A Steward’s Ten Commandments
Regardless of the attitudes of others, you’ll need to conduct yourself in a forthright and positive manner. That’s why it helps to study some of the basic rules of stewardship - call them the Steward’s Ten Commandments. Admittedly, these are not divinely inspired or written, but they deserve to be taken as gospel. They go like this.
1. Thou Shalt Love the Union and Show It
As steward, you are the day-to-day representative of the union. It my sound corny, but for most members, you are the union. You must speak consistently and constantly about your appreciation for the union both in and outside of them workplace.
2. Thou Shalt Know Thyself
Be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses. Being an effective steward is a work in progress. What more do you need to learn? How do you deal with conflict? How do you best communicate with people? How can you be more effective in your role as steward?
3. Thou Shalt Be a Credible Employee
Follow the contract yourself and abide by the rules it sets forth in the workplace. Both management and the workers will be watching how you act to set the example of how they should act.
4. Thou Shalt Talk Straight with the Members
As steward, you will be the bearer of both good and bad news. If you’re straight with your members about what is going on, they will know that they should be straight with you.
5. Thou Shalt Size Up Thine Opposition and Act Accordingly
There’s no one all-purpose way of dealing effectively with management. A good strategy involves a thorough assessment of management’s strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes you should come on like gangbusters with them. Sometimes you should sit in the back row and watch them tear each other up. When your opposition comes from complaining union members - as it surely will from time to time - deal with them respectfully.
6. Thou Shalt Deal with Small Problems Before They Become Big Ones
Strive to settle problems before they become grievances. Strive to settle necessary grievances at the first step. Bring issues of concern to the field representative’s attention when they first occur so you have to strength of the Union behind you.
7. Thou Shalt Prepare Against Surprises
Surprises are great for birthdays, but they can be a real drag at grievance presentations, contract negotiations, meetings with the boss and your own union meetings. Prepare ahead of time for what will be said and done.
8. Thou Shalt Set Limits
A steward is not the slave of the membership. You will be expected to work long and hard and you will want to do so, but you have the right to set limits. It will make you more effective in the long run.
9. Thou Shalt Involve Others in the Work of the Union
The union steward is not a one-person show. The best stewards - the ones whose workplaces have really effective unions - involve others in all kinds of union work including investigating grievances, passing petitions, registering voters, attending labor and community actions, and working with unorganized workers.
10. Thou Must Recognize That The Worksite Is Just Part of the Whole
Stewards need to look beyond the problems of their worksite and become part of organizing on a larger scale for the improvement of workers’ lives. This means that stewards need to be active in their community, in the political process and in other progressive causes and coalitions that organize and promote those improvements.