Shop stewards even make mistakes. Some of these mistakes are particularly serious. Here is a list of 20 mistakes that shop stewards make. Read them over. Nod your heads. But don't make them again!

• Always wait until a workers comes to you with a grievance.

• Walk around the worksite with a chip on your shoulder.

• Pretend to know all the answers to all problems.

• Give out false information or spread rumors.

• Fail to keep members posted on disposition of grievances.

• Violate company rules.

• Violate the contract.

• Always try to talk members out of filing grievances.

• Present a grievance that isn't one.

• Forget to investigate a grievance thoroughly before handling.

• Blow up when dealing with the supervisor or workers.

• Use profane language to intimidate the boss.

• Argue a grievance by taking personal issue with the supervisor and directing personal remarks.

• Miss membership meetings.

• Bawl out a member in front of co-workers or in front of a supervisor.

• Stall when workers call you.

• Keep all the information to yourself.

• Permit workers to push you around.

• Enhance the supervisor's prestige by permitting the supervisor to use you as means of doing his/her dirty work, such as enforcing company rules or calling the workers down for minor abuse of certain privileges negotiated by the union.

• Manage the workers.