"STEWARD'S TIP OF THE WEEK"STEWARDS: DO YOU HAVE A TIP TO SHARE?
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"Do you know what time it is?"
Be mindful of timelines!
Local 509 has more than 35 contracts governing its members (see links below). Contracts vary in the number of steps in their grievance procedures and the time frames in which to file an initial grievance and to advance the grievance. Know your contract's timelines for each step of the grievance process.
The timely filing and processing of grievances is essential for the process to work on behalf of union members. Grievances must be filed within the specified number of days after the date on which the alleged act or omission or policy change giving rise to the grievance occurred, or after the date on which there was a reasonable basis for knowledge of the occurrence. Stewards must be familiar with the number of days their contract allows to file an initial grievance.
Do not assume that, if you are trying to work out a solution with management, the clock stops. Unless you get a written extension from management, it keeps ticking, so file the grievance to ensure its timeliness and then resume trying to work out a solution with management.
Stewards must also be aware of the time frames in which to process grievances to the next step in the process. Some contracts have very specific time frames to advance grievances, whether or not management has responded to an earlier step. In other contracts, the need to advance a grievance is contingent upon management issuing a formal response at a lower step. |