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Pete Garcia

Local Lodge 2515
Educator
 

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                Reports from Delegates and Committees

Delegates to the District, the State Council, union schools and other labor meetings are representatives of the Lodge.  One of their duties is to keep the Lodge informed of what is going on that is important to the Members.
A Delegate's report should include:

  • Resolutions or motions passed that are important to your membership.

  • News or information received at the meeting which your members should know about. This might be strikes, current bills in the legislature, organizing drives, community problems, etc.

  • If there is some action that the Lodge is supposed to take, say so.

Reports from delegates, committees and officers should hit the high-spots and help "educate" the Membership so they know more about what's going on in the Union.

To do this, reports must be thought out beforehand.

Organize your report before the meeting.  Make notes in order to cover all the important points in the proper order.  Preparing notes will also help you keep the report brief. 

 


Disputes 

The following are the correct procedures for settling disputes between Union members, Stewards, Local Lodge Business Representatives and other elected officials. 

  1. In most cases disputes can easily be settled by vocal communication between individuals involved in the dispute. If the dispute is not satisfactorily settled, the matter may be referred to the Shop Steward or Chief Steward, whatever the case may be. In any case, if the dispute is not satisfactorily settled, it may be carried to the next higher echelon of Union leadership until the matter is resolved.

 

  1. Disputes between Stewards may be resolved by initiating a Steward meeting with the Local Lodge Business Representative present. These meetings are normally convened at the Local Lodge. If the problem is not satisfactorily addressed, the matter is referred to a higher echelon of Union leadership.

 

  1. Disputes between Union Members and Stewards are resolved in the same manner as #2.

 

  1. Disputes between large groups of individuals and Stewards, Business Representatives, or other elected officials may be resolved in requesting a meeting with the Local Lodge Business Representative and all others involved at the Local Lodge to voice concerns involving the dispute.

 

  1. Be aware, management is never consulted when disputes arise from Union policy, Steward, or Business Representative decision.

 

  1. The Local Lodge Business Representative has sole authority to remove a Steward from his position for any valid reason.

 

  1. It is not the duty of the Local Lodge Officers, i.e.- LL President, Vice- President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, etc., to dictate policy on the contract or represent Union members in grievance procedures.  That is the duty of the Stewards.

 

  1. By not following the correct procedures to resolve disputes, a problem may evolve into a larger problem.  Hearsay and rumors will only make a solution more difficult to achieve.

     

These guidelines are provided to make disputes easier to solve, but remember- most disputes can be settled or prevented by simply talking the issue out.  Often you will find a simple misunderstanding as the cause of the dispute.