NASA STEWARD PROGRAM
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Objectives
Statement of Values
Roles and Responsibilities
Organization
Clusters
Appointment
Recall
Communications
Steward Education
1.1 To protect members and advance their rights, interests
and causes through advocacy.
1.2 To provide informed, effective and immediate assistance
to members with workplace issues.
1.3 To create a communication system within NASA that
informs NASA members immediately of initiatives and activities and allows NASA to receive
prompt input from members on issues.
1.4 To develop greater membership pride, confidence, unity
and involvement in NASA.
1.5 To strengthen NASA’s ability to represent its
members through a better informed and more active membership.
2. STATEMENT OF VALUES
2.1 NASA believes that its members have a right to have
issues with their employer dealt with expeditiously. Issues must be resolved in a way that
will further a harmonious working environment while securing their rights, including those
under the Collective Agreement.
2.2 NASA believes that every member has an equal right to
representation without discrimination.
2.3 NASA believes that every member has an equal right to
be active within NASA and to run for the position of Steward as outlined in these
policies. NASA is firmly committed to being a democratic organization guided by the
members of the Association.
2.4 NASA believes that a fair and unbiased assessment must
be done where the interests of members are in conflict.
2.5 NASA believes in the concept of unionism and the social
responsibilities that are inherent in unions.
2.6 NASA recognizes the need to protect Stewards in their
work and will not tolerate any harassment resulting from their activities.
3. ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 The first loyalty of NASA and its Stewards is to
NASA’s members.
3.2 Stewards shall develop a personal knowledge of the
co-workers represented and ensure that they know their Steward’s name and how he or
she can be reached.
3.3 Stewards meet new co-workers, inform them of their
representation, get membership cards signed and develop a sense of community with the new
member.
3.4 Stewards lead the members of NASA by example.
3.5 As a part of internal organizing for the Union,
Stewards shall develop active, informed and positive members of NASA.
3.6 Stewards investigate issues and represent members under
the Collective Agreement.
3.7 Stewards also investigate and represent on issues that
do not meet the definition of a grievance but which affect the harmonious nature of the
work environment.
3.8 Stewards shall uphold the aims and objectives of NASA
and promote the dignity and harmony of the Union.
3.9 Stewards identify areas requiring change in the
Collective Agreement.
3.10 Stewards identify particularly troublesome work sites
and managers for increased intervention.
3.11 Stewards shall protect the confidentiality of
information and/or members, as is appropriate.
3.12 Stewards shall promote confidence in the Steward
Program.
3.13 Stewards shall advise members of their rights, terms
and conditions of the Collective Agreement.
3.14 Stewards shall educate the University community at
large about the rights of NASA members, including the terms and conditions of the
Collective Agreement.
3.15 Stewards shall be proactive in ensuring that the
employer respects the rights of NASA members.
3.16 Stewards shall communicate the aims, objectives and
strategies of NASA to those represented and forward input received to the appropriate
individuals within NASA.
4. ORGANIZATION
4.1 The Grievance Chair is the Chief Steward. Roles and
responsibilities of this position are governed by the NASA Bylaws, this Steward Policy and
the Grievance Committee Policy.
4.2 The Grievance Committee of NASA has some responsibility
under this policy. Grievance Committe membership is covered by the Grievance Committee
Policy.
4.3 The Steward is the cornerstone of the program and
receives assistance from the Chief Steward, members of the Grievance Committee and the
Labour Relations Officer(s) LRO(s).
4.4 The LRO(s) are active members of the Steward Program
and have a supervisory role in the training of Stewards and the handling of complaints,
problems and grievances.
4.5 The Steward Council is comprised of all duly elected
Stewards.
5. CLUSTERS
5.1 A cluster is a voting entity of approximately 50
members, assigned along departmental and geographic lines. Each member of NASA will be
assigned by the Chief Steward to a cluster.
5.2 The list of clusters will be published annually
beginning 1999.
5.3 Any member who disagrees with their assigned cluster
is entitled to submit that issue in writing to the Grievance Committee for review and
resolution.
5.4 Anytime the composition of a cluster changes the
members of that cluster will be notified in writing.
5.5 Each cluster is allocated one elected Steward
position. Stewards are not limited to serving only members of their cluster.
6. APPOINTMENT
6.1 NASA Stewards can be accredited in the following way:
6.1.1 The nominee for the Steward position shall be an
assigned member of the voting cluster. The Steward is elected by secret ballot with a
majority of the votes cast by the cluster. Where only one nominee runs for the position a
majority vote of support is required, using a show of hands or secret ballot. This shall
normally occur at a meeting of such members called for that purpose; AND
6.1.2 Successful completion of an education component; AND
6.1.3 Recommendation of competence from the Labour
Relations Officer after completion of a mentoring period; AND
6.1.4 Official certification by the Chief Steward.
6.2 Term of Office shall be two years from the date of
election, with no restriction on successive terms.
7. RECALL
7.1 An accreditation can be recalled if either of the
following events occurs:
7.1.1 A member complaint to the Chief Steward has been
reviewed by the Grievance Committee and found to be valid and deemed serious enough for
recall.
