Via Vern Davidson â APWU Clerk Craft, Cape Girardeau
The contract spells out very precisely how to correctly discipline an employee using Due Process. If management follows those procedures fairly & equally, there is no grievable action.
It is the responsibility of the union rep to ensure that all employees have equal rights to due process in the disciplinary process.
As stewards, we are not âdefending the actionsâ of an employee. This is a common misconception that management uses to shift the blame for their own laziness and bias upon the union and the steward. As stewards, if this is how we view our purpose, we have an unfortunate misunderstanding of the meaning of stewardship.
As stewards, we are holding management to account by ensuring they are following the contract fairly and equally for every employee. This is how we protect the rights of all employees and maintain integrity within the bargaining unit.
Lazy managers and managers who like to turn a blind eye to the behavior of their buddies on the floor love to place the blame on the union for âpreventing themâ from disciplining âbad employeesâ.