Instructions To Job Stewards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your basic duty as Job Steward is to see that our Contract is lived up to by both parties, to maintain peace and harmony on the job, and to notify the Business Representative of any violations of our Contract.
Call your Business Representative in case of contract violations.
Call your Business Representative with updates at least once a week - or more, if necessary.
Do your other calling at night unless an emergency arises. And inform the Welder Foreman before leaving the job.
The following are basic regulations for members representing Pipeliners Local Union 798 in the capacity of Job Steward.
1. Pipeline Agreement. The Job Steward should be very knowledgeable of the National Pipe Line Agreement. As Steward, it should be your practice at the beginning of the job to read our collective bargaining Agreement from cover to cover, to refresh yourself.
2. Notify the Union Hall Dispatching Office of your phone number and address upon arrival at the job site.
3. Daily Arrival. As Job Steward, you should arrive at the warehouse no later than 20 minutes prior to scheduled work time, and where it is practical you should always come back to the warehouse in the evening after work time everyday, checking on any calls, drag-ups or problems in general.
You should visit with the hands working on the tie-ins, fabrication, road boring, cut-outs or any other remote crew as they arrive in the morning. Before work time you should have seen all your hands and be abreast of any problems from the day before. After the scheduled work time, you can sign up any new hand and then proceed to the line.
When you get to the work site, you should go to the firing line where you are to remain for the workday. If something comes up during the day, anyone needing to get in touch with the Steward will know where to locate you. Plus, you would see every hand each workday, if practical.
You should visit with each and every U.A. employee on the job at least once a week.
4. Union Duties. As Job Steward, you should always take care of your union responsibilities immediately as a situation arises.
5. Reporting Forms should be filled out completely every week of job duration. Reports should be sent electronically or mailed to the Local Union 798 and PIBF offices no later than Monday following preceding work week, for which they are being reported. 798 Stewards Report. You should accurately prepare the 798 Stewards Reports each week, double checking Book numbers, hire dates, all other pertinent information and finally the termination dates.
Progress Reports. It is imperative that the weekly Progress Report be kept on a day-to-day basis in complete detail to the minute of time taken away from the job to the minute of the welding time done by all crews.
Check-Off Authorization (Form 798-2). The Steward should make sure each employee signs the appropriate working assessment dues deduction authorization ("Check-Off Authorization and Assignment") their first day on the job.
The Steward must make sure employees sign the Check-Off Authorization and Assignment which is appropriate to the type of job on which they are working:
Check-Off Authorization: 3%
This form authorizes a 3% deduction from Gross Wages
(plus a $.50 per hour Organizing Assessment Fee)
OR
Check-Off Authorization: (Lowscale)
This form authorizes a 3% deduction from Gross Wages.
Steward's Benefit Fund Report (Form 117) and Dues Check-Off Report (Form 118) The Steward shall compare the employee's Social Security number, hours worked and from time to time spot check wages paid, dues withheld, etc.
6. Time taken away from the job for union business should be in compliance with the National Pipe Line Agreement in all cases, unless unusual circumstances arise, and, if they occur, you should call your Business Representative immediately for further instructions.
7. At no time does a Job Steward get involved with hiring or discharging U.A. people. That is the responsibility of the Welder Foreman and it should be strictly adhered to.
If a Welder Foreman should ask the Steward for recommendations of people to hire, the Steward should pass the request on to the Business Representative and ask for further instructions.
A Job Steward should never get into a position of running errands for the Welder Foreman, such as cashing payroll checks for the hands on the job.
8. Signing Up UA Members. As Job Steward, always make sure that the Welder Foreman and you have a complete understanding that before any U.A. member is placed on the company payroll, that the Welder Foreman must bring the employee to you to check his/her book and be signed up.
9. Visual Repairs. At the beginning of each job, it is the responsibility of the Job Steward to talk with the Welder Foreman and reach an understanding that all visual repairs are to be made by the welder making the original weld.
During the time of repair, the firing line will be held until the repair is completed and the welder is set back in his original position. (At NO time will there be an exception to this rule.)
10. Dispatch Quota. It is the Steward's responsibility to see that the union dispatch quota is kept in compliance with the National Agreement from the beginning of the job to the end of the job - including making sure that all premium pay jobs are divided equally between the contractor hire and the union dispatch.
11. Transportation. It is the Job Steward's responsibility to check all transportation hauling U.A. Personnel to and from job sites. At no time should there be any materials on the bus. This transportation is provided only for the people and their lunches
12. As Job Steward, you should never take it upon yourself to cause a work stoppage or a slow down.
13. Paper Work. At the end of the job, the Steward needs to be sure that all paper work has been completed and all reporting forms are mailed in showing the date of the job completion.
14. Union Policy: Racial & Sexual Discrimination / Harassment. The Job Steward shall, at the beginning of each job, advise the hands of the following policy of the Union:
Members shall not harass, intimidate nor make derogatory sexual or racial remarks to or in the presence of any Member. Violation of this policy can result in discipline up to and including expulsion.
Members shall assist new members where feasible, without regard to race or sex, to familiarize them with skills, procedures, practices and safety precautions.
The welder to whom each Helper is assigned shall be available to answer any questions that Helper may have regarding methods of performing his or her job duties.
15. Harassment / Discrimination Complaints. If the Job Steward receives a complaint from a member of the Union based on the member's treatment with regard to his or her race or sex, the Steward shall immediately notify the Business Representative. The Steward shall also inform the alleged offender of the Union's policy in regard to race and sex discrimination and harassment and the Union's practice of disciplining any member determined to be guilty of such activity.
16. Voluntary Fund. A collection should be taken up and sent to the Pipeliners Voluntary Fund office on a weekly basis. There should never be any other collection of monies taken up on any job except for the Voluntary Fund.
Voluntary Fund contributions collected each week should be sent in to Local 798 with the Steward's Weekly Voluntary Fund Report.
You can download your Steward Forms below: