When fighting with the boss, use common sense
Loss prevention, corporate security, human resource investigations, shrink investigations, cash control investigations and any other investigation of this nature should raise an immediate red flag.
Your job may be in jeopardy and you should proceed with caution. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to go through this type of interview alone.
Many of our members think that they can defend and represent themselves in these situations because they don’t think they did anything wrong; so they don’t see the harm in participating with the investigation alone and without representation.
Many of these members find themselves in trouble and suspended. They may be forced to give statements that can make it nearly impossible for the union to defend. Many times they incriminate others in their store just to try and save themselves.
These very uncomfortable and damaging meetings can be avoided if you exercise your right to have a union representative or a union steward present during the interview. You can exercise the right to have union representation, and you should, whenever you are asked to participate in an investigatory interview or you feel that your job may be in jeopardy based on the questioning. These rights are afforded to union members only under Weingarten, a federal law.
This right does not apply to written warnings. You are required to sign a written warning when it is presented to you, even if you disagree.
You may sign under protest and some company documents may have an area that you can actually document and explain your protest.
You must contact your representative if you would like the union to officially protest the warning by filing a grievance.
Should you have any questions or you need any advice regarding your rights, please do not hesitate to call your representative or the representative on duty at (714)995-4601 ext. 296.
