What should a shop steward do? What sort of person do I need to elect as a shop steward?
In your factory your shop steward must:
represent you . S/he must represent workers when there is any problem between the worker(s) and the bosses. Your shop steward must be strong and confident. Elect someone who is not shy to stand up for the rights of workers.
be your eyes and ears. The shop stewards’ job is to protect your rights. They must keep their eyes and ears open so that the bosses do not play tricks with your rights.
build a strong union and a strong Cosatu . Your shop stewards must meet often in the factory. Your shop stewards must also attend a Numsa Local Shop Steward Council to build Numsa in the area around your factory and a Cosatu Local Shop Steward Council. Elect a shop steward who will give up time to do this work.
be sensitive to women’s needs. About 13% of Numsa’s members are women but there are very few women shop stewards in Numsa. Often women have special problems at work that men don’t know about – they are paid less for doing the same job, they have the difficulties of balancing full-time work with caring for the family. Make sure you elect someone who will take up women’s problems, who will be sensitive to and look after women’s interests. Elect a woman.
listen to workers. Your shop steward must give leadership to the workers and listen to workers at the same time. Do not elect someone who always follows behind what others say, BUT do not elect someone who is too proud to listen to others. Your shop steward must always obey the decision of the majority.
build unity amongst workers . Workers who are divided cannot defeat the bosses. The task of a shop steward is to bring the workers together. Do not elect someone who tries to impose his/her own views against the majority. Such a person will not build unity.
recruit new members. If more workers join Numsa in your factory, your Union will be stronger in your factory and in your country. Elect someone who can encourage others to join and make the union stronger.
negotiate issues like HIV/Aids, productivity, grading and training, employment equity. Numsa is negotiating frameworks for these issues at national level. But shop stewards in each factory will do the real work. They will, with your help, negotiate around HIV/Aids, decide which worker fits into which grade, how to measure productivity, who needs training and what sort of training they need, how to make your workplace represent the colour of the people of this country at all levels of the company. Elect a shop steward who can negotiate these issues or who is prepared to be trained by Numsa.
take up your community problems in community structures . Your shop steward should help you with problems in your communities like transport, schooling, housing etc.
report back to you the member. Your shop steward is there because you elected him/her. Do not elect shop stewards who forget what mandates are. Elect shop stewards who will be accountable to you and who will report back to you.
Invest in your future – elect a leader!