Region 4 stewards making a big impact

MAPE stewards work hard to support our members, uphold our contract and help create a workplace that is fair, respectful and safe. This work sometimes goes unnoticed by the greater whole of our union because it is specific to one person or a small group, but the wins are just as important. Cara Hofreiter, Region 4 Co-Steward Director (RSD), and the Region 4 steward team are examples of this important work. They are celebrating three big wins the team secured for MAPE-represented employees. In just two weeks, Hofreiter and the Region 4 team helped:

1. an employee secure four additional weeks of paid time off to bond with their child, which had been approved for Minnesota Paid Leave (MPL), but HR now wanted to deny,
2. secured an additional unpaid leave of absence that allowed an employee to keep their job after they had exhausted the contractually guaranteed leaves and Minnesota Paid Leave (MPL), through an ADA Accommodation.
3. a member to get access to safety leave via MPL.

"I credit many of our successes with having open communication channels with our Human Resources (HR) department at Revenue," explained Hofreiter. "Each of these cases required conversations that helped us connect the dots on what was really going on. Many of the cases we have been working on recently involve some ADA accommodations. How to implement MPL has been a struggle for our HR, so we have worked together on figuring that out, too."

Hofreiter became a steward in 2018 because "we did not have one in the Arden Hills office that had about 60 employees. I had been an officer in my local and stepped back from that work to focus on steward work. That office has since closed, but I do think it is important to aim to have a steward in every unit."

In December 2024, the Region 4 RSD stepped down. Wendi Einberger McDonough and Hofreiter became the co-RSDs. "Wendi and I were both Deputy Steward Directors. That is a position our region created to help develop leadership among our steward group. We were not really looking to take on the RSD role, but as deputies, we had already taken on some of the responsibility before the transition. Not many regions have the deputy structure, but it is a great way to help more active stewards receive additional training and build leadership skills."

More experienced stewards are encouraged to partner with a newer steward so they can build their skills. This also creates backup when a steward is out and the member needs assistance.

"Every case has multiple people on it; multiple stewards allow us to learn from each other," said Hofreiter. "I had help from stewards on each of the three cases. Siobhain Rivera helped with the ADA case. She is a fierce ADA advocate and has a knowledge base in that area which surpasses my own. Jason Madore is a newer steward and has been so willing to jump in and assist employees. And Wendi had been working with the employee who needed additional leave, and secured the MPL leave for him. Since she is redeployed to DHS right now, I stepped in at the last minute to help out."

Region 4 has one of the largest groups of stewards, with 27 total. This includes the two co-RSDs, four Deputy Steward Directors and two brand new stewards from the April 10 Basic Steward Training. We are always looking to bring new stewards into the group.

All MAPE stewards have been invited to attend the two-day Great Steward Get-Together this weekend. It's an opportunity to learn from each other and celebrate accomplishments. Hofreiter will be a member of the Best Practices Panel on Friday.

"One best practice I emphasize is developing good relationships with HR leadership so you can maintain open lines of communication and advocate for our MAPE members when necessary," explained Hofreiter.

Being an RSD can be time-consuming. RSDs often get contacted when the employee doesn't know who to reach out to. and then work with the group to find stewards to help with each situation. RSD's often provide guidance and training, and get involved in more difficult situations.

"When an employee needs a steward, they are facing what is possibly the worst day of their professional career. They haven't been through this process before, and don't know what to do. Stewards fill the gap and provide support. Being a steward empowers me to advocate for MAPE members, assist with ADA Accommodations, mediate disputes with management and ensure contractual rights are upheld. I want our employees to feel that someone is in their corner fighting for them." said Hofreiter. "I'm proud of the work our Region 4 steward team is doing."