Union Benefits: How Does the Union Provide You Job Security?

Most people have never belonged to a union before joining our union family and may not be aware of one of the most important benefits in your union contract. It’s known as “just cause” or “proper cause” and can be found in every union contract we negotiate. It is how your union provides you job security and peace of mind.

 Have you ever worried you might lose your job because of a bad manager or a manager that didn’t like you? It can be a really stressful situation. As a union member, you have rights that protect you and trained Union Stewards and Representatives that have your back.

 Just cause means that your supervisor can’t fire you or discipline you because they don’t like you, they have to prove to the union that they had a good reason for any action they take against you. For example, if you speak up about an issue at work, your supervisor can’t write you up or fire you because they didn’t like what you had to say or if you get written up for being late your supervisor has to prove to the union that you were late and that they were holding everyone to the same policy. This is a right that non-union workers don’t have.  

 Any time you are disciplined you should reach out to your Union Steward. Stewards are your co-workers who have volunteered to receive special training to defend your rights as a union member. Sometimes the situation can be resolved with a meeting, but other situations may need a grievance to be filed. A grievance is the union’s way of resolving issues for our members and it is also found in your union contract.

 Trained Union Stewards, your Union Representatives and the rights you have in your union contract solve issues for thousands of your fellow union members every single year. In 2020, our union won hundreds of grievances and put over $262,000 back in the pockets of our hard-working members.

 As a union member, you have rights and a union family that has your back and will defend your rights. Just cause in our union contracts gives you as a union member important job security.