Advice from shop stewards.. more detailed version

[Buru]

An employee got injured.. the chsp co chair was first on the scene, and got a steward at the injured employeees request.. the training manager, full time sup of injured employee and chsp part time sup arrived after the steward and co chair were present.. the training manager pulled all the supervisors to the side, and had a private conversation with them. Upon returning to the injured employee, co chair, and steward. The training manager ordered the steward to return to work.. the injured employee insisted that they wanted the steward to stay as representation during the matter. The training manager refused and told the steward to return to there work area or security would be called.. the steward and training manager had an argument and security was called and the steward was walked out of the building and has been suspended pending investigation.. i do not know what was said during the argument, i was not present and am none of the parties involved. Which leads us to the training manager demanding a statement from the cochair against the steward, and threatening her position.
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[Mugarolla]

An employee got injured.. the chsp co chair was first on the scene, and got a steward at the injured employeees request.. the training manager, full time sup of injured employee and chsp part time sup arrived after the steward and co chair were present.. the training manager pulled all the supervisors to the side, and had a private conversation with them. Upon returning to the injured employee, co chair, and steward. The training manager ordered the steward to return to work.. the injured employee insisted that they wanted the steward to stay as representation during the matter. The training manager refused and told the steward to return to there work area or security would be called.. the steward and training manager had an argument and security was called and the steward was walked out of the building and has been suspended pending investigation.. i do not know what was said during the argument, i was not present and am none of the parties involved. Which leads us to the training manager demanding a statement from the cochair against the steward, and threatening her position.
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I doubt the Steward was walked out for something he said during the argument. He was probably walked out because he would not return to work when instructed.

I would guess that this was the issue and they want the co-chair to state that she heard the sup order the Steward back to work and he refused.

If I was the co-chair, I would just say that I was not paying attention to what the Steward and sup were doing, that I was concentrating on the injured employee. I would say that I heard them talking, but was not paying attention to what they were saying.

As far as the Steward, this could get ugly. It really depends on his reasoning for not returning to work. Does he have the right to leave his work area to tend to an injured employee who is already being attended to?

This Steward must not have any kind of relationship with management.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

The co-chair is not being asked to write a statement against the steward but is rather than being asked for her recollection of how the events unfolded; however, it is obvious that an accurate rendering on her part could lead to further discipline against the steward who refused to return to his work area as directed.

 

[10 point]

The co-chair is not being asked to write a statement against the steward but is rather than being asked for her recollection of how the events unfolded; however, it is obvious that an accurate rendering on her part could lead to further discipline against the steward who refused to return to his work area as directed.

Hooked on phonics may help you. Put it on your wish list for next weekend.

The co-chair is NOT being "asked" for a statement. The words that were posted above were "demanded" and "threatened".
TTKU

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

Either way the purpose of the statement was not to specifically target the steward.

 

[10 point]

Either way the purpose of the statement was not to specifically target the steward.

You weren't there. You don't know that. You just think you do. As usual.

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

You weren't there. You don't know that. You just think you do. As usual.

Were you there?

 

[10 point]

Were you there?

I am reading the statement the OP posted and responding to your augmented rendition of what was actually written above...which is easily noted.

Don't change the subject to validate your presumed statement.

You don't even know the details of the accident where the employee got hurt. There's a lot of blanks not filled in and why the injured employee felt he/she needed a steward to witness the details of what was going to happen when multiple management personnel arrived on the scene in a short period of time is one of them.
You can't be disciplined for reporting an injury but the issues surrounding the injury may lead to him/her feeling that it was a possibility and therefore requested a steward to protect him/herself from issues that may not be documented honestly.

That is the employee's right.

 

[10 point]

P.S./ The injured employee evidently trusted the steward more than the management. Wonder why that was?

 

[10 point]

@UpstateNYUPSer ,
I don't know about where you work but I have seen supervisors change people's Injury reports and I know personally of one incident where a young person injured their wrist unloading in a trailer and when the supervisor was told he threw papers all over the office in a fit of rage in front of the employee to intimidate her and forced her back to work in the trailer not allowing her to go to the hospital as requested. The local union allowed this garbage to happen without repercussions. That's why people trust stewards.

