Stewards Guide

DUES-LIFE BLOOD OF THE UNION

Without dues a union could not exist. Dues support negotiating, organizing, research, legal, legislative, contract administration, arbitration, strike benefits and many other services of direct benefit to the member.

Almost 90% of all IAM members are covered by contracts which provide for dues check off. This means that each month the employer automatically deducts dues so that members do not become delinquent. Initially a new employer must authorize the check off. In some facilities it must be renewed each year. As steward you must be certain that new employees sign a dues check0off authorization and also remind your members when it is time to renew.

In facilities where dues are not checked off, stewards may have to work a little harder to be certain that members do no fall behind. If you serve such a workplace, be sure to remind members to get their dues in before the 10th of the month. In some facilities stewards help the business representative or officers by collecting dues directly. If you have a dues-collecting responsibility, try to get members into the habit of coming to you to pay their dues at a certain specified time and day each month.

KNOW THE WORKERS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT

You should know workers by name, what kind of people they are and how they get along with other workers, what type of operation they're doing, what their seniority rating is, and what the hourly rate or piece rate is for their job. You naturally can't keep all this in your head if you're in a large department, so it's a good idea to write it down. All this will help later when you're approached on the matter of a grievance and want to decide whether workers are justified in their complaints. You'll soon know the chronic kickers, the ones that don't kick enough-and sort them out. Know who they are and deal with them.

It all helps in your efforts to see to it that all the possible benefits authorized in the contract are put into effect. Keep pushing to get qualified workers the wage rate to which they are entitled, to get them into better jobs for which they are qualified.

KEEP THE MEMBERS INFORMED

Keep the members informed, but not merely through the bulletin boards. Urge them to come to meetings. As the official closest to the people who make the union, you are responsible for keeping them informed of important union activities and policies.

You are the link between the workers and the union office. Many workers will never get to the office except for meetings. Many never see any union representative except yourself. So, they must rely on you to tell them what goes on between meetings. YOUR ARE THE UNION TO THEM.

Another service you can perform is to ask your members if they are receiving the monthly paper, "The Machinist". If they are not, report this t the financial secretary. Furnish him with the member's card number, latest address, and former address. The secretary has or can secure blanks of reporting this information.

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