Shop Stewards are the backbone of Teamsters Local 70. Stewards are the key to building a strong, democratic labor movement. Throughout the history of this Local Union, Stewards have provided the vital link between the elected officers and officials and the members of every industry represented by Local 70.

The Shop Steward Bylaws endeavor to reinforce the importance of Stewards and to identify the Rules and Regulations governing Stewards.

Stewards are working Members who represent the Members at their particular terminal or place of employment. They are elected by their respective Membership or appointed in accordance with the rules and regulations contained herein. They are advocates for their brothers and sisters in the workplace and, consequently, they must be accessible to the Members they represent. They are expected to act fairly and impartially and, by example, represent the highest principles of the Trade Union Movement.

The duties of Stewards at their particular terminal or place of employment are:
 

1. To provide Members with copies of their collective bargaining agreement, and other official documents requested by Members (Local 70 Steward Bylaws, Local 70 Bylaws, International Union Constitution, Sick Benefit Rules, etc.).
2. To educate Members about the terms and conditions of their collective bargaining agreement and answer questions about the collective bargaining agreement.
3. To enforce the collective bargaining agreement with the Employer.
4. To require that Members adhere to the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
5. To monitor the use of casual employees and new hires and to report to the Union hiring practices that are not in accord with the rules and regulations of the Union and the collective bargaining agreement. Stewards shall periodically perform a dues check of all new and regular employees and collect referral slips where applicable.
6. To work directly with their Business Agent regarding all grievances and disputes, including the investigation and presentation of grievances and the direct representation of Members who are subject to discipline or discharge. When a Member refers a complaint or grievance to his/her Steward, he/she shall accompany that Member into the office for adjustment. If the parties fail to adjust the complaint or grievance, it shall be reduced to writing and referred to the assigned Business Agent. Copies of the written grievance shall be retained by both the Steward and Member. A Business Agent who receives a grievance or a report of any contract violation from a Steward shall reply as soon as possible, not to exceed 72-hours.
7. To post all official communications from the Union and/or from the assigned Business Agent on the appropriate Union Bulletin Board.
8. To report to Members the activities of the Union --- General Membership Meetings, Steward Meetings, Seminars, Craft Meetings, Elections, Political Action Programs, etc.
9. To advise Members of the services and opportunities provided by the Union, specifically those which come directly from the collective bargaining agreement and those that come from the Union ---- Health and Welfare and Pension benefits, Retiree Benefits, Dues Check-Off, Sick Benefits, Life with Dues Life Insurance, Teamster Scholarship, Teamsters Day Picnic, etc.
10. To advise Members of their obligations to the Union ---- Payment of monthly dues, observance of authorized picket lines, service to the Union in accord with the Picketing/Organizing/Assessment Resolution, etc.
11. To endeavor at all times to create favorable conditions and to maintain harmonious co-worker relationships, but, when not possible, to resolve differences or disputes between or among Members.
12. To at all times conduct himself/herself in such a manner as to set a good example for the Members they represent and all Members of the Union.

Stewards serve the interests of the Members at their particular terminal or place of employment. They deserve the prestige and dignity of their calling. The honor and authority granted to them, however, must be exercised judiciously. Abuse of power is not a prerogative of Stewards. They must not act in their own interests first. They must not enter into private agreements with the Employer. They must respect the democratic rights of the Members they represent. They must not exceed the authority granted to them by the Union. Stewards have no authority to take strike action, or any other action not set forth in these Steward Bylaws or in the Local 70 Bylaws, or any other action interrupting the business of their Employer, except as specifically authorized by official action of the Local Union.

Members at each terminal or place of employment shall elect a Chief Steward and Shift Stewards with the ratification of each new collective bargaining agreement. The reference to Shift Stewards shall include Division and Center Stewards. The election shall take place at the terminal or place of employment or at the Union office. The elections shall be held within sixty (60) days after contract acceptance. Reasonable notice of the election shall be provided to the affected Membership. Nominations of Stewards shall be in writing and made by Members working at the terminal or place of employment. The Business Agent shall be present at these elections. In the event only one Member accepts nomination for a Steward position, that Member shall be declared elected by acclamation and no election shall take place. In the event that no Member accepts nomination for Steward in his/her terminal or place of employment, the Business Agent shall appoint the Steward. All shifts shall vote for the Chief Steward. In the event the Chief Steward position is vacated, the remaining Stewards may run for the position of Chief Steward without resigning from their current position.

Stewards who are off the job due to injury, illness, layoff or discharge, will retain their position but may be replaced temporarily by other Shift Stewards. The assigned Business Agent may appoint a replacement Steward if the Shift Stewards cannot adequately replace the absent Steward.

