“Where do I Start?”
The In’s and Out’s of Being a New President

June 18, 2009

“That first week as a new president was a killer,” exclaimed one participant in the New Presidents’ orientation on June 10 and 11, 2009. “I asked myself, ‘when do I breathe and where do I start?’”

This two-day training helps new presidents find their way around the structures, resources and rules of OPSEU, strengthen skills for communicating with and involving members, and deal with the varied tactics of employers. To find ways to delegate and draw on the skills and energies of others in their Local, new presidents examine their own steward systems.    

Here are some approaches new presidents are currently using to recruit and develop effective steward bodies:

· include stewards on committees

· regular 3-hour local steward trainings

· send your stewards to regional steward training

· introduce yourself and provide a limited briefing to all new stewards

· invite stewards to LEC meetings – introduce new stewards to other activists

· follow-up after training and meetings to take up issues arising

· 1-day working session in the local for stewards with their staff rep

· In-house training – meals and accommodation paid

· Coaching and mentoring – 1 LEC member takes on 1 or 2 new stewards; shadowing on various aspects of the job

· Use pocket-steward guide (distributed at Convention and at this session)

· Regular e-mail updates; keep e-mail and contact list current

· Rotate meeting times and locations to ensure diverse steward participation

· Feed people

· Provide incentives – prizes, etc

· Build community between stewards so they can help each other

· Provide education at all meetings – GMM and LEC meetings, including guest speakers, films, info sessions on workplace issues, etc

· Try out new formats in the meetings so people find them interesting and want to come

· Focus groups – involve stewards in talking to groups of members about current workplace issues to gather information, and to involve their memberships

· Deal efficiently with the business at meetings, so there’s more time for discussion and education

· Help stewards develop specialties – e.g. accommodation grievances, overtime, etc.

· Get back to stewards quickly when they e-mail or call;

· Maintain individual contact with stewards so they can call for help, or have a specific mentor to call on

New presidents are preoccupied with everything from toxic workplaces where staff are divided, to incompetent managers.  “How do I do my job as president without being fired,” asked one participant.  His concern was echoed by others asking about their rights as union reps in the workplace, how to read their collective agreement, and how to deal with “bullying managers”. We also spent time distinguishing between a dues-paying bargaining unit member and a signed up union member, and how this affects rebates and the business of the local; and how to set up the books when financial records are sketchy at best.

Participants in this June program were: Scott Morrison Local 118, Mark VanTroost Local 131, Timothy Sullivan Local 250, Daryl Bowers Local 260, Karen Gventer Local 276, Bob Surette Local 281, Rob Hawken Local 284, Betty Marchegiano Local 340, Sara Labelle Local 348, Debbie Dunford Local 373, Tracy Rehel Local 304, Tom Stevenson Local 428, Barb DeRoche Local 443, Fred Dinelle Local 494, Haran Thurairasah Local 502, Luisa Lampitoc Local 504, Michael Losee Local 5111, Nick Mustari Local 517, Arnold Kwok Local 575, Alvaro Araya Local 576, Kayla MacNeil-DeSousa Local 577, Heather Nielsen Locala 589, Paul Jadot Local 631, and Ed Bielanski, Local 656. 

The next New Presidents’ Orientation will be in September. Details for registering are on this website.