Union official doesn’t play favorites with labor relations Published Sept. 10, 2010 By Wayne Crenshaw 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Although he holds an elected position in the union, Eddie White doesn't think of himself as being on the union "side" when it comes to resolving labor management issues. "I'm not on either side," he said. "I'm on Robins' side." His non-partisanship attitude has made him a leader in promoting improved labor and management relationships at Robins. He serves on a group of top officials from both sides who meet regularly to discuss how the two sides can work together better. For his efforts he was awarded the Foster Leadership In People award, which goes to those who contribute to improving labor and management relationships. White said he does it because he wants Robins to continue to be a good place to work while fulfilling its mission to support the warfighter. "What I do here at Robins has been rewarding and refreshing," he said. "I smile on the way to work because I enjoy what I do here. I get to touch people's lives. I think we should be thankful to have a job like this. This is the best job I've ever had." An Army veteran, he came to Robins in 1999 and currently serves as a coordinator in the Voluntary Protection Program Office. He is also vice president at-large in the American Federation of Government Employees Local 987. He also serves as a mediator in the alternative dispute resolution process. In that role he puts aside his union affiliation to try to resolve issues without a grievance procedure. He compares the relationship between the union and management to a marriage. There will be problems, but the key is for each side to respect the other and learn to resolve differences. "We are always going to have issues but we know deep down inside we are dependent on each other," he said.