Until that time, please know that Walt, Pete, Sabra, Emmet, Pat, Jim, Jerry, and I thank you very, very, much. We could not do our jobs without you. You are indeed, our unsung heroes. In the state of NY it starts with being elected as a local steward in your office. The work load intensifies as you progress from local to area, then assistant state and then finally state steward.
Additional training is required each year to remain certified.
Oh, I forgot to mention all this training is unpaid time. The burnout rate is high because it totaling consumes your life at the local and above levels. On top of all this you can be sued if you didn't represent the carrier properly. As a local steward of three years I have nothing but the utmost respect for current and past stewards of all levels. These people are the backbone of our organization.