Season 2-Episode 7: Your Weingarten Rights Reminder
What are Weingarten rights and why are those rights important to all unionized employees?
When a member is called to a supervisor’s office for an interview, that meeting request alone can be somewhat stressful. When the purpose of the interview is to investigate an event that could lead to disciplinary action or dismissal, the union member has the right to invoke “Weingarten rights”. However, those rights are not, as Caryn explains, automatic and it is incumbent upon the member to ask for them when the member feels that they are needed.
Today we are speaking with American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts (AFT-MA) Field Representative Caryn Laflamme who works very closely with the United Teachers of Lowell 495 as both a Field Representative and contract negotiator. Caryn breaks down Weingarten rights for all of us in this FAQ Episode - our yearly reminder that during an investigatory interview with a supervisor, a member has the right to have a union representative present.
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Thanks once again to Caryn Laflamme for this reminder of Weingarten and how to invoke them should a member need to do so. We remind members that it is incumbent upon the member to ask for union representation should one feel that is needed.
Thank you for tuning in to this Episode of Straight Talk. We hope that if you enjoy what you hear, you’ll consider subscribing to our podcast using Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. As always, we welcome your general comments and feedback. If you have suggestions for future podcast topics or if you are aware of a UTL495 member who might be willing to share experiences or expertise, send us an email at utlstraighttalk@gmail.com.
