Contract language
Article 7 of the MAPE contract addresses Association Rights, and in Section 7 of the article (Association Security), the contract recognizes stewards and the communication activities in which they can engage without the loss of pay: posting of official MAPE notices on bulletin boards, distribution of Association newsletters, and official communication with the Appointing Authority (i.e. management).
Article 8 grants any employee who is called to an investigatory meeting that may result in discipline the right to Association representation. In practice, the representative will often be a steward. In Article 9, the steward’s role in representing employees is described, and stewards are granted release time, within certain parameters, during work hours to investigate and present grievances.