Job Rep Corner: Responsibilities of Grievant

Responsibilities of the Grievant

When you turn to your union for help and a grievance is filed, you are agreeing to become a part of a team that cooperates fully with each other. As a grievant who expects timely, accurate, and professional union representation, you, in turn, must:

Maintain Confidentiality
What you discuss with your Job Rep or Staff Rep is not to be discussed or shared with co-workers. Be careful how much you share with family and “close friends.” This is how rumors start.
Return Telephone Calls and E-mails to Your Job Rep/Staff Rep ASAP
This is absolutely critical. Once a grievance is filed, there are timelines that must be met and it is important that WPEA receives immediate responses to inquiries, meeting scheduling, and/or additional information that may impact your grievance.
Provide Documentation and Requested Information Immediately
During the grievance process, you will be tasked with providing documentation and/or information that only you can provide. Remember, the clock is ticking and timeliness in responding to these requests is crucial.
Keep WPEA Up-to-Date on Any Actions that Could Affect a Situation
Many times, management initiates actions against employees in an attempt to intimidate them into subservience. When your Job Rep or Staff Rep is aware of the ever-changing situation, he or she can not only take appropriate action, but can also provide positive reinforcement and encouragement to you.
Keep WPEA Up-to-Date With Regard to Your Work Status
If you change jobs, elect to resign, or are impacted by any events that affect your status, notify your Job Rep/Staff Rep immediately.
Keep WPEA Informed of Current Contact Information
Your Job Rep/Staff Rep need to be able to contact you in order to keep you apprised of the status of your situation and progress of the grievance. Therefore, you need to keep WPEA informed of changes to mailing addresses, phone numbers – work, home and cell, or other contact numbers – as well as changes in e-mail addresses.

A SAD, BUT TRUE CASE. ..

A Staff Rep was contacted by a female member, who had suffered for years in a male-dominated work environment. Her duties were to meet the public, answer questions and sell licenses from a customer service counter located in the front of the building.

Two of her male co-workers were suppose to cover for her during lunch, break periods and restroom breaks. They always seemed to have excuses for not being able to cover for her. The situation deteriorated to the point where she had to eat her lunch and take her rest periods at her counter, but was permitted to have a small sign that read: “On Break” or “Lunch Break.” Everyone else could spend their time in the break room. Her supervisor would cover for her to go to the restroom – what a guy!

The Staff Rep visited the member, assessed the work area and situation and spoke with the supervisor, who characterized the member as being a whiner, who chose not to be a member of the team.

A grievance was filed. Within days of the filing, the supervisor told the grievant that there had been a number of complaints from the public about the signs and that she could no longer display them. She would have to take her breaks at the counter and assist customers whenever they came in.

She immediately reported this to her Staff Rep. The Step 1 grievance meeting and subsequent response did nothing to resolve the issues. The grievance was filed to Step 2 and now the grievant was getting the cold shoulder from her supervisor and coworkers. And, the supervisor wasn’t as available as he had been to staff the counter so the grievant could use the restroom. The grievant notified her staff rep of this.

Realizing how fragile the grievant was, the Staff Rep called her a number of times at work to give her morale support. The Staff Rep realized there was a problem as all the grievant would say was that she couldn’t talk or was with a customer. The Staff Rep left voicemails asking the grievant to call her back. No response. The Staff Rep attempted to contact her at home after working hours, only to be told that she no longer was at that number and there wasn’t a new number.

The time for the Step 2 meeting came and went. The Staff Rep contacted the agency official responsible for the step 2 procedure and inquired if a meeting could be scheduled. The official responded that there was no need for a meeting as the grievant had resigned and no longer worked for the agency. This was the first the Staff Rep knew of the grievant’s departure.

The Staff Rep continued to try to locate the grievant without success.

This was a very “winnable” case that was lost because the grievant failed to cooperate with WPEA by failing to return phone calls, keeping WPEA informed of contact information, and advising of her intent to resign.

Had the Staff Rep been able to contact the grievant after she had resigned, the grievance would have continued through the process...and probably been won!