"STEWARD'S TIP OF THE WEEK"
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STEWARDS: DO YOU HAVE A TIP TO SHARE?
| March 3, 2009
"Can They Really Do That?"
“They won’t let me take a lunch break. Can they do that?”
How many times have you had a member complain to you about an injustice, and ask you if management was allowed to do that? Did you know the answer?
The answer to questions like that are often found in your contract. Reading your contract is not easy, but it is worth doing!
SEIU Local 509 members do not all have the same contract; it depends on who the employer is. Everyone who works for the state has one contract. If you work for a private employer, you have a contract with that employer.
Each contract is divided into “Articles.” Each Article is about a different subject and spells out your rights and benefits.
Issues like meal breaks, scheduling, flex time, overtime, and similar topics are usually (but not always) covered in the same article. Often that article is called: “Workweek and Work Schedules” or “Hours of Work.” Take the time (maybe during a lunch break) to read that article carefully. You may learn about rights you didn’t realize you had!
As a steward, keep a copy of the contract handy and make sure all your members have one. Your contract can also be accessed right here on the Local 509 website (see the links in the right hand column of this page). |