Common use of Grievance/Dispute Settlement Procedure Clause in Contracts

Grievance/Dispute Settlement Procedure. 1. The purpose of the grievance procedure is to resolve all normal work related problems that may arise as quickly as possible. Parties should always confer in good faith and without delay. 2. Management always stands ready to discuss matters that concern employees. 3. When a problem concern or grievance arises, the Departmental Supervisor is the first contact. The supervisor is best placed to understand the employees problems. 4. It is supervisors and management’s obligation to reply to all matters raised by employees either with an answer or to advise that more time is required. 5. Following the grievance procedure" means that if the matter is not settled with the Supervisor, then the employee and/or union delegate can ask the Supervisor to refer the matter to the next higher authority, and so on up to the level of authority as in the procedure illustrated. 6. At any stage, depending on the seriousness of the matter, management may call the employees together to fully discuss the matter. The employees also through their Supervisor, can request a meeting with management for the same reason. This type of meeting would be on paid time. 7. Provided the formal grievance procedure is followed then the existing agreement for paid union meetings will be honoured. 8. Certain other meetings may be paid for example where employees are to hear a report back from a union, depending upon circumstances and relating only to ‘domestic’ issues already under discussion. 9. While any grievance or disagreement is being discussed as above all employees should remain on the job and work normally. 10. If employees decide to hold a stop work meeting on their own they will not be paid for the time lost. 11. It is recognised that all parties have the common interest ‘to satisfy the customer at all times’.