How do I file a grievance?

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE: ORGANIZATION/POLICIES

The Grievance Committee is responsible for overseeing the handling of all grievances filed by Bargaining Unit members under the grievance provisions of the current contract with the University.

Membership: There will be at least five persons on the Grievance Committee, but preferable nine (9) with representation from all colleges. All members of the committee must belong to the SIUC Faculty Association, IEA-NEA. The Committee Chair will be nominated by the Committee and elected by the D.R.C. Members of the committee will be recruited by the Convener of the Grievance Committee and their appointment to the committee will be approved by the Assembly of the Faculty Association.

Officers: There will be a Chair and a Secretary elected by the membership of the Grievance Committee for three-year terms of office in the fall of each year following the Faculty Association’s election of officers. The duties of the Chair include: chairing Grievance Committee meetings, overseeing implementation of the grievance program, reporting activities of the committee to the Executive Committee, and representing (or designating a representative) for grievants at formal grievance hearings. The duties of the Secretary include: maintaining a record of Grievance Committee meetings, keeping files on all past and present grievances, and handling any correspondence involving the committee.

Committee Responsibilities: The committee will be responsible for its training and for administering the grievance procedure in each of the nine colleges. Subject to appeal as defined below, the committee will make all formal decisions for the Faculty Association about the processing of individual grievances up to requests for arbitration. All requests for arbitration/mediation will be sent with a recommendation to the Executive Committee for a decision.

Grievance Processing: Anyone interested in filing a grievance should contact any member of the Grievance Committee. That Committee member will then notify the Committee Chair, who will notify the entire Committee about the potential grievance. The Chair will, in consultation with the grievant, appoint one of the Committee members as the Grievance Representative for that grievance. The Grievance Representative will be responsible for gathering all pertinent information about the grievance, maintaining a written record of this information, informing the grievant about all relevant timelines in the grievance process, representing the grievant at the initial informal attempt to resolve the grievance, and keeping the Chair of the Grievance Committee apprised of all relevant information about the grievance. The decision to file a formal grievance will be made in consultation between the Chair and the appointed Grievance Representative, unless there is a disagreement between the Chair, the Grievance Representative, and/or the grievant, in which case the decision will be made by the Grievance Committee.

Grievance Settlement: Grievances settled prior to the filing of arbitration may be settled under the authority of the Grievance Chair with the advice of the Grievance Committee. In the event of a disagreement between the Grievance Chair and grievant, the Grievance Committee shall make the final decision. In the event a grievant objects to the Committee’s decision, written appeal may be made within 15 calendar days to the Executive Committee, which will decide upon the appeal at its next scheduled meeting. Appeals should contain a brief explanation of the grievant’s case and reasons for objection to the Grievance Committee’s decision. The Grievance Committee Secretary will explain in writing to the Executive Committee the Grievance Committee’s decision with in the same 15 days. The Executive Committee will either decide the case at this meeting or request to hear from the grievant and the Committee Chair at its subsequent meeting, at which a final decision will be rendered. No settlement shall be made while an appeal to the Assembly of a denial of a grievant’s request for arbitration is pending

Arbitration/Mediation Approval – Denial: Decisions to approve or deny requests for arbitrations/mediations will be made by the Executive Committee. If, after assessing the recommendations of the Grievance Committee, the Executive Committee denies a grievant’s request for arbitration, the grievant may, within fifteen (15) calendar days of the decision, meet with the Assembly on appeal of the denial. The Assembly’s decision to approve or disapprove the grievant’s appeal is final. After the filing of an approved arbitration, settlements must be reviewed and accepted/rejected by actions of the Executive Committee after recommendations are received by the Grievance Chair and IEA Representatives. In the event the grievant disputes the Executive Committee decision, the grievant may refer the matter to the Assembly for the final decision.

Legal Authorization: Upon assessment of viable action, legal matters taken in the name of the Faculty Association and involving judicial or administrative agency proceedings shall be approved or rejected by the Executive Committee. In the event of a dispute, two members of the Executive Committee may petition the matter to the Assembly who shall make the final decision.