Know your collective agreement
- Read every word of your collective agreement and consult it regularly.
- Become familiar with all the provisions included in the collective agreement. Consider how they should be applied in your workplace.
- Discuss them with members of your local executive and other stewards.
- Discuss them during union meetings.
Know your workplace
Stewards must know their workplace and, as much as possible, know every worker’s responsibilities.
- Make sure you know all the members of your group.
- Learn all the salary scales.
- If the workers benefit from a productivity bonus system, be familiar with it.
- Make sure you have a seniority list in your files.
Know your members
Everybody is different. In the case of a grievance, for instance, some will readily give you all the relevant information while others will not. Some will have a complete file; others won’t. Some will have personal problems. You will be in a position to help your members more effectively if you know them well.