutions to that problem rather than focusing on it's difficulties.

  • Give Yourself A Break. Take this suggestion literally - plan to have regular breaks away from your steward's job. If possible, set up certain times of the day or week that are just for play with family and friends as well as time just for yourself to rest, relax and decompress. Include exercise in you plan - it's a proven stress-buster.

  • Create A Support Network. You need to have people in your life who can offer useful advice and information. Don't hesitate to ask for help from other stewards or officers in your local. Most likely someone else has confronted the same problem you are facing, and can pass on suggestions for resolving the situation. You also need friends or family members who can simply listen and offer sympathy without being critical or pushing their own agendas.

  • Maintain Emotional Distance. People will come to you with problems that may cause them intense pain. Although you will want to express compassion and understating, you also need to remain detached so you can function effectively. If you become emotionally involved, you may not be able to clearly see the problem and potential solutions.
    Stay objective and rational as you listen. Focus on seeing the problem in abstract and intellectual terms. Your objectivity will permit you to fully understand the situation and focus on the best possible resolution.

  • Create Lists Of Priorities And Goals. The steward's job requires mastery of many details and the ability to juggle multiple tasks. Keep track of all these demands by taking a few minutes every day to structure your priorities and write down the tasks you want to accomplish.
    Make sure the list is concrete and definite. For example, don't write "Resolve problem about overtime." Instead, break the job down into manageable pieces, listing goals such as reviewing the contract, interviewing specific workers and requesting specific records.

  • Accept Your Limitations. Every steward occasionally forgets something important, makes mistakes or fails at some task. Nobody is perfect, so stop beating yourself up on yourself. Instead, resolve to do the best you can, and move on the the next challenge.

And, Finally, Some Wisdom from a Pro

And for the final word on avoiding the stress that can lead to total burnout, consider this philosophy of life, offered by legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, who stayed in the major leagues until he was 47 years old:

  1. Avoid fried meats, which angry up the blood.
  2. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thought.
  3. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.
  4. Go very lightly on the vices such as carrying on in society. The social ramble ain't restful.
  5. Avoid running under pressure at all times.
  6. Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you.