F.A.Q.
1) When are the meetings and what time?
2) If I am getting counseled by my supervisor, what rights am I entitled to?
3) Our meetings are conducted under Roberts Rules, what are Roberts Rules?
4) I am not registered to vote, how do I register and why is it so important?
5) I want to file a grievance, what is the first step?
Q: When are the meetings and what time?
A: Our meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month.
The morning meeting is at 10:00 A.M. and our evening meeting is at 6:30 P.M.. For
more information on meetings Click here.
Return to top of page
Q:If I am getting counseled by my supervisor, what rights am I
entitled to?
A: Good question. You are entitled to envoke your Weingarten Rights. Employees have
Weingarten rights only during investigatory interviews. An investigatory
interview occurs when a supervisor questions an employee to obtain information
which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his
or her conduct.
If an employee has a reasonable belief that discipline or other adverse
consequences may result from what he or she says, the employee has the right to
request union representation. Management is not required to inform the employee
of his/her Weingarten rights; it is the employees responsibility to know and
request.
When the employee makes the request for a union representative to be present
management has three options:
(I) it can stop questioning until the representative arrives.
(2) it can call off the interview or,
(3) it can tell the employee that it will call off the interview unless the
employee voluntarily gives up his/her rights to a union representative (an
option the emplovee should always refuse.)
Employers will often assert that the only role of a union representative in an
investigatory interview is to observe the discussion. The Supreme Court,
however, clearly acknowledges a representative's right to assist and counsel
workers during the interview
The Supreme Court has also ruled that during an investigatory interview
management must inform the union representative of the subject of the
interrogation. The representative must also be allowed to speak privately with
the employee before the interview. During the questioning, the representative
can interrupt to clarify a question or to object to confusing or intimidating
tactics.
While the interview is in progress the representative can not tell the employee
what to say but he may advise them on how to answer a question. At the end of
the interview the union representative can add information to support the
employee's case.
Return
to top of page
Q:Our meetings are conducted under Roberts Rules, what are
Roberts Rules?
A:Basically Robert's Rules are a set guideline on how to properly
conduct a meeting and protect the membership rights. For more information on
Robert's Rules Click
here.
Return
to top of page
Q:I am not registered to vote, how do I register and why is it so important?
A:Registering to vote is very easy. There are several options. Go to our Politics page and you will find all the information you need. At this time, COAD has 5 people qualified to register people to vote. However, there are other officers at the different institutions that have taken the time to qualify. As we learn who hey are we will make their names available. But for the time being, you can click on any one of the 5 we have listed. You can also go to Department of Motor Vehicles and register also.
Why is it so important? There are just so many reasons, the better question would be - Why wouldn't you want to be registered? I can't think of any better way to get our legislators to take us seriously, other than to have a loud voice. That loud voice is your vote. It is the ultimate power, and it is each and every one of our rights. Not only our right, but our responsibility as well. When we present a case to our legislators, we don't want to go in with out that large voice. So it is important not only for us as correctional officers to be registered, but for our families as well. It doesn't matter what party a person chooses to be in. The most important part is, when it comes to election day that you show our representatives that we do pay attention and we will act.
Return
to top of page
Q:I want to file a grievance, what is the first step?
A:The first step you need to take is contact your shop steward. You and your shop steward will sit down and discuss the problem. The shop steward will then get you started on the necessary paper work. Before you do this, you should take the time to write down all the facts. Try to keep your personal feelings out of it, and stick to the facts. Many times, grievances are filed on personal feelings often times placing the shop steward and the grievant in a bad situation with a grievance that has no chance. Remember - Stick to the chain of command. Your shop steward is your first link. They will handle the process of going up the chain. Do NOT take your case or anyone elses case to a meeting. This can be a violation of a persons privacy, and the E Board will not discuss another persons case in a open forum. Keep your information private. Just between you and the shop steward.
Return to top of page
If you have a question that you would like
to ask C.O.A.D. regarding procedures or anything of interest please contact a
staff member. You can send email to any of the staff members. Just go to our staff page.
All questions will be answered. If one of us can not answer your question it
will be forwarded. Unique questions and answers will be posted here.