Stewards beware!

[Wally]

Salty language was once tolerated during closed door meetings by union stewards. In July the NLRB took away that right and now union stewards can be disciplined and discharged for using such language. This is a huge loss for unions because now stewards who are used to using some curse words when heated will have to focus on watching what they say which is way easier said than done. I know I sometimes let a curse word slip out just in everyday conversations with customers. I don't see how if a conversation gets heated in a closed door meeting, a steward can refrain from an accidental curse word or two.

Trump Labor Board Upends Special Status of Union Stewards

And you thought it couldn’t get any worse! On July 21 the Trump-appointed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) eliminated the special legal protections enjoyed by union grievance handlers for the past 70 years. In the interest of promoting workplace “civility,” the Board announced that...

labornotes.org

Why cuss? If you lose your cool you may not be thinking straight and could lose the argument. Be prepared and know their arguments beforehand.

 

[quad decade guy]

I know several division level folks that would apply to. Very abusive.

 

[Jkloc420]

Showed this to @Jkloc420 but he put his blinders on and refused to accept it.

Dont cuss at me

 

[burrheadd]

Salty language was once tolerated during closed door meetings by union stewards. In July the NLRB took away that right and now union stewards can be disciplined and discharged for using such language. This is a huge loss for unions because now stewards who are used to using some curse words when heated will have to focus on watching what they say which is way easier said than done. I know I sometimes let a curse word slip out just in everyday conversations with customers. I don't see how if a conversation gets heated in a closed door meeting, a steward can refrain from an accidental curse word or two.

Trump Labor Board Upends Special Status of Union Stewards

And you thought it couldn’t get any worse! On July 21 the Trump-appointed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) eliminated the special legal protections enjoyed by union grievance handlers for the past 70 years. In the interest of promoting workplace “civility,” the Board announced that...

labornotes.org

I hope that gate swings both ways
I’ve seen some pretty salty CMs

 

[MyTripisCut]

Get a little animated?
I'm not sure how that applies here.

You're kind of twisting what I said but okay....

I’m twisting what YOU said? @Turdferguson , you here this crap?

 

[DriveInDriveOut]

I’m twisting what YOU said?

Yes, you need me to draw you a picture?

@Turdferguson , you here this crap?

What is this, amateur hour?

 

[IVE GOTTA PACKAGE 4U]

I’m twisting what YOU said? @Turdferguson , you here this crap?

Hear* hope that helps

 

[zubenelgenubi]

And your grievance procedure allows that?

It depends on the situation. People generally come to me when they've been dealing with problems for a while and haven't seen any results (our building isn't very union oriented, but I'm making progress). If management has already been made aware of the problem, and has failed to fix it, I will go straight to the hall. Other stewards will try talking it over with management, even after the member has tried, but in my experience it's a waste of time and slows down the process. No management in my building will acknowledge that they know anything, that they are responsible for anything, or that they are bound by the contract.

 

[Brownslave688]

I hope that gate swings both ways
I’ve seen some pretty salty CMs

Mine curses like a sailor when he doesn’t get his way.

 

[Rack em]

Why cuss? If you lose your cool you may not be thinking straight and could lose the argument. Be prepared and know their arguments beforehand.

Is not that I intentionally cuss, but it just slips out sometimes. My center manager is the same way lol, we were talking Tuesday morning and he was throwing our cuss words like a sailor. It's just how some people talk.

 

[Red Devil]

If I can’t smoke and swear in court, I’m ed

 

[Inthegame]

It depends on the situation. People generally come to me when they've been dealing with problems for a while and haven't seen any results (our building isn't very union oriented, but I'm making progress). If management has already been made aware of the problem, and has failed to fix it, I will go straight to the hall. Other stewards will try talking it over with management, even after the member has tried, but in my experience it's a waste of time and slows down the process. No management in my building will acknowledge that they know anything, that they are responsible for anything, or that they are bound by the contract.

I'm still confused. Most procedures require a meeting of the parties to discuss and resolve within a certain time frame. Failing resolution, the grievance is then reduced to paper and presented to the company, usually to a manager (or sup) who then forwards a copy to their Labor Manager.
How does the LM get a copy if you're turning in paper to the hall? If the hall gets the grievance and forwards it to the LM, how does the center know a grievance is filed? How can you prove the grievance was presented timely?
Our stewards are instructed to make multiple copies of grievances, distribute to the relevant parties and file at the center with a time stamp (if available) to prove timeliness.
Of course after filing, the local (BA) should get the original written grievance, hopefully with complete notes.
I'm concerned that any deviation from the contractual procedure could jeopardize the grievant's chances of success

 

[Mugarolla]

and, due to the precedents, set by the Supreme Court, listed in the article, the board's decision would be sure to be overturned.

Not necessarily. The Supreme Court decision was based on the standards used by the NLRB at that time, and for the last 70 years.

The NLRB has just changed the standard they use when dealing with abusive or profane language, from this point going forward.

Their decision, when dealing with these cases, are now going to be decided under the Wright Line standard.

