Discipline Grievance Fact Sheet

(This does not go to the company. It is only to be used by the union. Use back if necessary.)

Grievant Name ____________________________________ Phone ____________________

Department _______________________________________ Job ______________________

What discipline was given? ___________________ Date of discipline ___________________

1. Did grievant do what he or she was disciplined for?     ___ Yes         ___ No           ___ Unclear

2. Why was the grievant disciplined? What happened? Was there an incident, are there witnesses, who are they and what do they say?

 

 

 

If the grievant did it:

3. Are all workers disciplined for breaking this rule, or is there favoritism?

 

 

4. Did the worker know about the rule, know the penalty? Is it a new rule or an old rule that was never enforced?

 

 

5. Is the rule reasonable for workers to follow? Is it related to safe and efficient operations? Have other workers had problems following this rule?

 

 

6. Does the punishment fit the seriousness of the offense and the workers history?

 

 

7. Did the company follow their own rules for discipline, giving the worker a chance to improve? Did the company investigate before issuing discipline? Did they question the worker unfairly? Did they discipline the worker reasonably quickly? Did they give one kind of discipline, then change it?

 

 

8. Did the company violate the FMLA (for serious illness of the worker or family)?

 

 

9. Do we need copies of company records to see if other workers have been disciplined for breaking this rule? Are there other records that might help?

 

Steward ________________________________ Date __________________

Spanish version of Discipline Grievance Fact Sheet

Hoja de datos sobre quejas por medidas disciplinarias

(Esto no se entrega a la compañía. Es para uso exclusivo del sindicato.

Use la parte de atrás si lo necesita.)

Nombre del litigante: __________________________________Teléfono:____________________

Departamento: ______________________________   Puesto de trabajo:______________________

¿Qué sanción le pusieron? ___________________________Fecha de la sanción: ______________

1. ¿El litigante hizo aquello por lo que lo sancionaron?  ___ Sí         ___ No           ___ No está claro

2. ¿Qué pasó? Si el litigante no lo hizo, ¿hubo algún incidente, hay testigos, quiénes son y qué dicen?

 

Si el litigante lo hizo:

3. ¿A todos los trabajadores los sancionan por romper esta regla, o hay favoritismo?

 

 

4. ¿El trabajador sabía que había esta regla y sabía el castigo? ¿Es una nueva regla, o una vieja regla que nunca se hizo cumplir?

 

5. ¿Es lógico para los trabajadores seguir esta regla? ¿Está relacionada con la seguridad y eficiencia de las operaciones? ¿Otros trabajadores han tenido problemas para seguir esta regla?

 

 

6.¿El castigo se ajusta a la seriedad de la ofensa y a los antecedentes del trabajador?

 

 

7. ¿La empresa siguió sus propias reglas disciplinarias, dándole al trabajador una oportunidad de mejorar? ¿La empresa investigó antes de aplicar la sanción? ¿Cuestionaron al trabajador injustamente? ¿Sancionaron al trabajador razonablemente rápido? ¿Le pusieron un tipo de sanción y luego la cambiaron?

 

 

 

8. ¿La empresa siguió la FMLA (por un estado grave de salud del trabajador o su familia)

 

 

9. ¿Necesitamos copias de los expedientes de la compañía para ver si a otros trabajadores los han sancionado por romper esta regla? ¿Existen algunos expedientes que nos puedan servir?

 

Representante sindical: ________________________________ Fecha: __________________

To Company Information

 

 

 

 

The law says the company must give the union information we need to:

• make sure the company is following the contract,
• investigate possible grievances, and
• prepare for grievance meetings and arbitrations.

And they must provide the information in a reasonable period of time.

What kind of information is covered?

 

The union has the right to almost any company information related to workers terms and conditions of employment if the union can show it is necessary and relevant. Here are a few examples of information you might need for certain kinds of grievances:

 

•  Discipline grievances: You should have a copy of all relevant information in the grievant's personnel file. You may also want copies of relevant company policies (attendance, production, etc.) and personnel records of other workers who've been disciplined for the same reason. In some cases, you may want records of workers who appear to have equally bad records but who haven't been disciplined.

•  Promotion grievances: In addition to personnel records of the grievant and the worker who got the job, you may also want the records of other workers who bid on the job or who have held the job. You may want to see job descriptions, copies of any tests used and test results, other information the company says it took into account in filling the job, and information you think should have been considered.

•  Health and safety: Depending on what the problem is, you may want to see company safety guidelines, inspection and monitoring reports, the OSHA 200 logs going back several years, medical records of affected employees, MSDS information on hazardous substances involved, copies of any outside studies the company has had done, and all other information the company has about the problem.

• Past practice grievances: If there is a question about whether the company has always responded in the same way to the situation in the past, you need company memos and records about their response every time it occurred.

How to request information:

• Unless you expect the company's full cooperation, put your request in writing and date it. Even if they cooperate, it doesn't hurt to have a record of what you asked for and when.

• Be as specific as possible about what information you want. For example, you want to know how much money people have lost since a rate change last month, so you ask for employee payroll information for that department. If the company responds with a list of employees and their total pay so far this year, they've complied with your request, but it isn't what you need.

• Try to agree on a date the information will be ready. Remember to ask for it on that day.

• Keep good records: copies of information requests and company responses, and notes of verbal company responses (who said what, when). If the company regularly refuses to give you information you need, or makes it hard to get information when you need it, the union may want to file charges with the labor board. If you do that, its very helpful to have written records.

 

Most Company Excuses Don't Work:

Don't be surprised if the company tries to tell you that you really don't need the information, or that you don't have a right to it. Here are a few excuses companies give that don't hold up with the Labor Board:

• The union hasn't needed the information in the past for similar grievances.

• The union can get the information from employees.

• The information has been posted in the past.

• It would be a burden for the company to put the information together.

• The information you've requested is confidential. If the company can show that you're requesting confidential information they don't give to anyone (medical records, testing results), try to work out an acceptable compromise. Deleting names or other identifying factors from records, or getting waivers from the people whose records you are requesting are two possibilities.

• It will cost the union. The company may charge you for the cost of providing the information, such as the cost of making copies and the cost of the workers time who makes the copies. If this is a problem, offer to do the copying yourself, or bring your own copier, or look at the originals and only make copies of selected records.

Click here to read the legal rights of shop stewards (delegates).