Right to Union Representation An employee shall have the right to Union representation if requested by the employee, only as provided below. There will be no exceptions to this rule. In any investigatory interview or discussion, conference or meeting with an employee who is the subject of an investigation which may lead to disciplinary action. At any disciplinary hearing, discussion, conference or meeting (including settlement discussions) with the employee who is the subject of the disciplinary hearing. Management shall allow reasonable time for the Union Representative to attend said meeting but in no case less than one (l) hour if there is a representative on duty at the worksite. If there is no Union representative on duty at the worksite, the employee shall be allowed at least four (4) hours to obtain a Union representative; however, the employee must sign a waiver extending the time limits for imposition of any disciplinary action by no more than one (l) workday, excluding weekends and holidays, for FLSA non-exempt employees and no more than five (5) workdays for FLSA exempt employees. Management shall ensure that an employee has an opportunity to exercise the right to secure Union representation. If the Union cannot or does not have a representative available within a reasonable period of time, the meeting may be conducted without representation. If the Employer disapproves release time for the representative under Article 4, the meeting shall be delayed until the representative is released from duty. The role of the Union Representative during an initial investigation interview conducted by Management is to assist in the clarification of questions and otherwise advise the employee of his/her rights. However, it is the employee who must answer the questions posed to him/her as best as possible, and under no circumstances may the Union Representative answer for the employee, dominate the meeting, or interfere with the Employer's investigating process. At a meeting to discuss mitigating circumstances or to impose disciplinary action or in the course of representing an employee who has filed a disciplinary appeal under SPP Title 11 or a grievance under SPP Title 12, the Union Representative may act as spokesperson on behalf of the employee with prior approval of the employee. An employee shall not have the right to a Union Representative in attendance during a discussion solely related to performance or during a performance review. The right to representation does include a criminal investigation.