If you are a Union Steward, Chief Stewa
rd, or Union Officer you already know how important it is to win grievances and arbitrations for your members. Why then do Union Reps walk into a grievance hearing unarmed and unprepared?
By unarmed, I mean without tools that give you the advantage.
By unprepared, I mean not doing your homework prior to the hearing.
Arm Yourself
If you are keeping paper records of grievances in rooms full of file cabinets, you are effectively crippling your ability to effectively handle grievances and represent your membership. It is in the Union’s best interests to adopt an automated system to track grievances, keep time constraints, and store all pertinent information.
Prepare Yourself:
Who, What, When, Where, How, Why.
You should know these things prior to the grievance hearing. An interview with the grievant is of the utmost importance to glean this information. Unfortunately, the tendency of the member is to withhold crucial facts from the Union. Be aware of this and explain to the member the importance of disclosing ALL the facts. You certainly do not want any surprises at the hearing that could impact negatively on the case.
Prime Directive
My personal prime directive for grievance hearings has always been to never ask management a question to which YOU do not know the answer. This highlights the importance of the Who What When etc. Now, we all know that this is not always possible, however, the directive sure cuts down on surprises at the grievance hearing. This most certainly is what we strive to attain.
Sitting grievances as a Steward, Chief Steward and Business Agent with CWA 1101 for 34 years, has enabled our Company, Union Built PC Inc., to provide Labor Unions with the tools to effectively Arm and Prepare themselves. Grievance Manager is the edge that every Union needs. We base this on our years of experience and our dedication to the needs of Labor. Please do your own homework and see what we can offer you https://grievancemanager.com
Pete Marchese
Director of Operations
Union Built PC Inc.
Proud Member of CWA Local 1101