Know Your Rights
One of the most important rights workers have is the Right to Representation.
If you are called in to meet with your supervisor, do you know what rights you have?
You have the RIGHT to ask what the meeting is about, and what will be discussed.
ALWAYS ask what the nature or purpose of any meeting is.
If YOU believe the meeting is disciplinary, accusatory, or investigatory in nature,
you have the RIGHT to have a Union representative present. NOTIFY the person
calling the meeting that you want a Union Representative present.
If your Union representative is not available, you have the RIGHT to ask that the
meeting be rescheduled to another time when your representative is available.
STATE that you want the meeting postponed until your Representative is available.
If your supervisor orders you to attend the meeting without representation, follow
these steps:
- Attend the meeting to avoid being accused of insubordination;
- As the meeting begins, inform the person conducting the meeting
that (a) you are there under protest; (b) you intend to file a
grievance because you were denied your right to have your
representative present; and (c) you will stay in the meeting but will
not participate in any discussion (you have the RIGHT to remain silent).
Be sure to take notes of what is said to you. Now here is the hard part:
Do not respond to questions or accusations or give "your side"!
If you attend a meeting that starts off being routine, but during
the course of the meeting you feel you are being harassed, intimidated,
accused, investigated or disciplined, you have the RIGHT to
request that your representative be present for the rest of
the meeting. If your request is denied, follow the steps above.
You have the RIGHT to have the meeting NOT be tape-recorded
or to have a stenographer present. If your supervisor insists
that the meeting be recorded, state on the record that you did
not agree to this and then be silent.
You have the RIGHT to inspect any record relating to your own service. You may
have a representative with you when you inspect your file. You may ask that
material that is not accurate or complete be removed from your personnel file.
Review your supervisor's desk file and your personnel file periodically.
KNOW what is in them BEFORE there is a problem.
Women constitute half the world's population, perform nearly two-thirds of its work hours,
receive one-tenth of the world's income and own less than one-hundredth of the world's property.
- United Nations report, 1980
REMEMBER: An employee has the
right to be represented by the union at an investigatory meeting when
the employee has a reasonable belief that the meeting could
lead to discipline. Those rights are not automatic; they only apply
if requested by the employees.
- You must request representation.
- You must have a reasonable belief that discipline may result from the meeting.
- You are entitled to know the subject of the meeting before it begins.
- You can consult with the union representative prior to the meeting.