The privilege of union membership? Serving others.

Well, yesterday was a big day for me personally. My colleagues and fellow members of our bargaining unit elected me chief steward. Talk about being humbled and terrified at the same time.

The majority of the office staff at the IBEW's International Office, including me, is represented by the Office and Employees International Union. We are members of Local 2 here in Washington.

I served as a steward when I was member of the Indianapolis Newspaper Guild during my journalism career so I have an idea of what I am getting into. As some of my union brethren will tell you, it's not glamorous work. You're often trying to help fellow members when they are at their most vulnerable.

Yet, it's also invaluable and can lead to a better work environment and stronger relationships between employees and management. [The IBEW is a trade union and I'm honored to play a small part in its mission but it is very much management in our day-to-day workings in the office. For the record, it's the best job I've ever had in terms of pay, benefits and work environment.]

Plus, my life has been enriched by union membership. One of the responsibilities of that, in my opinion, is to step up and try to make things better for your union brothers and sisters.

In my nomination speech, I mentioned my grandfather, Frank Pointer Sr., who grew up poor in a tiny town in south-central Missouri. He landed a job as a union pipe-fitter for the electric utility in St. Louis in 1943. He reminded people for the rest of his life that he made more in his first day on the job than he had ever made in a week. That moved him and his family into the middle class and eventually benefited me.

My father was also a union member and walked the picket lines before he moved into management at AT&T later in his career. So really, this is just me passing it along and doing the best I can to help others.

I am starting my duties immediately. It's a three-year commitment. There probably will be days I want to pull my hair out but looking forward to the journey.

Besides, if I can handle an arrogant Gannett lawyer waving his finger in my face, I can handle this.