Editor’s Note: CSEA’s shop stewards play a very important role in union activities. They are the face of CSEA at work sites; stewards are responsible for hearing our members’ concerns, communicating important information about our union and helping our brothers and sisters with work site issues. These important union activists are true leaders, which is why we highlight “Principal Stewards” from our region.
This month’s principal steward is Keith Daniels, a cleaner at Schreiber High School in Port Washington.
Long Island Reporter (LIR): What made you want to become a shop steward?
Keith Daniels (KD): I wanted to get involved and becoming a shop steward was the first steppingstone. I wanted to do something that wasn’t just beneficial for me, but for everybody.
LIR: Why did you decide to get involved?
KD: I had gone to my first rally out in Stony Brook. At that point, nobody else at my district had gotten involved, just me. A couple of the Stony Brook Local officers were there and I liked what they were doing. I liked how involved they were and their whole attitude about CSEA. I made the decision to get involved instead of sitting on the sidelines and watching things happen.
LIR: How long have you been a shop steward?
KD: Over 10 years.
LIR: What’s the most rewarding thing about being a shop steward?
KD: Gaining the knowledge to help answer questions. When people know you’re a shop steward, you become their problem solver and because I was taking the shop steward classes, I had the answer. When I didn’t have the answer, I knew where to go to get the answer. That was pretty cool.
LIR: What’s been the most frustrating?
KD: When I first got involved, there were a couple of people who weren’t in the union and were still reaping the rewards of our union contracts. I wanted them to know that the bosses could let them go anytime; they don’t have to give you an excuse because you’re not being governed under the CSEA guidelines. Because I explained to them all of the benefits of being a card-carrying member, they actually joined.
LIR: What’s the most common question that you get asked?
KD: [I get asked] ‘What does CSEA do for me?’
LIR: How do you respond?
KD: You get overtime and overtime pay, you get a 40-hour workweek, you get sick time. These are the things that we fight for at the negotiating table and you’re reaping the rewards. That is something that they understand.
LIR: Did you have a mentor?
KD: Ritchie Acevedo. He’s the one who got me started on everything that I’m doing now. This unit didn’t know that CSEA offered classes. We were a lot weaker before Ritchie got involved. By him getting involved, he inspired many of us and we started going to the classes.
LIR: Any particular situations that stand out that made you feel like you did something important for a member?
KD: Monte Vane (former Port Washington UFSD Unit Vice President) and I went to a convention. The hotel that we were staying at was having a rally because the hotel owner didn’t want the housekeeping staff to unionize. They had the big rat outside and everything.
I think Nick LaMorte (CSEA Long Island Region President) and Danny Donohue (CSEA President) were both there. I love going to rallies because I get fired up when I’m there.
I advocate for everyone to go to rallies; it’s a great way to get your feet wet in activism. You also meet a lot of people from all over the place who are fighting for the same cause that you are. Monte had never been to a rally and I suggested that we go. It was cool because he tends to shy away from putting himself out there, but he really liked it. He actually got so into it that I lost him, when I found him again, he was standing under the rat.
LIR: What was shop steward training like?
KD: It was quite informative, certainly an eye-opener. It was like gaining ammunition that we didn’t even know we had. I like that it’s participatory, they actually have you role play in situations that you could face in the workplace and have you act out how you would handle it. It was uncomfortable at first, until you got into it. When you get the tools that you have at your fingertips to help members, it’s pretty rewarding.
LIR: What advice do you have for potential shop stewards?
KD: Go to the classes; listen, learn and get involved. Participation is key. If you sit on the sidelines and wish and want, most of the time, nothing is going to happen if you’re waiting on somebody to do the job for you. I guess my biggest cry is ‘get involved!’ Knowledge is power and that’s a good place to be. Every little thing you do is a steppingstone to help empower the union and make it stronger.
— Wendi Bowie