The Local Union acknowledges that particular terminals or places of employment have practices that vary from the rules outlined herein. These practices may continue so long as the Members at the terminal or place of employment approve of the continuation of these practices. If a majority of the employees from a particular terminal or place of employment request a modification in the practices at their terminal and submit their petition to the Stewards Council, a hearing will be scheduled. The Stewards Council is authorized to decide the issue.

Members at a particular terminal or place of employment have the right to meet and assemble freely with other Members and to express any views, arguments or opinions about the business of the Union, subject only to reasonable rules. Members have the right to make constructive criticism of all phases of Union activities or any officer or committee. Every Member, however, is obligated to cooperate with Stewards in carrying out the decisions of the Union. The rights and obligations of Members must be reasonably balanced. Members who unreasonably ridicule, provoke or harass the Stewards and bring disrespect and injury to their position shall be subject to citation before the Local 70 Executive Board.

Members of other Local Unions who are affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters who unreasonably ridicule, provoke or harass Stewards and bring disrespect and injury to their position shall be subject to citation before the Executive Board of the Local Union to which they belong.

No Steward shall be removed from his/her position unless charges have been preferred against him/her in writing and signed by the Member or Members making such charges. The Steward shall be notified by the Secretary-Treasurer in the manner prescribed by the Local 70 Bylaws and shall appear before the Executive Board at the date and time outlined in the notification. No Steward shall be removed from his position until the charges have been proven and the Executive Board authorizes removal.

Charges must be based on violations of the collective bargaining agreement, the International Constitution, the Local 70 Bylaws, and/or the Steward Bylaws.

The Union shall provide all Stewards with a distinguishable badge/item that signifies that they are Teamsters Local 70 Stewards, recognized by both the Local Union and the Employer. The Union shall also provide Stewards with a distinguishable identification card registering the name of the Steward and his/her place of employment. The card shall indicate that the Steward is recognized as an official Steward of Teamsters Local 70.

No Steward shall suffer a loss of pay if required by the Executive Board to participate in litigation. Furthermore, no Steward shall suffer a loss of pay if required to participate in the affairs of the Union. The rate of compensation for such activities shall be at the applicable rate of pay as set forth in the collective bargaining agreement under which the respective Steward is working. The compensation shall not exceed eight (8) hours per day.

There shall be established a Stewards Council consisting of all Stewards of the Local Union. The Stewards Council shall meet at least quarterly in accordance with the same rules that apply to the Membership Meetings. The Stewards Council shall be chaired by the Vice-President of the Local Union. The Council shall be self-governing with general guidelines set by the Executive Board and shall conform to the provisions of the International Constitution and the Local 70 Bylaws. The Council may adopt educational programs, recognition programs, set up sub-committees, adopt, by vote, recommendations to the Executive Board, discuss grievance and contract problems and issues, adopt motions and resolutions to guide the Council. The Stewards Council shall elect seven (7) Stewards and the President shall appoint three (3) Stewards. The President shall appoint Stewards to assure craft diversity. These appointees must be approved by the full Stewards Council. The ten (10) Rank and File Stewards, along with the Secretary-Treasurer, the President, the Vice-President, and the Recording Secretary shall constitute a committee to plan programs and agendas for the Stewards Council Meetings. The Stewards Council shall not have the authority to enter into contracts that bind the Local Union.

Amendments to the Shop Steward Bylaws may be submitted to the Stewards Council by any member of Local 70 in good standing. The proposed amendment must be in writing. It shall be mailed to all Shop Stewards registered as members of the Stewards Council. The notification shall indicate the date on which it will be considered. After consideration, the Stewards Council shall make a recommendation on the proposed amendment and schedule the date, time and place at which the vote shall take place. The amendment must be approved by a majority vote of the Stewards in attendance. If the amendment is approved it shall be submitted to the membership for their approval at a regularly scheduled General Membership Meeting.

The Shop Steward Bylaws are to be posted on the Union Bulletin Board at each terminal or place of employment. Any Member marring or defacing these Shop Steward Bylaws shall be subject to citation.

It is the duty of all Members to read these Shop Steward Bylaws as they will be strictly enforced.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

These Shop Steward Bylaws were approved by the Shop Steward Bylaws Committee elected by the membership at the August 26 1999 General Membership Meeting. They shall be distributed to Local 70 Shop Stewards at the Shop Steward Seminar, April. 29, 2000. These Shop Steward Bylaws shall be submitted to the membership for approval at the May 25, 2000 General Membership Meeting.

Signatures of the Shop Steward Bylaws Committee:

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