Labor Profile: Robert Bass, MCGEO/UFCW 1994 Shop Steward

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Shop stewards are on a local union's day-to-day frontlines, and that’s where UFCW 1994 shop steward Robert Bass (at far left in photo) was last Wednesday. "We've got to nip this in the bud," he said, referring to the raiding attempt by an out-of-state union on Local 1994's members. After the strong showing of support for Local 1994, the out-of-state union cancelled meetings set for this week. "As shop stewards, we serve as a buffer for the local to help confront problems and find solutions," he explains. Bass, 39, became a shop steward for the Montgomery County Government Employees Union (MCGEO) UFCW Local 1994 two years ago and enjoys the position's sense of responsibility and duty. "Often, people feel uncomfortable talking with management about their problems," Bass notes, adding that "shop stewards act as representatives on behalf of the members." In addition to his role as a representative in his unit in Montgomery County's Sheriff's Office, Bass also provides union information to his co-workers and acts as a pipeline between the leadership and the members. “It’s been a very rewarding experience,” he says. - Joseph Daniels, AFL-CIO Union Summer Intern