New President Toolkit: Working with Administrators
As a union officer, you have an obligation to represent members at meetings with administrators (and others in supervisory roles) when requested to do so by a member. An administrator may also request your presence at a conference with a member. Whenever you meet with an administrator, as a member advocate you should always keep the following in mind:
- Never humble yourself-you are an equal party.
- Develop a strategy for every meeting.
- Don’t be argumentative.
- Don’t make deals immediately—always take time to think it over!
- Keep notes of the meeting.
Employee handbooks and district policies are helpful to be familiar with. No one expects you to memorize these, but be sure to have these documents handy should questions arise.
