OVERVIEW:

This is an advance course in how to handle formal meetings as a representative of NTEU.

OBJECTIVES: At the end of this meeting participants will be able to do the following:

1. List the union’s goals in a formal meeting.

2. Discuss the union’s rights in a formal meeting.

3. Outline how to increase the union’s impact in a formal meeting.

FORMAL MEETINGS DEFINED: An exclusive representative of an appropriate unit in an agency will be given the opportunity to be represented at any formal discussion between one or more representatives of the agency and one or more employees in the unit or their representatives concerning any grievance or any personnel policy or practices or other general conditions of employment. (Title 5 US Code Section 7114 (a) (2) (A)) For example, the union gets invited to the following as formal meetings:

NTEU GOALS FOR A FORMAL MEETING: We have several goals for attending these meetings. Some are listed below. Can you think of others?

NTEU RIGHTS IN A FORMAL MEETING: To help an NTEU steward meet these goals, the law gives him or her these rights in a formal meeting.

1. The right to receive formal advance notice of the meeting according to the terms of the contract.

2. The right to comment, speak, and make statements about anything reasonably related to the subject matter addressed by the manager.

3. The right to request information the manager may have that is reasonable and necessary for the union to consider a proposal he has made.

4. The right to ask questions - especially to clarify issues the manager brought up.

5. The right to assert the union's position on a matter, including objections to the management position and what the union can do about a matter.

6. The right to invite employees to contact him or her after the meeting to discuss issues raised in the meeting.

About the only formal limit on the steward's participation is that he or she not "take charge of, usurp, or disrupt the meeting."

Read through the transcript of this formal group meeting and identify ways that the Union Representative (U Rep) you could have more successfully met NTEU’s goals for these meetings. Use the goals discussed above (and also listed on the side of the page) as a benchmark for what we want to do.

Mgr- Thanks for coming. I have only a few items to cover today. By the way, does anyone know why Alice is not here? If you know where she is or you find out later, write me a note. However, the union rep is here so I guess we can start.

EE #1- Are you going to give us any advance notice that you will be with us?

Mgr.- Yes, I would like to do that. How much advance notice do you think we should have?

EE #1- I would like two work days notice.

EE #2- I would like a week.

EEE #3- I would like to have a schedule set at the beginning of each month.

Mgr- Well before we start a big argument, let’s just say that it will be two days notice. I am most comfortable with that. Thanks for your input.

U Rep- Before you go on, could I get you to put that decision in writing so there are not disputes about what was decided?

Mgr - Sure. And I am glad the NTEU rep spoke up because it reminded me of my next point. Because the union insisted that the back exit to the building be rebuilt to meet some handicapping requirement, the back door is going to be closed for about a month. If you use it you will have to now go in and out the front. I know that will take you longer, but blame the folks who started all this, not me.

U Rep- Let me interrupt again and ask you to tell them about the contract provision that gives them an extra five minutes they are allowed to take when reporting to and leaving the building because of this delay.

Mgr- The NTEU rep is right. Management gave the employees an extra five minutes to report in the morning and the right to leave five minutes early at night because we were concerned about the extra time it will take employees due to the closed door.

EE #4- What is going to happen to the vending area that is right next to that door? Are we going to lose it as well? Most of us depend on those machines as poor as they are. I hear the union is going to negotiate to place it elsewhere and possibly improve the machines.

Mgr - I know nothing other than that it will be moved. Maybe the NTEU rep knows.

U Rep - I know nothing about this either other than that we are looking to form a negotiating team.

Mgr - Thanks. On another point, I am going to be away from the group for about five days a month at a training program and I will appoint someone to act in my place. I know that we have always had Alice do so since she is the most senior, but I have decided to change that around and I will be contacting some of you to see if you are interested.

EE #5- Why the change and will we have to meet certain standards when we act in your place?

Mgr - I am changing just because I want to; there is no other reason. However, I can tell you that you are the last person that has to worry about knowing how to act in my place. I cannot let people act who have an active grievance against me. I have a lot of confidential stuff in my files on each of you and we all need someone in this job who we can trust.

U Rep- Can I talk to you in private after the meeting?

Mgr - Sure, but it will have to be next Friday. I am tied up until then.