THE CONTRACT IS YOUR CONSTITUTION

In a way the contract is like a constitution, and the grievances settled under it are like the decisions of an industrial court. The decisions reached by you and the supervisor are the same as those of a lower court. You then, have recourse to higher courts if necessary – the final decision, if the contract provides for arbitration, rests with the arbitrator, who might be compared to the Supreme Court.

The hard work of settling grievances satisfactorily from day to day may not make the headlines as picketing does. But, it is every bit as important and it is a much sounder more peaceful way of settling disputes for all concerned.

A final note: when handling a grievance be sure to follow every step of the grievance procedure as outlined in the agreement. Don’t skip a step!

WHEN STRIKES OCCUR

Do what we may to avoid them; there are times when every fighting union is faced with a strike situation. When the occasion arises, the steward plays an important role. On the steward falls the responsibility of success or failure. We realize the futility of trying to set down rules to govern each individual case by but we believe the following simple rules will be helpful in most situations.

1.  The steward during the pre-strike period must make every effort to see that every member of the union, as well as the non-members affected, are fully informed of all the issues which result in the deadlock. This is important. Strikes are wars on the economic front. The people you represent are your armies. If they don’t want to fight you can’t win. The outcome of the strike depends upon how well you inform them.

2.  In instances where your members decide to act unwisely by walking off the job over some action of the employer, you must do everything to prevent them. This is very important where you are working under an agreement. Never give your approval to unsanctioned strikes.

3.  After the strike is in progress you will have to keep up your members’ morale. Keep them pepped up and interested.

4.  Keep members fully advised, through meetings and other methods, as to the actual facts. It is necessary to do this both before the actual strike begins, and during the strike. Keep down rumors, for they can be disastrous to the members’ morale during the critical period of a strike.

5.  Once the strike is settled, your job is to try to renew and maintain friendly relationships with management.

 

LABOR LEGISLATION A STEWARD SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

It’s up to you to see that the workers in your department get the protection to which they are entitled. Workers have often lost their legal rights because they were not informed, and failed to file claims as required. If you are not sure how to advise a worker to apply for workers’ compensation or unemployment insurance, check with your local union office. If you think that a law is being violated in your department, report it to your union. Be certain that you are standing on firm ground before telling workers or taking up the matter as a grievance. You can’t be expected to remember all the details of the provisions; but you are expected to know where to get such information quickly.

The Legal and Research Departments of the IAM as well as The Machinists, follow all federal labor legislation very closely. The United States Department of Labor and your own State Department of Labor issue pamphlets covering these laws. If you have a question on which you are not sure, find out before trying to answer. If you have a question regarding federal labor legislation, write to Grand Lodge headquarters. However, if you seek information regarding State Labor laws, discuss it with your Union Representative.