The number of shop stewards and the diversity of their backgrounds are rarely considered in everyday life. The workplace shop steward system, as well as the number and backgrounds of chief shop stewards, have evolved over time to their current state.
Based on our experience, it is difficult to assess the timeliness of shop steward arrangements at different universities from the outside. It is certain that sector-specific local knowledge and cultural competence are genuinely significant factors. Local knowledge from the campus or city are also quality factors. Broad knowledge of employees’ perspectives and the skill to listen are beneficial for the entire organisation. In our experience, it reduces fluctuations when developing operations – and development is continuous.
A suitably broad network of shop stewards knows their university and even a bit about their neighbors.
Mergers, changes in metrics, and other factors related to the normal development of organisations have influenced the differences in shop steward and occupational safety organisations at different universities. In our experience, this development has been abundant at Aalto University, among others. However, as we mentioned earlier, the shop steward system generally evolves over a long period of time.
Representative activities of the staff create continuity in their own way. Individuals change, the names of organisations are renewed, but the foundations remain surprisingly the same or similar.
At universities, a long time span is built-in – achieving a degree takes years or a decade. The journey from posing a research question to understanding and finally applying knowledge has been shown to take 10–15 years. Universities themselves are also uniquely long-lived.
The diverse representation of staff by shop stewards and understanding of university strategies and goals are important: why we are, why we did, and why we will do. This is a prerequisite for discussion and development, but above all for the implementation of decisions. Implementing the strategy is a common, eternal task for both management and employees in the crosscurrents of academic freedoms.
A suitably broad network of shop stewards knows their university and even a bit about their neighbors. Information about challenges, changes, and even historical backgrounds filters through them to their home university. Discussing these helps in management.
Change is constant. Clinging to everything old is not the goal – and everyone is needed for the implementation of changes.
Before changes, it is worth discussing, even for a longer time. This way, they are implemented much better. We at universities are partly similar but then, upon closer inspection, also very different. Broadness is to everyone’s advantage.
Ilpo Kari – Aalto University Trade Union Branch JHL ry
Petri Peltonen – Aalto University Staff Association Pro ry
Panu Sainio – Shop Steward, Aalto University, JUKO ry
