| Shop Steward Opportunities
June 13, 2006
The initiative of expanding the number of union officers
on the Arlington Professional Firefighters and Paramedics
Association (APFPA) executive board is an effort to get more
people involved in union activities. While we have had some
good success in recent years, there are many more things we
can achieve if we get more people involved. I have recently
solicited for individuals interested in serving on our Human
Relations committee or in holding one of our Vice-President
positions. Another excellent opportunity to assist Local 2800
is to become an active Shop Steward. Vice-President Robert
Beer is ultimately responsible for overseeing the Shop-Steward
program. Therefore, if you have questions as to who your Shop
Steward is or wish to report a new Shop Steward, Bobby Beer
is the person that should be notified.
As the president of Local 2800, I recognize that I haven't given clear direction to individuals who have sought to
assist the local in their capacity as Shop Stewards. As a result, there are currently a number of work locations that
do not have Shop Stewards. I want to revitalize the Shop Steward program for Local 2800. Therefore, this solicitation
for individuals interested in serving as Shop Stewards is not a reflection of the performance of members who currently or
previously served in the capacity as a Shop Steward. Rather, this is my attempt to ask everyone to know who your Shop
Steward is and to update our list (one for each station, Training, Fire Prevention, BCO, Logistics and Fire Admin).
At the same time, I want to give clear direction as to some of the expectations of Shop Stewards. Unlike the Vice-President
positions which require a lot of personal time, Shop Stewards are primarily expected to serve as the conveyers of
information from the executive board to the members at their work locations. Therefore, their roles can primarily be
filled at exchange of shift and at their work locations. Below is a list of the type of things a Shop Steward can do
for the organization;
- Every Shop Steward should either attend each regular APFPA meeting or get a member from their work location to
attend so that information can be brought back to the work location.
- The union board at each work location should be kept up to date. This means not only posting materials sent
out from the executive board, but also having replacement copies if the originals get misplaced. It is also helpful
to make a point of mentioning to oncoming shifts when new materials have been posted.
- Each fall we will be involved in political campaigns. If each Shop Steward would get a group of members willing
to help with political signs in their first due area, that job would be much easier and quicker than the current
arrangement where a limited number of members are doing an extraordinary amount of work.
- John Hughes is currently our Good and Welfare Committee chair. He does an outstanding job at sending out sympathy
cards, flowers, fruit baskets and congratulation cards when the circumstances of our members warrant. It would be helpful
if Shop Stewards were mindful of those type events affecting members at their work locations and notify John rather than
expecting John to find out on his own.
- Shop Stewards should familiarize themselves with benefits offered by Local 2800, Virginia Professional Firefighters
(VPFF) and the IAFF so that they can inform new members of the benefits of membership.
- Shop Stewards should have contact lists for APFPA executive board and committee members, Colonial Insurance,
AFLAC and the IAFF.
- Ben O'Bryant has done a great job at getting our Local 2800 website up and running again. Now we need to get a
flow of positive information for him to load on the website. It would be desirable for Shop Stewards to help send
information to the website.
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