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Duties of the
Shop Steward
- Contract Administrator
The Steward's primary duty is to understand and enforce the contract. You
must have the knowledge, ability, and desire to ensure that
grievances are filed for every violation of the agreement.
- Leader
Stewards must develop credibility among the membership so
that through you, members will rally behind the APWU's
goals.
- Organizer
Through the knowledge and dedication to the labor movement,
stewards should be able to convince non-members that they
too should join the APWU and become involved in shaping
their own destinies as postal workers.
- Educator
Understand and be able to explain to the workers their
rights under the terms of the contract. Identify for members
the goals of the APWU and why they should attend union
meetings.
- Communicator
Keep members informed of what is going on in the APWU and
how the union helps them in the workplace. Let them know
their rights and what they are entitled to in benefits and
other areas.
- Political Activist
Encourage members and their families to register and vote.
Keep up on pending legislation of concern to the APWU, and
encourage the members to communicate the union's position to
their congressional representatives.
Rights of the Shop Steward
Article 17, Section 3:
When it is necessary for a steward to leave
his/her work area to investigate and adjust grievances or to
investigate a specific problem to determine whether to file a
grievance, the steward shall request permission from the
immediate supervisor and such request shall not unreasonably be
denied.
In the event the duties require the steward to
leave the work area and enter another area within the
installation or post office, the steward must also receive
permission from the supervisor from the other area he/she wishes
to enter and such request shall not be unreasonably denied.
The steward, chief steward or other Union
representative properly certified may request and shall obtain
access through the appropriate supervisor to review the
documents, files and other records necessary for processing a
grievance or determining if a grievance exists and shall have
the right to interview the aggrieved employee(s), supervisors
and witnesses during working hours. Such requests shall not be
unreasonably denied.
While serving as a steward or chief steward, an
employee may not be involuntarily transferred to another tour,
to another station or branch of the particular post office or to
another independent post office or installation unless there is
no job for which the employee is qualified on such tour, or in
such station or branch, or post office.
If an employee requests a steward or Union
representative to be present during the course of an
interrogation by the Inspection Service, such request will be
granted. All polygraph tests will continue to be on a voluntary
basis.
(The preceding
Section, Article 17.3, shall apply to Transitional Employees)
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