Representation for a public employee starts when we take a professional attitude and seek to resolve a problem. It takes more than a simple willingness to stand up for compliance with the laws and rules of this state. Public employee professionalism means advocating for meaningful solutions to our problems. When a public employee is faced with noncompliance with the state civil service system regulations or if we raise a concern about other violations of the law or rules by the agencies or departments we work for, if we object, we have to appeal to a corrupt grievance process. Unfortunately what happens next is more often than not a reprisal.

Retaliation is common against public workers who stand up to bad managers. Because speaking out almost always results in reprisals, public employees need the representation a member run union provides. Harsh treatment, arbitrary work schedules, the imposition of corrective action plans, leave restrictions and other attacks against public workers are frequently the result of an employee who voices a concern.

Because we encounter situations where a state agency is violating the law or a state regulation, there needs to be a framework an employee can use to help resolve that problem without being ruthlessly attacked by management. When a public worker goes alone to resolve a problem with management it almost always results in retaliation and negative if not severe consequences to the concerned public employee. This pattern of retaliation is why a strong member run union is critical to restore and protect the rights of public employees in the work place.

Shop density, where a significant number of the employees in the work place belong to an employee union, helps to restore the rights of the employees because management knows the workers will not allow the mistreatment of the rank and file. This principle of union solidarity is the best way for workers to balance the power when management is out of control.

A member run public employee union is important because by working together we have an intimate understanding of the work we do. Working together we know each other and we know who the managers are. With this detailed understanding it is a union shop that is able to react quickly to defend an employee who is being attacked by a bad management decision.

Our most effective form of representation is a workplace with a solid base of union members. As a statewide union we have the added benefit that no single agency can retaliate against a union shop, because the network of union employee’s state wide will react to expose the retaliation and work to hold those managers accountable for any wrong doing.

A good steward requires more than just documentation and record keeping. The CORE functions of a union member are to communicate with each other, organize together and represent the employees effectively. Effective representation means problem solving. Because the grievance process is so dysfunctional, resolving problems in the work place without filing a grievance is crucial to promoting professionalism in our state government functions.

As public workers we have the legal right to representation. A member run union such as ours gives us the organizational structure to effectively represent the public workers in a variety of areas. In addition to aggressively fighting grievances, this union is fighting for WV OSHA compliance and enforcement. We are pushing for legislation to address the lack of caseload standards in the DHHR program areas and in the state hospital system. We are also asking for a modest Cost of Living Adjustment, enhanced seniority rights and the repeal of the authority to involuntarily transfer employees.

We continue to demand accountability of the PEIA Finance Board, such as requiring them to have a quorum of its members at each required public hearing. We continue to demand an end to PEIA benefit cuts and cost increases, which is significantly offensive when our pay remains frozen and among the lowest in the nation.

We oppose measures that limit and restrict the rights of public workers. We want the protection of seniority rights and the recognition of our dedicated public service.

We are very concerned about an alarming trend in some state agencies to implement restrictive sick leave policies and policies that infringe on the employees right to keep our health care information private.

We continue to investigate the ongoing privatization of our public services and we continue to demand that the cost benefit analysis be conducted as required by law, when these privatization plans are adopted.

We know that the only way we can have effective representation is through the organization of public workers statewide. A key part of effective organizing is steward training, providing union members with the information we need on the variety of ways we can represent public employees effectively.

To help our union shop stewards lead our state forward, the WV Public Workers Union continues to hold steward training workshops because we know an educated union member is an effective union member.

The next Steward Council Workshop will be held at the WV Public Workers Union Hall, Saturday, February 6, from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. Additional workshops will be scheduled this spring and summer and will be announced in our newsletter, through our chapter organizations and the schedule of workshops will be posted on the calendar pages of this website as soon as the schedules are developed.