Workplace stewards
Workplace stewards are the heart of our trade union. UNISON’s stewards are the reason we win campaigns that result in better lives for our members and all working people. Stewards help to organise your colleagues into an effective, strong and welcoming membership. They:
- Are the first point of contact for members in a workplace
- Talk to members about the union
- Talk to staff about their issues
- Offer advice on issues at work
- Represent members in cases (including at disciplinary and grievance hearings).
- Campaign for better working conditions
- Recruit and organise new members
- Encourage more members to get active in UNISON
- Raise your members’ issues with the branch.
Stewards in workplaces where UNISON is recognised by the employer have rights to time off for training and to carry out their work.
Stewards have a right to be involved in how their branch is run and are the most important link between the members and the union.
UNISON aims to have at least one steward in each workplace and department, more in larger departments and where members work shifts.
Stewards are elected each year by the group of members that they represent and the post is open to job share.
Health and safety reps
Health and safety representatives care about workers’ safety and campaign for better working conditions. They play a vital role in keeping our members healthy and safe at work. They:
- investigate potential hazards
- consult members on working conditions
- lobby your employer to improve safety
- support members with complaints about safety
- recruit new members
- identify members who could become more involved in health and safety issues.
Safety representatives have a specific role and functions and responsibilities and also have important legal rights. A health and safety representative has the right to training and to raise issues which affect the health and safety of members.
UNISON aims to have at least one health and safety representative in every workplace where we have members.
Union learning reps
Union learning representatives, often known as ULRs, are passionate about getting people back into learning – whether it is professional qualifications or basic numeracy and literacy skills. They:
- find out how lifelong learning could help to resolve issues at work
- promote learning in a workplace
- support members to take up learning opportunities
- encourage adult learners to be active branch members
- organise workers around learning
- support people who want to join UNISON
- recruit new learning reps
Learning reps are likely to be members who have recently completed a learning programme and are enthusiasts and advocates for learning in their own workplaces.
They currently have some rights to time off for training and carrying out their duties.
If you see any gaps above and think this may suit you or you want to be more active in the branch, get in touch with us!