Does that make me trust management that they're going to look out for our best interest? You fill in the blank. The injured person in this thread had their reasons for calling a steward over to be a witness and to possibly represent him. Maybe you don't have a clue what actually happens in larger buildings but I would say that your view of Union activity and fairness in the workplace is based off of things that we don't experience are reality where some of us work.

 

[Mugarolla]

the issues surrounding the injury may lead to him/her feeling that it was a possibility and therefore requested a steward to protect him/herself from issues that may not be documented honestly.

I did not go this far in my post, but one reason why a Steward may not leave right away when asked to return to work. The injured employee had to make this known to management, though.

I hope this is the case. If it is, Steward back to work and sups in very hot water.

 

[PiedmontSteward]

Either way the purpose of the statement was not to specifically target the steward.

C'mon Dave. You gotta be ing kidding me, right?

 

[542thruNthru]

C'mon Dave. You gotta be ing kidding me, right?

And telematics is for safety..

 

[PT Stewie]

We have had this issue in our location. An injured person is entitled to union representation if they so request. I have seen managers and sups treat injured employees like criminals demanding explanations before triage and treatment. One AH said to put crazy glue on a bloody head wound while he filled out the accident report. If the sups demand that the steward return to work common sense should kick in and the saying "work first grieve later". We all have cell phones go back to work and text the BA the situation.
Also Wiengarten may help:"If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated; or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative or steward be present at this meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any questions."
or affect my personal working conditions
Kind of vague but should apply. Tell the sup go ahead screw with the supreme court that is your decision .

 

[Integrity]

An employee got injured.. the chsp co chair was first on the scene, and got a steward at the injured employeees request.. the training manager, full time sup of injured employee and chsp part time sup arrived after the steward and co chair were present.. the training manager pulled all the supervisors to the side, and had a private conversation with them. Upon returning to the injured employee, co chair, and steward. The training manager ordered the steward to return to work.. the injured employee insisted that they wanted the steward to stay as representation during the matter. The training manager refused and told the steward to return to there work area or security would be called.. the steward and training manager had an argument and security was called and the steward was walked out of the building and has been suspended pending investigation.. i do not know what was said during the argument, i was not present and am none of the parties involved. Which leads us to the training manager demanding a statement from the cochair against the steward, and threatening her position.
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In my experience I have found UPS management and the union weak in the area of looking after the employees during the injury investigation report process.

Simple solution: 1.State contractual right to union representation during interview: Article 4 of Master CBA.

2. Have employee read Weingarten rights statement to management and notify management that employee will not continue the interview until representation is present.(say nothing, answer nothing about the incident).
3. Shop steward go back to work area and wait to be called back, if done correctly, you will be called back.

I

 

[voodoo child]

Once again union weak and they voted Hoffa back in. Cant fix stupid

 

[voodoo child]

Dear union stop sleeping with co.

 

[clean hairy]

An employee who reasonably anticipates disciplinary action shall have a Steward present upon request. (more or less the wording of the contract)
By instructing the Steward to leave, I would believe that part of the contract was violated, and a grievance would be in order.
Certainly the Steward called the Local once in the parking lot, and the Employee files a grievance as well.

 

[BigUnionGuy]

"The Employer recognizes the employee’s right to be given requested representation by a Steward, or the designated alternate, at such time as the employee reasonably contemplates disciplinary action."


"When requested by the Union or the employee, there shall be a steward present whenever the Employer meets with an employee concerning grievances or discipline or investigatory interviews. In such cases, the meeting shall not be continued until the steward or alternate steward is present."


https://teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/6161478090_master_final.pdf


Excerpts....

From Article 4 of the National language.



-Bug-

 

[By The Book]

To me I feel the wiengarten rights are intended for issues involving discipline at the work place. To me this is first an injured employee who they will need to pull aside and do an investigation. If at that time the injured employee feels he needs to be protected by the wiengarten rights, then he has that right.