Nobody hands you a working knowledge of the union with the hard hat. Here are ten things I wish every new member knew in the first month, not the first termination.
1. Read your collective agreement
You will not love it. Read the articles that hit you: hours, overtime, seniority, holidays, management rights, the grievance procedure. Highlight. Ask about the parts that are unclear.
2. Know who your steward is
Name and number. What a steward does is representation, not mind-reading. Find them before you need them.
3–4. The grievance process, and the clock
A grievance is how the union enforces the agreement. Time limits are short. Days, not months. If something happens, write the date down the day it happens.
5. Ask for representation when it counts
Investigation meetings. Discipline. Return-to-work. Do not be brave and alone. What happens in an investigation is easier with a steward in the chair.
6. Keep records
Letters, schedules, emails, names, times. “The boss said” fades. Paper does not. Verbal promises are not enough. If it matters, get it in writing.
7–8. Report problems. Learn health and safety.
Hazards, harassment, a contractor doing your work, a job change that feels like a demotion — say it early. Know how a refusal works before you are standing in front of a bad job. Refusing work is not a personality test.
9. Accommodation is a right, not a favour
If you have a restriction, read duty to accommodate. Tell the steward. Do not try to hide a medical issue until you break.
10. Do not wait for a crisis
The members who do well in a fight are the ones who already knew the process. Come to a meeting. Read one article. Ask one question. The union is not a vending machine you kick when something goes wrong.
