April 23rd: Update to Membership
Member Rights: Union Representation at Disciplinary Meetings
One of the most advantageous parts of belonging to a union or employee association is that you are entitled to have union representation at any meeting that is disciplinary in nature, or that may lead to discipline.
Generally, when you are requested to be in a meeting with Employee Services, which may include your Academic Chair, Dean, or manager, that request will come with a disclaimer that you should reach out to the union to request representation. If that offer is made, it is imperative that you reach out to SAFA to have a union rep at your meeting. If you receive a meeting invitation without that offer, you can still contact your SAFA rep to find out if they should attend.
Why is having a SAFA rep present so important? They will support you before, during, and after these meetings.
Your union rep has a wealth of experience from being at these investigatory meetings. One of the most important things you can do is have a pre-meeting with your union rep. At the pre-meeting, you can discuss what you believe are the issues, as you don’t always know at that point. And you can discuss what your potential options are, should the investigation lead to discipline. They can also coach you in how to handle yourself in these meetings and how to answer questions.
In the meeting, your union rep is there to verify what is being said in the room. More importantly, someone is there to take notes and ask questions on your behalf. Those notes are admissible in arbitration should this meeting lead to discipline or termination. This prevents a situation of he said/she said in later discussions. Your rep will know when you’re being asked leading questions and have the ability to request that the question be rephrased. They can also let you know when you are saying too much.
In addition to having someone in your corner at these meetings, your rep will know when it’s appropriate to engage SAFA’s legal counsel on your behalf. They can also support you after the meeting if there are any additional issues.
Bottom line is, there is no advantage to a SAFA member going to a potential disciplinary meeting without union representation. It’s all risk.
In solidarity,
Craig Coolahan
Labour Relations Officer, SAFA