Collective Bargaining Agreement (Excerpt)
Article 12: Grievance Procedure
Section 1. A grievance is a complaint by an employee or the Union that there has been a violation of a specific provision of this Agreement.
Section 2. Step 1: The employee and/or their Union Steward shall first attempt to resolve the issue informally with the employee's immediate supervisor within ten (10) business days of the event giving rise to the grievance.
Section 3. Step 2: If not resolved, a formal grievance shall be filed in writing with Human Resources within fifteen (15) business days of the Step 1 discussion.
Article 15: Disciplinary Action
Section 1. Disciplinary action may be imposed upon an employee only for just cause. Just cause shall include, but not be limited to, unsatisfactory performance of duties, violation of University policies, or misconduct.
Section 2. The University shall follow the principles of progressive discipline, which may include verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension, and termination, as appropriate to the circumstances.
Section 3. An employee shall have the right to Union representation at any investigatory interview which the employee reasonably believes may result in disciplinary action. The employee must request representation.
Click on a highlighted contract section to the left to see its explanation here.
Investigatory Interviews (Weingarten Rights)
This is one of your most important rights. If a manager pulls you into a meeting that could possibly lead to you being disciplined, you have the legal right to ask for a Union Steward to be present. You must state this request clearly.
What is a Grievance?
This defines what counts as a "grievance." It's not just any complaint; it has to be about a specific rule in the contract that you believe management has broken.
Step 1: Talk First
This clause requires you to try and solve the problem informally first by talking to your direct supervisor. You have a right to bring your steward to this conversation. It also sets a deadline: you must do this within 10 business days of the incident.
Step 2: Make it Formal
If the informal chat doesn't work, you can file a formal, written grievance. This formalizes the complaint and sends it up the chain of command for an official response. Note the strict timeline.
Just Cause
This is a key protection. It means management can't discipline or fire you for no reason or for an unfair reason. They must have a legitimate, work-related justification for their actions.
Progressive Discipline
This means management should try to correct a problem with smaller steps (like a verbal warning) before jumping to severe punishment like termination. The goal is to correct behavior, not just to punish. However, for serious issues, they can skip steps.