STEWARDS TRAINING 1

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STEWARDS TRAINING 1

• Making a Difference
• in Your Workplace

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WELCOME

• The Union is every members job
• James Starr, Chair UPE Board of Directors
• Challenges in our changing workplaces
• Sandra Poole, Executive Director, UPE

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How did you get here?

• A tale of two unions UPE and PEU
• Strength in Unity The 005 unit
• Courts move out and up
• Newest members- Court Professional Unit

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Independent and Proud of it!

• What does it mean to members for UPE to be
  Independent?
• Local Control
• Dues money spent here
• More representation
• No Article XX protection

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Union Structure

• Members
• Ultimate authority and responsibility
• Bargaining Units Divided in Chapters
• Board members elected by members in chapters
• Chapters designed to be democratic,
  representational
• Each unit divided into chapters
• Boards
• Elected
• Policy makers
• Negotiators
• Number of seats proportionate to members

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County Bargaining Units

• 005
• Office Technical
• 2 Chapters
• 11 seats
• Chapter 1
• OAs and SOA
• Six on Governing Board
• Chapter 2
• All other classifications
• Five on Governing Board

• 008
• Welfare Non Supervisory
• 2 Chapters
• 10 Seats
• Eligibility Chapter
• All classes related to eligibility determination
• Six on Board of Directors
• Services Chapter
• Classes related to direct services
• 4 on Board of Directors

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Court Bargaining Units

• Court Office Technical
• 4 Chapters
• 11 seats
• Courtroom Clerks
• Two on Governing Board
• Court Reporters
• Two on Governing Board
• Deputy Clerks
• 5 on Governing Board
• Specialized Classes
• 2 seats

• Court Professional
• 2 Chapters
• 4 seats
• Mediators
• Three on Governing Board
• Probate Investigators
• One on Governing Board

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Joint Committees

• Meet and Confers/Negotiations
• Stewards Council
• Political Action Committee
• Workload Policy
• Labor/ Management
• Health and Welfare Coalition

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Structure Overview

• How is policy set?
• Who can attend Board meetings?
• How do you get on a Board?
• How do you get on a Committee?
• Why is it important for members to attend Board
  meetings?

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BASIC RIGHTS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

• Rights unexercised
• are essentially lost

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Basic Representation Rights

• Weingarten the right to be represented
• Skelly the right to due process in discipline
• MMB The right for County employees to
  participate in union/ negotiate
• TCEPGA The right for Court employees to
  participate in union/ negotiate
• Right of union to represent members
• Laws
• Contracts

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Members Have Rights Under Protective Laws

• Stewards learn about protective laws through
  Stewards Council
• They include FLSA, FLMA, ERISA, ADA, EEOA, CFRA,
  Title Workers Compensation,

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Rights Overview

• What rights do you have as a public employee?
• What rights do unions have?
• How do you exercise those rights?
• What obligations do stewards have?

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Making a Difference in Your Workplace

• Who would you go to if you had a problem at work?
• What would you expect from him or her?

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What is a Steward?

• Organizer
• Advocate
• Resource person
• Information
• Record keeper
• Investigator

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A few DOs and DONTs

• Do listen
• Dont make promises
• Do Investigate
• Dont gossip
• Do keep the grievant informed
• Dont blow off someones concerns
• Do keep accurate records
• Dont meet with management alone

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Steward Overview

• What kind of Steward do you think youd be?
• Can you make a difference in your workplace?
• How do you get coworkers to trust you?

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Political Action and the Union

• Electing your Bosses!
• Negotiated salaries and benefits are often
  impacted by legislation
• Labor Laws made or changed

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UPE Political Action Committee

• Policy
• Structure
• Decision Making
• Employment related Criteria

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CIPELC

• The California Independent Public Employees
  Legislative Council is an organization of
  independent public employee labor unions in
  California. CIPELC is comprised of independent
  public employee labor unions representing over
  65,000 public employees.
• CIPELC has provided both large and small
  independent unions with the resources to grow and
  thrive as representatives of public employees. 
  The commitment on the part of CIPELC unions to
  the independent movement is firmly embodied in
  our leaders continued willingness to help each
  other. CIPELC affiliates remain ready to provide
  any level of mutual aid to assure independent
  unions a strong future.
• Learn more about our legislative program at
  www.cipelc.com

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Problem Solving

• Most issues that come up can be handled by the
  Steward
• Most issues can be resolved

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Problem Solving in the Work place

• Identify problem
• Investigate
• Research
• Determine action and remedy
• ACT!
• Record / Report
• Follow through

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Identify the Problem

• You may learn about an issue from
• Your own experiences
• A co-worker reports it
• A manager or supervisor announces it
• New policy or procedure
• Rumor mill
• Questions you might ask
• What happened?
• What is the impact
• What was violated? Policy? Contract? Law?

