Union member

Got a meeting?

If you are invited by management to a hearing (e.g. a meeting which could result in action being taken by the employer) you are allowed to be accompanied by your chosen union representative. The choice is agreed between you and your union - management cannot instruct you to have a different representative if they have refused facility time for your chosen representative.

Complain to Employee Relations

If your chosen representative is refused facility time, firstly you should write to the ‘Employee Relations Team’ via the Employee Relations Inbox to complain. Make sure that you are clear that it is Employee Relations’ ‘guidance’ that you hold responsible for the unavailability of your representative.

Reschedule the hearing

The next step is to email the manager who has organised the hearing to state:

“My chosen representative has not been granted time off to attend our scheduled meeting. Therefore I look forward to confirmation that the meeting will be postponed.

I look forward to the assurance that no action will be taken relating to my case, prior to a reconvened meeting; and to receipt of a series of alternative dates.”

If management refuse time off and refuse to reschedule

In the event that management refuse your representative time off and refuse to reschedule, you should meet with your union representative to prepare a formal grievance.