Water & Ports

A Delegates Charter

Details

Published on Wednesday, 27 February, 2008

Strong and effective unions are pivotal in building a fair and just society. They provide the democratic organisation for working people to have a say in their workplace.

 

 

Union delegates hold a vital position in a Union’s structure. They have the key role of representing the collective and individual needs of their workplace colleagues and are critical to providing the platform to improve and protect members conditions, health and safety. Delegates are the essential building blocks in organising and growing the Union. As well as being their colleagues representative with the employer, they also provide the day to day link between the various levels of the Union and the workplace.

Being a delegate can be very rewarding and educational. It gives a person the opportunity to get to know and understand the people they represent and to learn about their rights in the workplace.

On the “shop floor” many people can feel nervous and even intimidated when it comes to talking with management. They feel more comfortable and tend to be more open when they have someone representing them. An important part of a delegates role as well as representing the individual is to also act as the voice of the collective. It is an important trade union principle that majority decisions stand. This is a democratic process and delegates have an important role in making sure that this process continues to be in place.

As a delegate you are usually the first point of contact for workplace issues, often consulted when people are seeking advice. It is an important leadership role and a great opportunity to improve your knowledge with an added bonus in that you get to meet lots of interesting people. The beauty of it is that Unions provide their delegates with the training and resources to develop their role as delegates.

Recruiting and organising are vital roles for a delegate and they focus more on the one on one contact with members. There is no better feeling than convincing someone to join a union and/or become active in pursuing the best possible conditions in their workplace.

And you know that fear of public speaking that we’ve all felt, well becoming a delegate is the best way to overcome that. A persons communication skills are developed through delegate training and practice. As a delegate you soon develop the confidence to talk in front of groups of people. Communication is a vital function in the role of a delegate and involves such tasks as accessing and distributing relevant information, providing information and feedback on workplace issues, meetings and campaigns and being the link between branch offices and the workplace.

A delegates role is extremely important but it also can provide the individual with a feeling of satisfaction and pride in representing people in a less fortunate position to express their thoughts and feelings.

With the role of being a delegate comes responsibility. Delegates need to act in good faith and do the best they can for their members and above all the views the delegate presents should reflect the opinions of the colleagues they represent.

Interested in becoming a delegate? Talk to your union organiser.