Definition of Shop Steward
Miscellanea / / November 13, 2021
By Florencia Ucha, in Mar. 2011
A delegate is that person to whom the representation of a faculty, an organization, or a jurisdiction is delegated, then, he will represent another person, or failing that, a institution or entity, either in a specific event or situation, such as a work meeting or conference, or in a permanent, considered as a permanent delegate job, assuming the representation of that person or organization at all times required.
Worker affiliated with a union and who is chosen by his colleagues to represent them and defend their interests and rights before whoever corresponds
Y union turns out to be everything proper or related to labor union.
Meanwhile, a union will be that association of workers created with the purpose of defending the economic and labor interests of its members.
So he union delegate will be the worker chosen by his colleagues who are members of the union, so that the Represent at events, meetings or any other type of situation that involves the discussion of their interests
, therefore, he will be fully entitled to carry out negotiations on behalf of his represented, as well as to the time to promote efforts or decisions that always have as their ultimate goal the welfare of all union members in question.Union elections are the way par excellence through which workers in a certain area constituted as a union, democratically elect their representatives.
Of course, a condition without equanom, for an individual to be elected shop steward, is that he is affiliated with the trade union in question.
Each legislation has its own rules of choice, for example, in the case of Spain Elections are made by work centers and depending on the number of workers held by the company or the union, the number of delegates to choose will be determined.
Fight wages with employers and get better working conditions
One of the main actions carried out by the union delegate is the meeting with the businessmen, with the state, or with both actors, to discuss salary increases in the framework of what is popularly known as joint, formal meetings between the aforementioned parties in which I know debate the increase in wages, the delivery of a special bonus, among other remunerative issues inherent to union workers.
In inflationary situations, these discussions in meetings are very common since the union delegates must come out to defend the interests out of the pocket of their clients, which of course is hit by the rise in prices that is not consistent with the delay in their salary, if it is not increased in relation to the current inflationary index.
Call to strike if demands are not met
Of course there is always a push and pull between unions, businessmen, and the state, because businessmen do not want to give in many times to the demands of the delegates, and when the issues are tense and an agreement is not reached, it is usual for the union delegate to summon his representatives to carry out a unemployment of activities in the sector in clear sign of protest against the refusal of the increase.
It is a reality that there are guilds that are stronger than others and then the former tend to push their favor discussions and demands, such is the case of transportation, teachers, truckers, banking, among others.
And then, many times the achievements of these tend to set precedents and help other less important unions to fix better salary conditions.
The unions were able to gain vigor and presence in the scenelabor from the Industrial Revolution.
The workers, often exploited, began to meet to try to reverse their situations and so it is that formal associations emerged from these groups. like the unions, which were in charge of defending workers from the yoke to which they were subjected by their employers, and also demanding improvements in conditions from hiring, salary, rest, among others.
Meanwhile, each of them elected a spokesperson or leader who was in charge of leading the charge and transmitting the claims, so the figure of the union delegate arises.