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Well about a year ago I decided to get heavily involved with our union. In the pulp and paper industry it's a really important thing to have a strong union and stand up for worker rights. I know individual tales will probably be a little less than entertaining to people not familiar with the whole dynamic of how it works here. But I'd be happy to entertain requests.
Anyways, about a year ago I became recording secretary, gaining me a spot on the executive of our local. I also took a shop steward course and joined our joint health and safety committee a few months later. From there my union president started taking me into management meetings with a small shop of guys that is a part of our local (but not mill related) due to my experience in these kind of shops. From a few issues that arose I did some research and made a few contacts that will really help us come bargaining. In a meeting with our regional rep, he was so impressed he told my president to start taking me on trips to our council meetings and added me to his personal cell phone (unheard of!!!!).
Since then I've become the sole shop steward for the small shop and will act in a first vice type role, handling the relationship with management there and making decisions as I see fit.
So all in all I never realized that this could be a niche for me but it's working out in spades for sure!
Anyways, about a year ago I became recording secretary, gaining me a spot on the executive of our local. I also took a shop steward course and joined our joint health and safety committee a few months later. From there my union president started taking me into management meetings with a small shop of guys that is a part of our local (but not mill related) due to my experience in these kind of shops. From a few issues that arose I did some research and made a few contacts that will really help us come bargaining. In a meeting with our regional rep, he was so impressed he told my president to start taking me on trips to our council meetings and added me to his personal cell phone (unheard of!!!!).
Since then I've become the sole shop steward for the small shop and will act in a first vice type role, handling the relationship with management there and making decisions as I see fit.
So all in all I never realized that this could be a niche for me but it's working out in spades for sure!