SHOP STEWARDS AND FURTHER EDUCATION Available to Purchase

Few would deny that the shop steward is one of the most important cogs in the whole industrial relations machinery. But his functions, of course, go much deeper than the headlines in the press often suggest. Not only is he called upon to represent the views and grievances of his colleagues to the management, but he is also often their only direct link with the union as well. If he has the task of negotiating improvements in the conditions in his workplace, he will have to understand and apply complex agreements and parliamentary legislation to the particular situation in his factory or office. All this demands that he is not only articulate, but that he can communicate with and retain the respect both of his colleagues and of the management. How is he trained to carry out these formidable tasks? The answer, in most cases, is not at all.