7.1.2 A complaint from the LRO(s) of NASA to the Chief
Steward regarding the competence of the Steward has been reviewed by the Grievance
Committee and found to be valid and which is not an issue that can be corrected.
7.2 A copy of such complaint in §7.1.1 or §7.1.2 shall
immediately be forwarded to the Steward involved.
7.3 If a complaint has been made, the Steward has the right
to address the Grievance Committee in writing, in person, or both.
7.4 If a complaint has been found valid the Steward may
appeal to the Executive Committee.
7.5 Nothing shall prevent a recalled Steward from again
running for the position of Steward in his or her cluster.
8. COMMUNICATIONS
8.1 Communication between the Chief Steward, the Steward
and the Labour Relations Officer (LRO)
8.1.1 The line of communication shall normally be:
(i) The member to the Steward;
(ii) The Steward to the LRO;
(iii) The LRO to the Chief Steward; and
(iv) The Chief Steward to the Grievance Committee.
8.1.2 Minimal expectations of communications are that:
(i) All communications shall have a 24-hour response time;
(ii) Individual member issues are confidential, E-mail and
FAX are not to be used;
(iii) All hard copy publications are approved by the Chief
Steward;
(iv) All communication costs are to be borne by NASA and
the University; and
(v) Communications shall have its own budget line in the
Steward budget.
8.2 Communication Between the Steward and the cluster shall
minimally consist of:
8.2.1 Same day (immediate) response to member inquiries;
8.2.2 Bulletins (approved by the Chief Steward) for posting
on NASA bulletin boards;
8.2.3 Ensuring that bulletin boards display current and
accurate information;
8.2.4 A meeting every two years to elect or endorse a
Steward;
8.2.5 Notification of extended absence to the cluster (and
the NASA office) advising of a designated Steward to cover the area; and
8.2.6 Welcome to all new members, signing membership cards
and introduction to the cluster.
8.3 Communication between the Chief Steward and the
Stewards:
8.3.1 Shall normally be conducted through Steward Council
one-hour meetings held once per month;
8.3.2 Will facilitate Steward-to-Steward solidarity and
Steward job-share opportunities;
8.3.3 Will be enhanced by on-going development and
technical support of appropriate electronic resources, eg. a passworded Steward WEBsite,
passworded library resources, and passworded listserv.
8.4 Conferences consisting of current Steward issues will
be presented by the Labour Relations Officer at Steward Council meetings (§8.3.1).
8.5 Reporting of all information received by Stewards
regarding members issues is deemed confidential until decided otherwise by the LRO, Chief
Steward or Grievance Committee.
9. STEWARD EDUCATION
9.1 Level 1 Training (§9.3) will be available to all
members.
9.2 Training is provided by NASA in-house and will be
revised as needed by the members. The minimum training components are outlined below.
9.3 Level 1 Training
A two-day (or equivalent 1/2 day or evening hours) program
designed to provide the Steward with the basic information needed to operate on behalf of
the members. Modules will include the following topics:
Structure of NASA and it’s committees; Rights and
responsibilities of Stewards; Dealing with conflict, mediation skills; Delegation, when to
delegate and recognizing limits of authority; Referring members, when and where to refer
members to other resources;
Recognizing issues and methods of dispute resolution,
grievances, classification appeals, complaints, problem solving, labour management
committees, Workers Compensation Board, Human Rights Commission;
Types of grievances, contract interpretation, discipline,
harassment; Rules of behaviour, "work now, grieve later" rule and others; Rules
of contract interpretation; Rules governing discipline; Rules governing harassment;
Grievance handling, disciplinary interviews; investigation techniques, identification of
witnesses, interviewing techniques and skills;
Preparation of presentation of hearings, process of a
hearing; Practice by role playing; Emotions of filing grievances, normal not exceptional,
right to process without repercussions, grievances as agents of change; Record keeping,
contract clause books.
9.4 Mentoring
At the conclusion of the two-day training session the
Stewards will enter a mentoring phase during which they will work closely with the LRO to
apply the information and develop the skills taught in the training sessions.
9.5 Level 2 Training
This will take the form of a three-day intensive training
session which will follow the successful mentoring period. Topics covered are as follows:
Basic Arbitration; Workers Compensation Board, Long term
disability; union counselor programs, employee and family assistance programs;
Negotiations and the role of Stewards in preparation and process; Heath and safety;
Support for Stewards – a 1/2 day session where
Stewards have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers. Stewards set the topics.
9.6 Steward Issues Conferences
Each six-month period a Steward Conference shall be held on
the "Issues of the Day". In-depth information is provided and strategies either
explained or developed.
9.7 Steward Meeting Educational Events
At Steward Council, 1/2 to one hour is set aside for
education (see §8.4). Suggested topics include:
Health and safety, the right to refuse; Long term
disability – the system; Assisting with Employment Insurance claims; Severance
packages and early retirement – effects on pensions and tax implications; Stress
related performance issues; Crisis management; Promoting support of NASA; Promoting good
stewardship.
The Employer is invited to describe their view of the
relationship between NASA and the University.
9.8 In addition to the in-house training NASA will continue
to assess outside courses and seminars and access them for the Steward Council where
additional value for the members is seen to exist.
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