Types

Types of stewards include:

• Chief Steward
• Lead Steward
• ODOT District Steward

CHIEF STEWARD  The role of the Chief Steward is to:

• Ensure that grievances are properly filed;

• Coordinate activities by chapter stewards;

• Ensure that all chapter stewards comply with training and education requirements established by the State Board;

• Monitor training needs on the part of the stewards and recommend appropriate actions to the Education Department; and

• Chair the Grievance Review Committee. 

Chief Stewards may be elected by the stewards in a chapter or, alternatively, may be appointed by the chapter president, as specified in the chapter by-laws.  If the by-laws are silent or there are no chapter by-laws, the chief steward shall be appointed by the chapter president.  Whether elected or appointed, a chief steward’s term(s) of office shall be the same as that of the chapter president. 

The chief steward may be removed by the chapter president at any time, subject only to a final appeal to the chapter executive board.  The action of the chapter president shall be effective until and unless reversed by the chapter executive board.  There will be no further appeal rights to any other level of OCSEA or AFSCME.

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LEAD STEWARD In multi-agency chapters or, at the discretion of the chapter, in multi-work site chapters, lead stewards will coordinate the steward activity in a specific agency or work site.  He/She will report to the chapter chief steward.  He/She will be designated by the chapter president.

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ODOT DISTRICT STEWARDS

The ODOT stewards in each ODOT district will elect an ODOT District Steward, from among their ranks.  The term of such District Steward will be three (3) years.  A steward must be in good standing, in accordance with this Board Policy to run for District Steward and vote to elect a District Steward.  All District Stewards are voting members of the ODOT Assembly.

An OCSEA State Board member shall conduct the ODOT District Steward nominations and elections each May of every third year for the ODOT district(s) whose headquarters is located within their OCSEA district.  If the board member is a candidate for the ODOT District Steward position, or is unavailable, then the election shall be conducted by another board member.

The ODOT District Steward may represent ODOT grievances at the second and third steps, within the district.  The District Stewards will keep the appropriate chapter presidents informed of the progress of each grievance.  Any final settlements must be signed off by at least one of the following:  District Steward or Chapter President (of the chapter where the grievance originated) or Grievant and the Staff Representative.  It is recommended that non-ODOT Chapter Presidents consult with the ODOT District Steward before signing off on ODOT grievances.

District Stewards who incur expenses for postage, mileage, lost time, etc. during the representation of a member from his/her respective ODOT district, may seek reimbursement from that member’s chapter, whether or not the district steward is a member of that chapter. 

Removal of an ODOT District Steward

• No Chapter President has the authority to remove an ODOT District Steward from his/her position as a district steward.

• A District Steward can only be removed from his/her position as District Steward by the conditions set forth in “Article IX – Charges” of the OCSEA State By-laws or “Article XII – Removal from Office” of the OCSEA Subordinate Body Constitution.

* The term ODOT District Steward is used to prevent confusion with the term chief steward, which may exist in the same chapter where there are ODOT employees.

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See Related

AFSCME Steward Handbook (PDF)