PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE
A large percentage of grievances written by stewards involve discipline of Union members.
The following is a general guideline to administer progressive discipline.
As Steward you should review your contract and the Employers rules and policies on discipline. The following does not supercede contract or policy but rather allows a steward to challenge the fairness of discipline issued to members.
Progressive discipline is a generally accepted concept that establishes penalties of increasing severity for repeated offenses of similar nature, as a prerequisite to discharge. It offers the employee the opportunity to correct unacceptable behavior before being discharged. Certain serious offenses may call for immediate discharge without regard to the progressive system (theft, violent behavior, falsification of employment records).
A typical progressive sequence of discipline would be:
|
1st Offense |
Oral Warning |
|
2nd Offense |
Written Warning |
|
Continued Offenses |
Suspensions of increased severity to a final limit before discharge |
|
Final Offense |
Discharge |
THE PENALTY SHOULD FIT THE OFFENSE
Immediate discharge should only be imposed for the most serious offenses.
KEEP UNRELATED OFFENSES SEPARATE
Increased penalties should not be loaded on to an employee for offenses that are unrelated.
CONSIDER SENIORITY, GOOD PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVED BEHAVIOR
An employee’s length of serve and work record should be considered in any disciplinary action. Often, an employee’s past offense will not influence a disciplinary decision for an offense that follows a period of good behavior and performance.
