COMMUNITY OF
PHOTOS BY D'LARA PHOTOGRAPHY
COLLABORAT STEWARD TRAINING ALLOWS INFORMATION TO BE SHARED AMONG DIFFERENT CHAPTERS
T
he Metropolitan Alliance of Police was pleased to host its annual steward training seminar Oct. 5.
MAP representatives and MAP attorneys teamed up to provide an educational seminar loaded with tools and knowledge necessary for stewards to effectively represent members. MAP provides this annual training free of charge to all of its members. While anyone can attend, the seminar is geared toward the stewards.
bargaining activities; understanding your privileges during discipline hearings; Garrity and Weingarten rights; identifying contract violations and effectively applying the grievance process; negotiating/enforcing your contracts; and other current issues.
Mark Swoboda of the North Aurora Police Department concurred.
Charles C. Wegend Jr. of the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Department has been involved with union representation for 15 years.
“It’s also great for being on a union board; it’s a great introduction to what your responsibilities are as a board member.”
“This day was very informative, all areas were well-covered. . . more people should come out,” Wegend said.
Having attorneys present is an added bonus according to Swoboda.
“Year after year the biggest benefit is the collaborative environment. Different agencies getting to compare notes and network,” Swoboda said.
“That is the biggest benefit, getting information directly from an attorney.”
“We’re teaching the stewards how to run their chapters, what are their rights and their responsibilities,” said MAP Secretary John Ward.
“The biggest takeaways this year were the grievance process and the impact of collective bargaining.”
“The more they know the easier it is for MAP.”
Due to COVID, the seminar was not held in 2020.
According to Ward each chapter has its own MAP representative and attorney. MAP has two specific attorneys on retainer.
Topics for 2021 included: new/ additional laws; mid-term bargaining; body camera issues; recognizing your rights while exercising collective
“COVID has definitely changed how we do things. We have to make sure we’re safe and protected with PPE,” Wegend said.
“We just started a couple of years ago with in-house attorneys. If there’s any kind of conflict at all regarding attorneys we can help with it,” Ward
4 | THE RAP SHEET ■ Fall 2021 SLM_102821_Metropolitan Alliance of Police_PRODSCHED.indd 4
10/29/21 5:20 PM
