Shop Stewards

As a steward, you make collective bargaining agreements meaningful by helping your co-workers implement their contract and defend their rights on a day-to-day basis. You are in the best position to understand your co-workers’ concerns and priorities, organize with them to take action, and communicate their priorities to other union leaders. You are also the best person to educate co-workers about our union’s goals.

As a steward you have the right to:

• Talk to co-workers about our union in the workplace;
• Sign up new members;
• Enforce the contract;
• Investigate grievances or potential grievances;
• Initiate and file grievances;
• Represent workers in the grievance process and during disciplinary meetings; and
• Conduct other union business (helping members with referrals to government agencies, community services, etc.).

If you would like to learn more about being a steward and what it means to be part of a union, we encourage you to review the UFCW Stewards Manual.