Asti School steward

Teach30

This role is picked at random from all paid up ASTI members in my current school.

As the role of school steward comes up again and is due to be picked is it fair to be called upon to take over as school steward if you dont want to do it?

I have a major fear of being picked I get anxious thinking about having to take on the role and I haven’t even been picked.

How do others schools go about selecting their steward?

Benicetomonty

Teach30 wrote: »

This role is picked at random from all paid up ASTI members in my current school.

As the role of school steward comes up again and is due to be picked is it fair to be called upon to take over as school steward if you dont want to do it?

I have a major fear of being picked I get anxious thinking about having to take on the role and I haven’t even been picked.

How do others schools go about selecting their steward?

I think the recommendation is that a committee of sorts is in perpetual operation in schools. The outgoing rep, the current rep and the incumbant. Obviously, thats not going to work for every school but it would maybe dilute some of the pressure people may feel around the role.

I did it for a year and think every union member should do it. Bottom line its our terms and conditions theyre trying to vouch for; they get a bad rep sometimes but there are hardworking people representing us, most of whom are doing their best, and things would be a lot more difficult if members didnt make themselves available for stewarding.

You get a day off school in September to get trained in and even if you work in a school where relationships are fraught, your role is quite limited. I told 2 of my collegues to ring head office if they felt they had been treated unfairly with regards to some issues and that was pretty much it: your role requires listening but not really advising beyond referring them on. So you dont really have to worry about challenging management or anything like that.

There is a bit of admin to be done in the event we're balloted but I dont see that happening this year. Might be best to just get it over with!
But to answer your q, no I dont think anyone can be compelled to be a steward. Only youl know how your collegues would react to an abdication however

Treppen

We pick 2 new reps every year from a hat (literally!). Then you're dismissed from said hat until all the rest of the staff have taken a turn.
It's not that bad, any problems refer it to head office. Don't go into meetings alone, take notes, all members meet once a term to vent.