Guide to Managing Human Resources
Chapter 21: Working with Union Representatives
Contents
Summary
Establishing and maintaining constructive working relationships with union representatives will help you be clear about management and employee concerns and to reach mutually satisfactory resolution of informal and formal complaints. Your Employee Relations Specialist can provide guidance on developing relationships and conducting meetings with union representatives.
You may be required to attend meetings to explain proposed actions that will affect terms and conditions of employment or to resolve grievances, and union representatives may be in attendance. You may call a meeting with an employee, who may request the presence of a union representative, and under certain circumstances this is appropriate.
Guiding Principles
Make sure you:
- Communicate at appropriate times
- Provide appropriate information
- Solicit input from the representative
Key Considerations
- Schedule and hold meetings requested by the employee and union representative within five days, if possible.
- Clarify the purpose of a meeting before scheduling it.
- Allow enough time for discussion of issues raised by you or the employee.
- Provide a location free of interruptions.
- Identify the appropriate participants.
- Concentrate on the issues/objectives of the meeting.
- Allow sufficient latitude for thorough discussion of the issues, but not for personal attacks or abuse.
- Maintain self-control.
- Know your own authority to make commitments on behalf of your department.
- Don't make commitments if you are not yet ready to do so.
- Summarize conclusions or agreements reached, if any.
Questions and Answers
Do you have to allow a union representative to be present whenever the employee wants one?
No. For example, a union representative is not appropriate in meetings to give work assignments, coaching sessions, or performance evaluation discussions. However, employees have a right to have a representative present if they reasonably believe that disciplinary action will result from a meeting.
Who represents you as the supervisor?
In non-grievance meetings with one employee and a representative, your Employee Relations Specialist will be present to represent campus management interests. In grievance meetings, or in meetings with groups of employee and union representatives, a Labor Relations Specialist from Human Resources will represent the University.
May more than one union representative, or a union representative and an attorney, be present with one employee?
No. Normally only one representative is allowed in a meeting between you and the employee. Ask the employee to clarify for you which individual will be the representative before you schedule a meeting.