Steward tip for the week of April 14, 2008

[Omaha Steve]

http://biglabor.com/tip.php

Is It Really a Grievance?

Stewards generally agree that the term grievance is the most misunderstood word in the workplace. Some workers believe that anything they don’t like about work is a grievance. Other workers endure flagrant violations of their legal rights by management but shy away from the word. So how do workers know when they have a grievance? While some contracts actually define the word, broadly speaking, a grievance is a violation of worker rights. The steward needs to know (a) what those rights are and (b) if they have indeed been violated. This is rarely an easy process. The first step it to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident or situation. That includes interviewing the worker, the supervisor and any witnesses. It can also include checking records or requesting written information from management, and perhaps from the worker as well. Once the investigation is complete, the steward can examine the information to determine if there is truly a grievance.

Adapted from The Union Steward’s Complete Guide, 2nd Edition, edited by David Prosten

For info on Online Steward Training, click here: http://www.unionist.com/training.htm