Legal & Grievance Power
Overview
We’ll turn grievance handling into a disciplined pipeline: intake, investigation, logging, deadlines, member sign-off, and transparent resolution. A Legal Committee review panel vets drops/escalations to protect the duty of fair representation and prioritize strong cases.
Where employers violate law, not just the contract, we’ll deploy ULPs, coordination with enforcement agencies, and (when warranted) union-funded actions to deter repeat behavior. Stewards will receive training, templates, and mentorship; members get a hotline/portal form for fast triage. The aim is simple: fix problems at the lowest step possible, escalate without delay when needed, and document everything to improve outcomes over time.
What we’ll do
- Central grievance log (Recording Sec + Legal; day 1–30): track steps, timelines, remedies; auto-flags for approaching deadlines.
- Review panel (Legal Committee; monthly): written rationale for arbitration/drops; member notification; DFR training for stewards/officers.
- Assert full legal toolkit (Sec-Treas + Counsel; ongoing): strategic ULPs, targeted litigation, and regulatory complaints when contract language isn’t enough.
- Member rights hotline & clinics (Legal + Education; Q2): quarterly workshops on Weingarten, FMLA/CFRA, workers’ comp; Spanish/English materials.
- Arbitration budget & panels (E-Board; annual): pre-selected arbitrators, expedited options, and post-case learnings folded into steward training.
Why it matters
Members judge the union by whether problems get fixed. A visible, deadline-driven system builds confidence, deters management abuse, and shortens resolution times. Using ULPs and outside enforcement where appropriate shifts costs onto lawbreakers and strengthens our bargaining leverage. Documented outcomes create feedback loops for training and contract improvements. No one should “go it alone”; with this infrastructure, they won’t.
FAQ
- Will filings increase?
- Initially yes, as under-reported issues surface; over time, deterrence reduces repeat violations.
- How do we avoid weak cases?
- Review panel standards + DFR training + early investigation keep focus on winnable disputes.
- What about privacy?
- Case logs store minimum necessary data with restricted access and retention controls.