Steward training is open to every GDOE employee who wants it. If you are interested, email membership@gftunion.com or call the office at 671-735-4390. For those interested in becoming a steward for other agencies, let us know of your interest, and we will offer training at a later date.
An agreement is written at a bargaining table. It is enforced in the hallway, the copy room, and the front office. The steward is the person who does that enforcing, and right now most GDOE worksites do not have enough of them. If you have ever answered a coworker’s question about leave, prep time, or a pay discrepancy, you have already done part of the job.
What is a steward?
The voice of GFT at your worksite. When a coworker has a problem, the steward is the first person they talk to. When GFT needs to know what is happening on your campus, the steward is the first person we call. A steward is not a supervisor and not a complaint box. A steward is a member who has been trained to know what the agreement says and who is willing to say it out loud.
Who can be a steward?
Anybody who wants to stand up for their work rights. Teachers, school aides, counselors, librarians, clerical staff, custodians, food service workers, and support employees across GDOE have all served. You do not need seniority, a title, or a background in labor. You need to be a GFT member in good standing, and you need to be willing to listen to your coworkers and write things down.
Do we really need a steward at our school?
Yes. Here is what a worksite without one gives up.
Problems get bigger when nobody catches them early. Most worksite issues are settled at the school, informally, in the first few days. That only happens when somebody on campus knows what the agreement says.
Contract deadlines are short. A grievance filed late can be denied on the calendar alone, without anyone ever considering whether the member was right.
Nobody should walk into a meeting alone. When a member is called in for a meeting that could lead to discipline, a steward goes with them.
A school without a steward is invisible to the union. GFT cannot act on a problem it never hears about. Worksites with active stewards get faster answers because we learn about the issue while it is still small. People bring their questions to someone they know. A newsletter cannot answer a question at lunch. A colleague can.