While every grievance begins as a complaint, all complaints do not become grievances. In order to know what complaints can be processed as grievances, you will need to refer to the collective bargaining agreement between Raritan Valley County Community College and the Raritan Valley Community College Support Staff Federation for the definition of a grievance. As you will see in Article III. of the contract, a grievance is defined as matters involving interpretation, application or performance of the Agreement; practices, policies and administrative decisions affecting the terms and working conditions of employment.
The purpose of the grievance procedure is to provide for the speedy, orderly and equitable resolution of disputes.
Inherent in the grievance procedure is the remedy sought which must be identified in order to make the grievant whole. In selecting an appropriate remedy, it is important to keep in mind that the purpose of the remedy is restoration not retribution. The remedy should be consistent with the collective bargaining agreement in order to protect the integrity of the contract.
If you feel that the conditions for a grievance have been met, please do the following:
1. Carefully document all facts including dates and times pertaining to the grievance.
2. Contact one of the local officers immediately to discuss the filing of the grievance.
Remember that there is a big difference between a gripe and a grievance. A grievance is a formal challenge to the employer that the contract has been violated.
Fortunately, most problems can be settled informally without filing paperwork. But it is imperative that you contact the local leadership as soon as possible when you feel you have a grievance. There are strict timelines for the filing process, and they start the minute the violation takes place.
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