Your protections as a steward.

When you're dealing with management on union business, you deal with the employer as an equal.

You can imagine how happy that makes them. That's why the National Labor Relations Act and state labor boards specifically protect you (and other union leaders) from punishment or discrimination by managementbecause of your union activity. It's illegal for an employer to:

• Deny you promotions or pay opportunities.
• Isolate you from other workers.
• Saddle you with extra work or unusually tough assignments.
• Deny you overtime opportunities.
• Enforce work rules unfairly against you or harass you with extra supervision.

Your contract may also spell out your rights, and perhaps you're covered by state and local ordinances if you're a government worker.

If your employer tries to discriminate against you in this way, it's a violation of federal law.