The Union Steward's Complete Guide (Paperback)

~ David Prosten (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Union Steward's Complete Guide is great. It's easy to read and filled with solid, practical advice. We use it in all our training classes, for new stewards and old pros alike." Bill Barry, Director/Labor Studies, Dundalk (Md.) Community College.

"This book really helps me in my steward work at the Post Office. It's fun and easy to read and full of 'real-world' advice. It gives me tips and strategies I can put right to work. And the photos are a riot!" Eddie Beaver, Steward and Chief Trustee, APWU Local 130

"I strongly recommend The Union Steward's Complete Guide to any union in this country which takes steward education seriously. The Guide contains a wealth of user- friendly information which is especially useful to new stewards and other union representatives. It is effectively written, attractively laid out, and covers the entire terrain." Robert M. Schwartz, author, The Legal Rights of Union Stewards

"I love it! This book is a must for every steward. It's like having your own private mentor. Every problem is discussed in a way that's easy to understand." Kem Hart, area steward, IFPTE Local 1

"The Union Steward's Complete Guide is exactly that -- COMPLETE. It covers everything a shop steward might need information about. It is very well done." Mike Drake, Vice-President (GT Unit), CWA Local 9510 -- Some early reviews from readers of The Union Steward's Complete Guide

From the Author

This book is designed to help those who help: the hundreds of thousands of union stewards across North America who serve their co-workers and their unions by taking on the burdens of workplace leadership. Stewards are critical players in the success or failure of their unions. Unlike any other union leaders, they are in day-to- day contact with the membership and are in a unique position to be on top of what's going on in the workplace -- whether the employer is abiding by the contract and whether the union is effectively responding to workplace problems.

To most workers, their steward is the union. The steward is the only union presence the workers see day to day, the only personal contact they have with the union unless -- don't hold your breath -- they come out to union meetings. In a very literal way, unions simply could not function without stewards.

This book will help those new to the stewards' ranks understand the vital importance of their mission and the basics of their role, and provide them with advice and counsel to make more manageable the demands on their skills, time and energy.

And it offers more experienced stewards the opportunity to learn new ways of handling old problems: different approaches, tactics and strategies that can help on everything from winning grievances to avoiding burnout.

The Union Steward's Complete Guide is based largely on material previously published in Steward Update newsletter, the bi-monthly education and training guide offered since 1989 by Union Communication Services of Washington, D.C. More than 1,000 local unions subscribe in bulk to the newsletter today and give copies to their stewards across the United States and Canada. Some 40,000 stewards see each issue.

The goal of this book is to provide aid, comfort and tactical ammunition to the labor movement's front-line troops, its union stewards. I hope it will help strengthen the labor movement while it pursues its vital mission. Employers of all stripes are making things harder than ever these days for workers who are organizing and fighting to improve their lives. From the huge international conglomerate to the small independent operator looking to make his first million bucks, to the public employer who has decided contracting out is the road to taxpayer approval and thus re-election, the need for a strong, militant and united labor movement has never been more felt. The only thing standing between unfair employers and their workers are unions, and without dedicated and trained stewards, unions cannot succeed.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 225 pages
• Publisher: Union Communication Services; 1 edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965948609
• ISBN-13: 978-0965948609
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #351,706 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most informative books I have read, May 6, 2000

By A Customer

As a newly elected Shop Steward, I took it upon myself to buy this book. I was tremendously impressed with the format of the book and found it extremely informative. It is a step-by-step trip through the minefield of being a Shop Steward. Including Handling the Most Common Types of Grievances, Your Rights at the Grievance Meeting (i.e., information management MUST provide to you) and a whole bunch more. Fortunately, it doesn't get bogged down with legalese and is very easy to read. Rather than focusing on the law (though it does when necessary) it focuses on practical, everyday issues of a Steward. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who either is a Steward, wants to be a Steward, or is simply interested in what a Steward goes through almost daily and why they exist.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great not just for stewards!, December 3, 2000

By A Customer

This manual (perhaps we should call it a union bible) is presented in a very easy to read and enjoyable layout.

The producers and editors of this manual did a great job. It's fun to read even the most boring things that a steward has to do!

However, I don't even belong to a union. We're in the process of organizing and this book provided great ideas. A section that deals with bringing the co-workers together is great! It's a fresh reminder that Unions are only as good as the workers and workers need to fight every bit as hard as the local/international does to protect them and fight for them.

Get this manual, well worth the price!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New, 2006 edition, February 13, 2006

By	David M. Prosten "David Prosten" (Annapolis MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A new, updated and expanded edition was published in 2006; the original was published in 1997. Be sure you're seeing the latest version.