Know Your - Weingarten Rights
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The right of employees to have union representation was announced by the U.S. Supreme Court in a 1975 case (NLRB vs. Weingarten, Inc. 420 U.S. 251, 88 LRRM 2689). These rights have become known as the Weingarten rights.
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Employees have Weingarten rights only during investigatory interviews. An investigatory interview occurs when a supervisor questions an employee to obtain information, which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his or her conduct.n text goes here
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If an employee has a reasonable belief that discipline or other adverse consequences may result from what he or she says, the employee has the right to request union representation. Management is not required to inform the employee of his/her Weingarten rights; it is the employees’ responsibility to know and request. When the employee makes the request for a union representative to be present management has three options:
You can stop the questioning until the representative arrives,
You can call off the interview or,
You can tell your employer that you will call off the interview unless you (the employee) voluntarily gives up your rights to a union representative (an option the employee should always refuse).
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Employers will often assert that the only role of a union representative in an investigatory interview is to observe the discussion.
The Supreme Court, however, clearly acknowledges a representative’s right to assist and counsel workers during the interview.
The Supreme Court has also ruled that during an investigatory interview management must inform the union representative of the subject of the interrogation.
The representative must also be allowed to speak privately with the employee before the interview. During the questioning, the representative can interrupt to clarify a question or to object to confusing or intimidating tactics.
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Do you understand your Weingarten rights?
Scenario:
Your principal calls you into her office, shuts the door and asks you to sit down. She questions you about the way you handled a certain situation and begins to make accusations. You start to feel anxious and worry you could face disciplinary action.
Action:
Should you invoke your Weingarten rights? The answer is yes, absolutely!
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Evaluations:
The evaluation process can be one of the most stressful experiences a teacher has during the course of the year — particularly if your administration is struggling.
Teachers being evaluated should review the CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEE EVALUATION PROCEDURES in Article X of the the Contract.
Evaluations 2.0 - Second Semester Evaluation Notes and FAQs.
Meetings & Attendance:
According to our contract, teachers can be required to attend a “reasonable” number of meetings. But how many meetings are reasonable? One staff meeting outside of your regularly scheduled work day per month is reasonable, but four are not. Make sure that your administrators are respecting your time.
For more information about Teacher Responsibilities reference Article IX for HOURS AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES in the Contract.
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