Integrity & credibility as a steward.

[22.34life]

Do the stewards on here back up all members claims without question?do u try to call it fair or just call it fair for the member?if u know the member is just screwing the company unprovoked do u back this up?all stewards seem to have their own style just curious about the ones on this forum.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Not a steward but thought I'd comment on what I thought were some excellent questions.

I would have more respect for a steward who is willing to tell the member that the grievance does not have basis.

 

[MC4YOU2]

There's no blanket answer for your question in my opinion. There are probably cases to be made for both approaches at different times, with different people.

That being said, no steward, or BA for that matter, has the free time to waste on frivolous or baseless grievances.

Now, if you're asking on the other hand, do grievances ever get filed as a way of settling a score or avenging a past and unrelated issue, I will say it this way; does mgmt ever do the same? We all know the answer to both of those questions, now.

 

[upschuck]

I would have more respect for a steward who is willing to tell the member that the grievance does not have basis.

I have not filed many grievances, but with one, the steward said that had already been established, I said to turn it in, anyways. Just before the hearing, they gave in. Just because a steward says that, doesn't mean it is right.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I have not filed many grievances, but with one, the steward said that had already been established, I said to turn it in, anyways. Just before the hearing, they gave in. Just because a steward says that, doesn't mean it is right.

Absolutely---that's what the BA is for---but to simply rubber stamp every grievance, regardless of basis, is a waste of time for all involved.

 

[By The Book]

Do the stewards on here back up all members claims without question?do u try to call it fair or just call it fair for the member?if u know the member is just screwing the company unprovoked do u back this up?all stewards seem to have their own style just curious about the ones on this forum.

I'll usually have a one on one with the member who wants to file a grievance beforehand. I'll look up the article in the contract to go over it with the member. If after talking it over with the manager and member in the office we can't come to a resolution and the company has wronged the member, we will file. If the member and I find that it is a gripe and the member is just upset and the contract spells out he has no grievance we don't file. Now if the member is insisting on filing at this point I'll give them the business agents phone number at the local.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

I'll usually have a one on one with the member who wants to file a grievance beforehand. I'll look up the article in the contract to go over it with the member. If after talking it over with the manager and member in the office we can't come to a resolution and the company has wronged the member, we will file. If the member and I find that it is a gripe and the member is just upset and the contract spells out he has no grievance we don't file. Now if the member is insisting on filing at this point I'll give them the business agents phone number at the local.

I'm confused-----some of the more (im)potent Joe Unions have said that it is not necessary to sit down with the manager in question before putting pen to paper.

You are doing it exactly the way that it should be done. Good job.

 

[burrheadd]

It goes like this although not necessary to talk w/ before grieving if mgr shows a little respect I would show the same
If mgr wants to be a dick I could be a bigger one

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

What percentage of such issues are resolved without filing?

 

[burrheadd]

Depends on the mgr if he was a straight shooter lots of issues could be resolved in house ( not many of those types around any longer) if the guys a bag I wouldn't talk to them until we were in his office grievance in hand

 

[22.34life]

U can't please everybody,this i know but so many people especially the younger guys get so but hurt over every little thing.so many people seem to think that they are always getting disrespected by management.stewards are not business agents and our power is very limited I just wish more members would understand this.

 

[brownelf]

Been a steward for decades and I've always tried to mediate issues prior to putting anything on paper. Ive always let the current management team dictate how they want to approach problems either by throwing paper at each other or sitting down and actually addressing an issue between the people involved. Doing the latter usually works better and doesn't end up with the I won you lost feelings that can fester long after grievance is heard at a panel by both sides. This has become more difficult to do in recent years due to the lack of control that the center management team has over anything other than trying to manipulate the reports currently generated they are told are important that day.
I have many times thru the years told someone I've represented not to bother filing when asked my opinion on whether to file or not. But I have never refused or told someone not to file when they want to file in spite of the fact that I know the grievance would more than likely be lost. In all the years doing this the one thing I've learned is the you can usually get better results by sitting down and talking like adults at the center level than going to panel and having outside parties settle it for you.

 

[gorilla75jdw]

Been a steward for decades and I've always tried to mediate issues prior to putting anything on paper. Ive always let the current management team dictate how they want to approach problems either by throwing paper at each other or sitting down and actually addressing an issue between the people involved. Doing the latter usually works better and doesn't end up with the I won you lost feelings that can fester long after grievance is heard at a panel by both sides. This has become more difficult to do in recent years due to the lack of control that the center management team has over anything other than trying to manipulate the reports currently generated they are told are important that day.
I have many times thru the years told someone I've represented not to bother filing when asked my opinion on whether to file or not. But I have never refused or told someone not to file when they want to file in spite of the fact that I know the grievance would more than likely be lost. In all the years doing this the one thing I've learned is the you can usually get better results by sitting down and talking like adults at the center level than going to panel and having outside parties settle it for you.

You sound exactly like my train of thought . I have been a steward since 96 , and most of the time I can get things resolved with the,wink of an eye , rather than a knock down , drag out fight . Sometimes though a grievance is the only option when management is hell bent on pursuing their course of action , wether it's discipline or payment .

 

[Coldworld]

Absolutely---that's what the BA is for---but to simply rubber stamp every grievance, regardless of basis, is a waste of time for all involved.

For ups to write up people for absolutely ridiculous things is basically a waste of time for all involved.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

For ups to write up people for absolutely ridiculous things is basically a waste of time for all involved.

It is a running joke in our building that this one driver is asked to stay behind after almost every PCM so that they can "talk" to him about his Orion performance.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Always back the member but I'll also tell someone "how it is" and other things they probably don't want to hear. If something is a "problem" rather than a contract violation, I usually try to mediate it just for the sake of keeping both sides happy.

If the member is completely out of line, I'll pull them out of the office and explain how reality works one on one and never in front of management. If you really push an issue with absolutely no contractual basis for the sake of keeping the member happy (for example, letting a part timer pick a specific work station/load within a classification by seniority which basically doesn't exist in any supplement), you'll lose credibility with management the first time they fact check you with a phone call to labor and find out you were bullting.

I've ranged anywhere from filing 15+ grievances a week on some managers to one or two over a 12-month period (not counting rebuttal to discipline). It depends on who I'm working with and how much of the "give and take" aspect of the process they're willing to follow; at the end of the day, it's always better to solve issues without using the grievance process if possible.

 

[Dr.Brownz]

I have not filed many grievances, but with one, the steward said that had already been established, I said to turn it in, anyways. Just before the hearing, they gave in. Just because a steward says that, doesn't mean it is right.

Alot of times my first steward would say things like that as a way to see if you felt you had a legitimate grievance or if you are just pissed and want to get back at the company.

 

[Wolf in Sheepskin]

Very true many different styles out there, but all with the common goal of defending our members' CB rights. Using the grievance process for anything else pointless. No future progress can be gained without seeing a light.

 

[22.34life]

At least where I'm at management could care less about grievances.they seem perfectly content with violated the contract and accepting the grievance.the company has taken the position that if they pay the penalty for the violation then it's OK to violate the contract.the grievance procedure was never intended to work like this.

 

[Wolf in Sheepskin]

Indeed, same in my shop. That is were Local Leadership is crucial, either you accept the payment or you use the paperwork and members to create systemic change within the shop. Your man is no longer the leader of the IBT but there are members out there just like him. Are you? or just content.