magnolia72
Well-known member
Is that still something that exists and if so, can anyone tell me the pros/cons of being an office steward? Is that person required to use their personal leave to attend anything union related?
Union Office Steward
- Thread starter magnolia72
- Start date
EthelAnne
Well-known member
Here’s a link to the local steward election form.
Local stewards can use AL or LWOP for union training. You will be paid by the union for these days.
For work on grievances, local stewards accumulate “Z” time and can take a day of leave at 8 hours.
Shannonboy
Well-known member
Uuuhhhh Oiveh.....you forgot one....sometimes the union is worthless, and will not back you, or do its jobs even if you are a good union steward. Theyll just leave you hanging in the wind...
gotstamps
Well-known member
Each Delivery Unit can have a Local Steward & will hold their own election for such in the DU.
If a Local Steward wishes to become the Chief Steward for the whole office (multiple delivery units or multiple Stewards) then an Office-wide election is held. For multiple DUs the election is held off-site for all DUs to vote on.
magnolia72
Well-known member
I have been thinking about doing this for a few months now. Things in our office have gotten out of hand and aren't getting any better. I'm not sure that things would change for the better if I did decide to become a local steward and things got worse, who is going to have my back? Thursday, our PM is proudly telling all the carriers that we have a lot of upside down's in our DPS. He is still going through our DPS and when I called him out on it, he told me he could do whatever he pleased. Not one other person in the office says a word about it but they complain in the parking lot. During the MMS, I was calling him out on doing the same thing and that he was stealing from us, not one other person spoke up until they got in the parking lot. I told them that to him, it looks like I'm the only one who has an issue with it. Still silence from them. So essentially, I will fighting all the battles that benefits the carriers as a whole because they never file grievances. They just want to have a friendly office while he is taking his midlife crisis out on us.
Morty
Well-known member
I enjoy it now. But it took years of being the most ruthless relentless grievance monster the state had ever seen.
The PM I have now researched me before taking the office. He complies, we get along...quite well actually. The clerk will tell me that he doesn't do what the poom tells him because I would tie up the office and his hands in grievances. So better to get along with me. Happy steward, happy office.
I get pissy seeing like step 1 carriers getting area steward or adr and haven't even been a local steward. Or like my DR who was only a ptf local. The NSS advances complete losers. Which is why I became a local. My adr doesn't know the contract or elm or federal law or how to win. The final straw for me was the adr siding with management stating I couldn't take lunch or bathroom breaks without asking for permission. I blew my top. Been a local ever since. And that same loser is still an adr!!! Paid to "work" but actually works another job and works on 1 or 2 grievances a week.
The PM I have now researched me before taking the office. He complies, we get along...quite well actually. The clerk will tell me that he doesn't do what the poom tells him because I would tie up the office and his hands in grievances. So better to get along with me. Happy steward, happy office.
I get pissy seeing like step 1 carriers getting area steward or adr and haven't even been a local steward. Or like my DR who was only a ptf local. The NSS advances complete losers. Which is why I became a local. My adr doesn't know the contract or elm or federal law or how to win. The final straw for me was the adr siding with management stating I couldn't take lunch or bathroom breaks without asking for permission. I blew my top. Been a local ever since. And that same loser is still an adr!!! Paid to "work" but actually works another job and works on 1 or 2 grievances a week.
I recommend it. If nothing else, it will provide additional training and union limits to work within.
Unfortunately, I tend to agree with @Morty. The nss has weakened the quality of stewards for the most part. There are some fantastic ones out there. But, many up the chain now are groupies for the $$ and not exactly effective.
Be a leader to your office. Show them patience and research can pay off.
Unfortunately, I tend to agree with @Morty. The nss has weakened the quality of stewards for the most part. There are some fantastic ones out there. But, many up the chain now are groupies for the $$ and not exactly effective.
Be a leader to your office. Show them patience and research can pay off.
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Shannonboy
Well-known member
It's a labor of love. A calling. If you feel like you should do it, do it. If you just want to fight with management or you want to have say in other people's lives - stick to carrying mail
Dominator
Well-known member
This one was always got a chuckle outta me.
This cleared my doubts of the NRLCA being a company union. It preaches about "no sweetheart deals" then turns a blind eye to management violation?
Kind of reminds me of my steward days when management refused to provide me with steward duty time for a grievance. I initiated a new grievance for the Article 17 & 31 violation, case and was denied time to handle that grievance too.
I sent it to step 2 and (if I recall correctly) the union WITHDREW the grievance. Their reason was that I didn't have evidence that management failed to provide me with time to handle the grievance.
Nonsense.
Even the employer recognizes that the union has the power and authority to defend its own agreement, regardless of what a carrier wishes. (EL-921)
If the union's discouraging influence were sound, then the strength of the Agreement in the office is only as strong as the carrier's knowledge, regardless if the local rep has memorized every bit of NRLCA/USPS material.
Under NRLCA ideology, the steward should stand idly while watching management trample member's rights worse than Mufasa, and is DIRECTLY DISCOURAGED by the NRLCA to stand up to the violation.
This all while cheerfully accepting dues payments for fair representation?
They had it right the first time.
Shannonboy
Well-known member
My ALL-TIME FAVORITE COMMENT. WOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!This one was always got a chuckle outta me.
View attachment 15581
This cleared my doubts of the NRLCA being a company union. It preaches about "no sweetheart deals" then turns a blind eye to management violation?
Kind of reminds me of my steward days when management refused to provide me with steward duty time for a grievance. I initiated a new grievance for the Article 17 & 31 violation, case and was denied time to handle that grievance too.
I sent it to step 2 and (if I recall correctly) the union WITHDREW the grievance. Their reason was that I didn't have evidence that management failed to provide me with time to handle the grievance.
Nonsense.
Even the employer recognizes that the union has the power and authority to defend its own agreement, regardless of what a carrier wishes. (EL-921)
If the union's discouraging influence were sound, then the strength of the Agreement in the office is only as strong as the carrier's knowledge, regardless if the local rep has memorized every bit of NRLCA/USPS material.
Under NRLCA ideology, the steward should stand idly while watching management trample member's rights worse than Mufasa, and is DIRECTLY DISCOURAGED by the NRLCA to stand up to the violation.
This all while cheerfully accepting dues payments for fair representation?
View attachment 15580
They had it right the first time.
