"STEWARD'S TIP OF THE WEEK"
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STEWARDS: DO YOU HAVE A TIP TO SHARE?
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April 21, 2009
"Toot, Toot!"
Do your members wonder, “What is the union doing for me?”
They need to know!
You’re a steward. You may meet with management from time to time about issues, sometimes formally, sometimes just for a brief conversation in the hallway. Perhaps you go to chapter board meetings, steward meetings, contract negotiations, or other SEIU 509 events, like lobby days and rallies.
Whether it’s a whole day or a few minutes on your way out the door, you are working doing union business. You are looking out for your members! Any time you do some union business, no matter how small it may appear, let your members know what you are doing.
For a big thing, you might want to put a note in everyone's mailbox or send them all an email. Sometimes you can just tell people after a staff meeting or during your lunch break or in the hallway. Sometimes you only need to tell one or two people. But find a way to let someone know that, “I just went to a meeting with ____ and we talked about ____ ….”
It may be hard to “toot your own horn” sometimes, but it is important for members to know that you – and the union – are working hard for them and how the union works. The more they see you working, the more questions they will ask and the more informed they will be. That makes us all stronger! |