Enforcing our Contract for All Represented Employees is a Union Priority

When one of our Unit 15 custodians was reprimanded about the state of his route by a supervisor in the open and in front of other people, it violated our contract’s language that these types of meetings should be held in private.

Our custodian had been off for the previous two days and was just returning to work. What’s more, it wasn’t even this custodian’s supervisor but one from another area in the building. This supervisor chose not to talk to the custodian’s direct supervisor even when asked.

This is a violation of Article 13.2 of our contract, Personal Performance Session, which calls for meetings like this to be held in private. We filed a grievance with the Department of General Services (DGS) and upper management agreed that the supervisor should have had the “work performance” conversation in private.

The supervisor was reprimanded by management, and all supervisors at the worksite got a refresher training on MOU 13.2.

Know Your Rights – Contract Article 13.2 Personal Performance Session (Excludes Unit 17)

Meetings between employees and management concerning unsatisfactory work performance or work-related problems should, whenever practicable, be held in private or in a location sufficiently removed from the hearing and visual range of other persons. The Union recognizes that the circumstances of the situation may require an immediate response from management, and thereby preclude privacy. However, if an immediate response is not necessary, arrangements will be made for a private meeting.

You can read our entire contract online in an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly, fully searchable format. You can find it at contract.seiu1000.org