STEWARD HANDBOOK

INTRODUCTION
AFSCME STEWARDS IN ACTION
AFSCME stewards work in a wide variety of places. Some work in publicsector
jobs and some in the private sector. Some of you are state, county and
municipal employees. Others work for the federal government or non-profit
organizations. Still others work as independent providers of state services.
Some of you have an agency shop, either by statute or language in your contract.
You may have collective bargaining laws and negotiated contracts in
place, or you might live in a place where public workers are still fighting for
that basic right to bargain collectively over wages, hours and conditions of
employment. All of you are AFSCME Stewards in Action.
Some of you are called stewards, some delegates, some member action
team captains. In this handbook, the term “steward” will be used to refer to
any AFSCME members who volunteer or are elected to represent and organize
their co-workers.
Workers need and want protections at the worksite. A survey by the
Wilson Center for the Public Interest explored how workers view the value of
unions. The study found that union members who have effective stewards are:
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Significantly more likely to feel the union is effective in helping
obtain job-related improvements.
Much more likely to feel their union representative cares about
them.
More likely to approve of grievance handling – and to file grievances.
Much more likely to turn to the union – rather than to management
– to solve contract-related problems.
More optimistic about the negotiating ability of their local.
More likely to see the importance of the union’s organizing efforts.
More likely to volunteer to participate in union activities.
This confirms two long-held AFSCME beliefs: Stewards are the cornerstone
of the union, and effective stewards build stronger unions.
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