Win, Lose or Draw- All Grievances Build Union Strength

You are doing more with your grievances than the remedy you secure.

Being a Union Steward is a tough volunteer position and it’s often thankless, but we do it because we want to help people. We all know enforcing our union contract with grievances is important. Being able to fight for someone to keep their job or fix someone’s pay that results in back pay is rewarding. But if we stop to think about it whether we win, lose or draw all grievances build union strength.

Here’s 3 reasons why:

Training Management- Because the laws in the US favor employers so much management is used to getting their way. They don’t usually stop and explain where they are coming from, and definitely don’t hear ‘no’ as much as the rest of us do. Grievance meetings are a great way to keep them on their toes and keep them aware that they need to have a good reason for their actions, and to always follow the contract. 

Keep Members Engaged- We don’t want people to feel like working with a union contract is anything like working without one because it isn’t! When we resolve grievances that are small, everyday issues make sure your member understands that it was resolved because of you - their Union Steward - and their union contract. That way when big things happen they know exactly who they can count on to have their backs.

Show Corporate Bad Policies- Sometimes it’s management making bad calls, but sometimes it’s above their heads. We can complain until we are blue in the face, but our actions speak louder than words. When corporate rolls out a new policy and no one files a grievance they will assume that even if some are complaining- they aren’t really doing anything wrong.

Our local union can’t thank you enough for stepping up as a Steward and we hope you remember that win, lose or draw you can’t go wrong filing a grievance and doing your best to do what is right.