Grievance Procedure

Teamsters Local 120 typically negotiates a grievance procedure in its contracts that enables it to enforce the terms of the contract and protect the rights of members.  If management violates the contract, the grievance procedure allows the member to follow a process that can provide relief or achieve justice.

Teamster contracts may define a grievance in several ways: It could be “a dispute between the union and management over the application and/or interpretation of the agreement,” or “any dispute or difference arising between an employee and management or between the union and management.” Each grievance procedure has specific steps with time limits that must be followed. The steps in a grievance procedure vary, but a typical one may include:

• Step One: The steward and the grievant meet with the supervisor within 10 days of the occurrence to resolve the grievance. Management has five days to respond.

• Step Two: If there is no settlement at Step One, a Business Agent, the grievant and a management representative will meet to try to resolve the grievance.

• Step Three: If still unresolved, the grievance will be heard by an arbitrator or panel who will render a decision.

Depending on the step, Teamsters Local 120 members can count on being represented by trained stewards, experienced business agents or a staff attorney. 

In contrast, employment is generally "at will" in non-union workplaces.  This means that employees can be fired for any reason or no reason at all, with few exceptions.  Discipline doesn't have to be progressive and firings aren't only for just cause.  While employee handbooks and personnel policies may seem to offer protection, they are not contractually binding in most instances.   As a result, the livelihoods of non-union employees are almost totally at the whim of management.