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Managing Your Time

We can't do everything. Much of what we do as stewards is beyond our control. Grievances may fly one week: the boss may go on a tear the next week; upper management may come up with some crazy scheduling or other scheme the next. If you can't find balance in your union work, nothing will get done and you will burn out.

You need to set your priorities when you begin your work as a steward. Inevitably, you will be torn between many tasks. Set yourself the golden rule that you will take on the most important things first. Grievances with time limits should be a priority. Certain safety issues may merit immediate attention. Attending union meetings is basic.

Other issues may be important, for sure, but not ones to tackle first. That desk of yours with all your papers needs attention, but save that task for a day when you have the time and other pressing issues are not pushing you up against the wall. Of course, it pays to get your paperwork filed in a way that will make your work more efficient. It will save you time in the long run.

It's the same with cleaning up the union bulletin board. Every time you pass it, you see it needs attention. But if you are hurrying to an important meeting, make a note and get back to it when there is time. It's not going anywhere.

Keep a Notebook and Calendar

There are lots of tools on the market to keep you organized. You need a notebook to make notes. Those notes should at least record the basics of all you union business -- phone calls, notes of meetings, to-do lists, questions for which you must find answers in order to complete your tasks. You also need a calendar to track meetings, time limits on grievances, and any other time sensitive material.

Whether you commit this material to paper, to an electronic organizer, even a computer, make sure you use the system consistently. Do not rely on memory.

Use Time Wisely

Try to manage your time so that you don't have to cover the same territory more than once. If you are researching grievances, and you have to deal with a management office to get the answers you need, make one trip and work on all the grievances at the same time. Then write them up at the same time as well, particularly if you need access to a computer or word processor.

Bunch our information requests together so that you don't have to call people back and risk their being out of the office on the second call. The worst gave to play in this business is telephone tag. If you do have to leave a message, leave details about the best time or times to return your call, so you don't find yourself in an endless loop of callbacks.

Keep to a Routine

Kids thrive on routine and so should adults. Set aside time to do your union work and try to stick to it. You are probably feeling the conflicting pulls of family, work, and union already. By setting aside an hour a day to get the paperwork done you are setting certain limits and helping to maximize your time. Man an appointment with yourself, and try to keep it.

Barring real emergencies, this kind of scheduling should help to ease the pressure. And remember to keep a perspective on what is a real emergency and what is not. Remind yourself that you don't have to respond to every request for assistance or information the moment it's been made. You have a right to your own life, and you shouldn't let your sense of duty overwhelm you. Responding to a co-worker's request for information about next year's holiday schedule shouldn't get in the way of your work on an important grievance or a date with your family.

Give Yourself Space

You need some room to do your work. Some unions have designated space at the workplace -- a desk and telephone. Some set aside space at the union hall. You might even consider a desk off in a corner at home so your materials don't bury you, a desk that's for your steward's work only. Don't become the union steward who brags to other stewards that "my car trunk is my filing cabinet."

Most important of all: Be realistic in what you can accomplish and what you need to work on over a period of time. Don't try to do it all at once, and don't be afraid to let the smaller tasks stay in the background while you deal with the more substantial issues. It's not only for your own good, it's for the good of your co-workers and your union.

--Robert Webster. The writer is education director for the Transport Workers Union of America.

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