Thursday, February 17, 2022

Manitoba Stewards Conference

Stewards generously give of their time and energy to serve their colleagues

We were thrilled to finally host the first-ever Manitoba stewards conference in Winnipeg! After two cancellations—and even blowing snow the morning of—we were excited to welcome 22 stewards to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Stewards received training on key skills for disciplinary meetings; specifically, how to support members best during a discipline/corrective action meeting, led by Geoff Dueck Thiessen, Winnipeg Member Centre regional director and representative.

Karen Sharma, who is the acting executive director of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, explored the concepts of bullying and harassment in the workplace and how the Human Rights Code provides specific prohibited grounds of discrimination.

Stewards were also given time to explore the museum, with an encouragement to view exhibits on labour relations history.

Local 306 Stewards recognized for their years of service were Carla Burkert (15 years), Irma Friesen (15 years), and Matthew Cseh (5 years).

What Is a Steward?

A steward is a workplace leader and member of the bargaining unit whose main task is to represent their colleagues. A steward is CLAC’s voice in the workplace.

A steward supports their colleagues by participating in labour-management meetings, greeting new employees, representing members at disciplinary (i.e., corrective action) meetings, or being a voice when issues arise. Stewards work with union representatives and aim to understand the provisions of the collective agreement.

Interested in becoming a steward? Check with your union representative to see if there are any vacancies! The steward position is a voluntary one.