Stewards play many roles, including interpreter, investigator, educator, problem solver, and organizer. While all those roles are important, Local 400 shop steward Debbie Armitage believes her key role is being an advocate for workers.
The Reston, Virginia, steward has a good relationship with her co-workers because she approaches each worker with a commitment to fairness, honesty, and a passion to defend workers’ rights.
“I don’t let personal or professional feelings about a member affect my job as steward. As their advocate, I have to make sure that all members feel comfortable with me in bringing forth questions or concerns,” Armitage says.
She adds that addressing everyone with kindness helps put workers at ease with her. “I greet everyone in the workplace—it doesn’t even matter if they barely smile back,” says Armitage. “It’s a small thing, but greeting everyone is one indication they know they can come to me and I’ll treat them the same as I do everyone else.”
Armitage says she ends up being so approachable that co-workers talk to her about all kinds of issues—even non-work related concerns. While this may seem time consuming, it builds a trusting relationship between workers and the most accessible member of the union they can go to for help—their shop steward. To sustain this relationship, she advises other stewards to take every problem seriously, and to show interest in what co-workers have to say. It’s also vital to remember to keep matters between a steward and a co-worker confidential.
“When workers come to you with a problem, don’t just brush them off. Though it may not be a big deal to you, it’s a big deal to them, and you should show that you care,” she warns. “That includes following up with every conversation by taking the necessary steps of problem solving or filing a grievance.”
Armitage says stewards should look to defend workers, and never judge them. “A surefire way to damage your reputation as a steward is for workers to feel you are passing judgment on them. They won’t want to talk to you anymore, and that definitely can end up weakening the union in your workplace.” She stresses to act as the worker’s advocate—never their adversary—when dealing with management.
According to Armitage, another thing that will hurt a steward’s credibility with workers is giving them incorrect information about the union, their contract, or grievance procedures. “For many of the workers at my job, I am the union. If they come to me with a problem and I give them the wrong information because I’m not sure of something, it’s not only me that has let them down. They feel as though the union has failed them, and they lose their faith in being a union member.”
The steward must make sure that the worker’s rights are never jeopardized, Armitage explains. If she isn’t certain how to answer a question or whether to file a grievance, she consults the other shop steward or speaks with the local union representative. She looks over the union contract, union policies, and company policies for the correct information with every worker complaint. Armitage says it’s her duty as a steward to provide sound advice for every worker, every time.
