Week 5 Peer Response Post 1

Timotheus Durden

MondayJul 6 at 5:26pm

Manage Discussion Entry

9. How are grievances resolved in a nonunion work place? Do some additional research. What is the normal process? (ULO 1)

 

Lets first start with the normal grievance process that would occur while in cooperation with a union. This a four-step process. The steps start with the employee contacting the employer to inform them that they have cause for grievance. If after talking to the employer the employee can then fill a written grievance that will include (a) the nature of the grievance, (b) the facts on which it is based, (c) the article(s) and section(s) of this Agreement allegedly violated, and (d) the remedy or correction requested of the city (Budd, 2017). The next step is an appeal to the second step in which a hearing of the grievances will be held within five days. The second to last step is the grievances heard in the second step will be appealed by the Association’s representative and the designated representative. This will happen within 10 standard work days after the appeal to the third step. In the fourth step we find that if the answer to the third-step was not acceptable to the employee, it can be appealed to the arbitration. At this time the two parties can mutually come up with an arbitrator. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding (Budd, 2017).

The nonunion work place grievances process is more of a wild west approach as there is not much that is set for a one size fits all approach. Balfour discusses the advantages and disadvantages of five: an open-door policy; ombudsman; juries of peers; hearing officers; and binding, outside arbitration. In doing so, he distinguishes between those that simply address the facts of a case and those that try to get to the root of a problem and solve it in ways that repair the relationships involved (Balfour, 1984). We can see that the process is not at all streamlined on the non-union side but they have their ways of taking care of the people that need it. You can even take note that the last process that Balfour mentions is one that is in the final step of the union process, the arbitrator.

 

References

Balfour, A. (1984). Five types of non-union grievances systems. 61(2):67-76.

Budd, J. (2017). Labor Relations: Striking a Balance, 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

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