Title: What to do for the Step One (member directions)

Task: If you have a problem that the union can solve,  you will need to complete Step One of the Grievance process. This document will explain what that is.

Prerequisites (if applicable): You MUST complete a Step One before moving to Step Two. You may also find it helpful to know what to expect:  https://rjhheu.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/48001242607-what-to-expect-in-the-grievance-process

Instructions:

  • Complete the Union Fact Sheet found here: https://0901.nccdn.net/4_2/000/000/079/c81/union-fact-sheet.doc (you'll be asked again for this in Step Two so save a copy to your desktop)
  • Ask your manager for a meeting. Be sure to very clearly state that you are requesting a Step One meeting and why you are asking for it. A suggested subject line for the email is: "Step One Grievance: Denied vacation leave" (Change the issue to your own issue.)
    • Some grievances don't need a Step One meeting and may just be identified as a Step One in an email. 
    • Before a grievance can move to Step Two, you must have an identifiable Step One.
    • Please let the Steward determine if a Step One meeting can be just an email.
    • Keep your email requesting a Step One meeting very sparse on details. Do not try and argue your grievance in the body of the email. Just say, "As per my Shop Steward, I am requesting a Step One meeting to resolve my unpaid shift."
    • CC help@rjh-heu.org on the meeting request so we can be aware of the date you requested it and so that your manager can respond to everyone.
  • You can attend a meeting with or without a Steward, but consider - at minimum - bringing a friend to take notes.
  • Do not record the meeting. 
  • Remember that you have seven days from the incident to go to Step One. If the clock is ticking and you haven't found a steward or your manager is on vacation (or whatever is in the way), send an email with the subject line above asking for the Step One meeting. This is important because you need to make best efforts in the seven day time limit. 
  • If you are bringing a steward with you, they will provide you help in finding a meeting time that works for all parties.
  • Consider what a reasonable solution could be. Some ideas could be, "Pay me for my missed shift," or "Award me the job that was awarded to an external candidate that I was qualified for." Don't put it in the email to your manager. Tell your steward instead.
  • Send the fact sheet and any meeting notes and progress updates to help@rjh-heu.org.

Outcome: Step One of the grievance process might take a few meetings to resolve, or might be easily resolved in a single meeting. Many grievances are different, but stay connected to your steward committee so you can move through the grievance process to (hopefully) a successful outcome. (See the article below on "what to expect in the grievance process".)

Further reading: