Tuesday, November 21, 2023

How to Become a Union Steward

Do you find yourself constantly sought out by your coworkers or managers for your helpful advice? Are you driven to advocate for others and make your workplace a more positive place? Consider becoming a steward!

Newsletters Ontario Healthcare

By Erica Costa, Representative

Stewards are members of the workplace who have been elected to represent your interests and enforce the collective agreement. They are CLAC’s voice and are key leaders in your workplace.

Stewards volunteer their time and are not paid by CLAC, although they are reimbursed when they lose time from work when acting on behalf of the union. If you are interested in becoming a steward, check out the steps below to get started.

5 Steps to Become a Steward

1. Know what you’re getting into. Keep in mind that CLAC will provide you with stewardship training, and your representative will always be available to support you in your role. Below are the main duties of a steward:

• Welcoming new members to CLAC

• Being an expert and enforcer of the collective agreement

• Linking representatives, the membership, and management

• Acting as a witness

2. Determine when you can be nominated for the role. Stewards may only be elected after either a negotiated or arbitrated settlement, unless there is a vacancy on the stewardship committee. Check the date of your agreement or talk to your representative to determine when the next steward election will be. Your collective agreement will also note how many stewards can be representing members in your workplace at one time.

3. Campaign. Once you know a stewardship election is coming, start sharing with your coworkers your interest in the position. Talk to them about what kinds of changes you would like to help facilitate and advocate for in the workplace. Remind them of your skills and your desire to make your workplace a better place. Ask others to nominate you for the role once your representative puts out the call for steward nominations.

4. Get acclaimed or elected steward. Depending on the number of steward positions and the number of nominees, you may either be acclaimed or elected to the role.

5. Congratulations, you’re a steward! Once the vote has closed, your representative will reach out to you and provide you with the training you need to thrive in your role. You will also receive a stewardship binder with all the documents you need to get started.

Good stewards are integral to the work of the union. They not only have the trust of the membership, but also the respect of management and a voice at the table.

If you are interested in being a steward at your workplace, please reach out to your representative or speak with the current stewards at your workplace. CLAC is incredibly grateful for the work of our amazing stewards. Your workplace is better off because of people like you!

How to Become a Union Steward

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