I don't think the Supreme Court has a say in which standard the NLRB uses, as long as they use a defined standard.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

Not necessarily. The Supreme Court decision was based on the standards used by the NLRB at that time, and for the last 70 years.

The NLRB has just changed the standard they use when dealing with abusive or profane language, from this point going forward.

Their decision, when dealing with these cases, are now going to be decided under the Wright Line standard.

I don't think the Supreme Court has a say in which standard the NLRB uses, as long as they use a defined standard.

They only decide based on law. If the Supreme Court has already set a precedent confirming these rights, it is not very likely to over turn it. I just read up on the Wright Line standard. Maybe I'm just tired or being dense, but I'm only seeing a very tangential relationship between that and the subject at hand.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

I'm still confused. Most procedures require a meeting of the parties to discuss and resolve within a certain time frame. Failing resolution, the grievance is then reduced to paper and presented to the company, usually to a manager (or sup) who then forwards a copy to their Labor Manager.
How does the LM get a copy if you're turning in paper to the hall? If the hall gets the grievance and forwards it to the LM, how does the center know a grievance is filed? How can you prove the grievance was presented timely?
Our stewards are instructed to make multiple copies of grievances, distribute to the relevant parties and file at the center with a time stamp (if available) to prove timeliness.
Of course after filing, the local (BA) should get the original written grievance, hopefully with complete notes.
I'm concerned that any deviation from the contractual procedure could jeopardize the grievant's chances of success

I appreciate you bringing it up. It's been working so far, my BA handles informing management and any meetings with the grievant. Maybe we are doing things wrong, I've been following the lead of the BA and other stewards. I used to be able to handle most issues without grievances, but our newest crop of management is... special.

 

[Mugarolla]

They only decide based on law. If the Supreme Court has already set a precedent confirming these rights, it is not very likely to over turn it. I just read up on the Wright Line standard. Maybe I'm just tired or being dense, but I'm only seeing a very tangential relationship between that and the subject at hand.

They are deciding cases based on law. There is nothing in the law dealing with profanity during a grievance meeting.

In these cases, the NLRB has used the Atlantic Steel standard. The court decisions you referenced were based on the Atlantic Steel standard.

The NLRB has changed which standard they're going to use. The board has the right to change or amend rules, which they do quite often.

 

[Mugarolla]

They only decide based on law. If the Supreme Court has already set a precedent confirming these rights, it is not very likely to over turn it. I just read up on the Wright Line standard. Maybe I'm just tired or being dense, but I'm only seeing a very tangential relationship between that and the subject at hand.

The problem is that the Wright Line standard is a standard used by the NLRB and is an accepted standard. They just used a different standard for stewards in a grievance meeting, Atlantic Steel. The Wright Line standard is used for other employees when dealing with the company.

Now, they want to use one standard for all employees.

 

[UPSER1987]

I'm still confused. Most procedures require a meeting of the parties to discuss and resolve within a certain time frame. Failing resolution, the grievance is then reduced to paper and presented to the company, usually to a manager (or sup) who then forwards a copy to their Labor Manager.
How does the LM get a copy if you're turning in paper to the hall? If the hall gets the grievance and forwards it to the LM, how does the center know a grievance is filed? How can you prove the grievance was presented timely?
Our stewards are instructed to make multiple copies of grievances, distribute to the relevant parties and file at the center with a time stamp (if available) to prove timeliness.
Of course after filing, the local (BA) should get the original written grievance, hopefully with complete notes.
I'm concerned that any deviation from the contractual procedure could jeopardize the grievant's chances of success

It’s because he’s full of it. What he describes is not the correct grievance procedure and would either invalidate or delay the grievance procedure even more.

 

[Inthegame]

I appreciate you bringing it up. It's been working so far, my BA handles informing management and any meetings with the grievant. Maybe we are doing things wrong, I've been following the lead of the BA and other stewards. I used to be able to handle most issues without grievances, but our newest crop of management is... special.

Certainly not jumping on you. If that's the agreed to procedure, you're good, just not what I'm used to.

On another note, I'm very pleased when I learn of bright, dedicated to the cause folks getting more involved by becoming stewards. It's the only way our union progresses.

Who knows, maybe you'll be running your local someday. It's happened before...

 

[zubenelgenubi]

It’s because he’s full of it. What he describes is not the correct grievance procedure and would either invalidate or delay the grievance procedure even more.

I don't know what to tell you bud. I didn't create this system, I'm just trying to navigate it. My building and local tend to be pretty informal. It drives me nuts sometimes because I take the time to read up on things, try to do them the right way, and then find out I've wasted my time. Then I have to hound people to find out the way things are done in practice.

The worst is interpretation of the contract. Someone comes to me with an issue, I deal with it based on what the contract seems to me to say, then I get told a panel decision interpreted the language a different way. I ask to see the decision, but have yet to see one. It's a mess, and I barely have the time I need to represent members, let alone try to take on the monumental task of fixing things. Honestly, I am out delivering packages so long every day, I have no idea how stewards in larger, more active buildings have time to grieve anything. I'm more than happy to hear how things run in other centers and locals. Maybe that will help me try to get things back on track.