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Investigate

• Find out what really happened
• Was any thing put in writing? Get copies!
• Were there any witnesses? Interview them!
• Why was this done? Ask the source.
• Take notes, take photos.

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Research

• Never assume you know Check it out!
• Read the contract
• Read the policy
• Ask other Stewards or Chief Stewards
• Ask old timers
• Ask Business Agents
• Review past related grievances or arbitrations

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Make a Determination

• What is the appropriateaction and remedy?
• What recourses are available?
• What can be done?
• What is the process?
• What does the member want done?
• Are there others involved to consider?
• Do you file a grievance, an unfair, a complaint?
• What do you ask for as a remedy?

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ACT!

• Once youve determined the proper course of
  action DO IT!
• And do it TIMELY

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RECORD AND REPORT

• Keep accurate records and notes of all your
  meetings
• Keep the name and contact information for
  grievant
• Keep contact information of potential witnesses
• KEEP TRACK OF DEADLINES
• Make sure the UPE office receives copies of all
  grievances
• Inform your Business Agent when you file a
  grievance, it may be part of a pattern of
  violations.

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Follow Through

• Make sure that you get back to the member with
  the results of your investigation and your
  determination of whether or not there is a
  grievable issue.
• Keep the member informed each step of the way and
  provide him/her with copies of documents.
• Dont drop the ball on a grievance
• Let your fellow Stewards and members know the
  outcome!

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Overview Solving Problems

• Is it okay to solve issues informally?
• Are there times when you need to put it in
  writing?
• What remedies are hardest to get?
• What if its a member to member problem
• Can you just wait for problems to come to you?
• Remember each situation is unique. Dont take a
  cookie cutter approach.
• Members lose confidence if you dont communicate
  with them.

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Grievances

• What is a grievance?
• What is a complaint?
• What if its not a grievance?
• What about problems between members?

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Grievance Steps and Time frames

• You must follow the steps in the contract
• You must use the form provided
• You must act quickly
• Grievance is denied if late
• Each Contract sets time frames

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Grievance Overview

• What kinds of problems might you solve with a
  grievance?
• What can you tell a member when their issue isnt
  grievable?
• What other actions might you take to solve a
  workplace problem?

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GRIEVANCE PRACTICE

• Each group is to evaluate each scenario
• Use the form to follow the steps to determine
  what action you would take
• Research the Contract sections
• Report back to the group what you decided and why

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Practice- Scenario 1

• Your coworker, Bob, just came to you and is
  fuming mad at his supervisor. Four workers in
  his unit were authorized to work overtime for
  Saturday due to high workloads. His supervisor,
  Nancy told Bob that he couldnt work overtime
  because the union contract said he couldnt work
  overtime because in a week he was on vacation.
• Bob knows this is wrong, and he feels the
  supervisor always singles him out. He feels the
  only solution is to have the Supervisor fired, or
  at the very least moved. And of course he wants
  to be paid the OT since he WOULD have worked if
  his supervisor hadnt been such a jerk.

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Scenario 2

• Al promoted to a Senior Office Assistant two
  years and a half years ago. He just realized that
  his pay has been wrong all this time and they owe
  him money. He talked to someone in payroll and
  they said they were Sorry but that all happened
  when they were having so many problems with
  Compass. He wants all of his money plus interest.
  He thinks they should have to pay his late fees
  on his bills too, since he could have paid on
  time if his employer had paid him correctly. I
  pay dues says Al. I demand you do something
  now! I want my money today!

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Overview of Training

• Was this training useful?
• Did the PowerPoint help or detract from the
  training
• Since we are trying new ways of presenting
  material PLEASE fill out the evaluation forms
  fully. Let us know what works for you!
• And Most of all..

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THANK YOU!

• Thank you for using your precious time to learn
  more about the union, your rights, and how to
  protect yourself and your coworkers.