Stewards Guide

IS IT A JUST GRIEVANCE?

All right-this is the first day in your new job as Steward. A worker comes to you with a complaint. You talk at length with the worker, listening patiently to his or her story. You must decide if it is a just grievance you can rightfully take up with management. Bear in mind two things in order to make your decision:

1.    Does it violate the contract?

2.    Has the worker been treated unfairly by some action of the Company?

In most cases a just grievance will come under a violation of the contract. However, you may have a grievance which seems entirely justified to you after you've looked into it, but which is not covered by any clause in the contract. In such cases you should consult with your chief steward, the plant grievance committee, or your business representative. This may show up an omission or indicate a change which should be made when the contract is renegotiated. It should be written down for use of next year's negotiating committee. Later we'll talk about the importance of written records for grievances.

You must also remember that every gripe is not a grievance. To be sure, you are the worker's representative and not an impartial judge, and you should always give the worker the benefit of the doubt in borderline cases. But the union is going to "lose face" with management if you're continually taking up gripes and grousings which are not justified grievances to be handled by the collective bargaining machinery.

Gripes over the work and difficulties workers have in adjusting to each other are going to arise. Lots of people occasionally have chips on their shoulders. Don't ignore them. Perhaps you may want to discuss the situation informally with the supervisor, as well as with the workers involved, in an effort to obtain harmony. But, stick to your ground and take time to explain fully to the complaining worker why he does not have a real grievance. In many workplaces the worker is protected against an unfair or unwise decision of the steward by being able to appeal to a workplace meeting or higher grievance committee. This is a protection for you, the steward, as well, because you will discover you're often accused of refusing to take up matters you don't feel are real grievances, but which the worker involved does. You, too, can refer the issue to the shop committee for final decision. But, don't pass the buck too often.

Once you have decided upon the worth of a grievance and have agreed to take it up with management, don't make rash promises about the results you're going to get for the worker. Tell workers you'll do your best and keep them informed of the progress of the grievance.

Pg13

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