Get Active!
Your colleagues need you to become a DCC UNISON Representative!
A union is only as strong as the members prepared to support it and sometimes that means standing up and making your voice heard.
DCC has an amazing team of committed, passionate and knowledgeable stewards but increasing our numbers increases our influence and makes sure we can represent all members.
Why become a UNISON steward at DCC
UNISON stewards are the heart of the union and the driving force to winning campaigns and improving our working lives. They attend meetings, support members and bring everyone together to make an effective, strong and welcoming membership.
At DCC we have lots of services, departments and workplaces, all with different jobs and needs from the union. Having a union steward in each workplace or even each department will improve member experiences and the outcome of any issues they experience.
What might you do as a UNISON Steward
UNISON stewards have different duties and responsibilities; you might be checking risk assessment one week and then supporting a member at a sickness absence meeting the next.
The work is generally based around supporting each other in work, health and safety, equalities, and workers’ rights. Helping your colleagues when they experience difficulties at work is very rewarding and helps you build more relationships.
Find about more about the role here Workplace Representatives
How much time is needed?
How much time you put into being a UNISON steward is up to you. It’s best to have a chat with someone from branch, plan the amount of time you may have available and then let branch discuss this with your manager. You can claim back your time as part of the Facilities Agreement , so you still get paid for any time you need to complete union work.
Workplace Contact
If you’d like to get involved but don’t feel being a steward is for you right now, you might be interested in being a Workplace Contact. The role of a workplace contact is to let your branch know what’s happening in your workplace, and to help the union get messages to its members. It’s a good learning opportunity and starting point to get involved in the union.
UNISON Branch Roles
A steward may want to take on other roles within their UNISON branch if they feel passionate about a certain issue. These roles are voted on every year at AGM, so if the role is taken at the moment, you’ll have chance to sign up the next year
You can find a list of roles here Branch Roles
No experience needed
You don’t need to have any experience of being a union steward to sign up, all training will be provided, and the team will support you at every step until you feel confident.
A fo ben, bid bont – if you want to be a leader, be a bridge