The Handbook
Know Your Rights.
Three things every union nurse needs in their pocket: your Weingarten rights, the Protest of Assignment, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement — read together, one section at a time.
If management calls you into a meeting that could lead to discipline, you have the legal right to union representation. These rights come from NLRB v. J. Weingarten, Inc. (1975).
Your three rights
The right to representation
You can request a union delegate be present in any investigatory interview that could result in discipline.
The right to refuse
If management denies your request for representation, you can refuse to answer questions until a delegate is present.
The right to consult
You have the right to speak privately with your delegate before the meeting and during it.
What to say
"If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, I respectfully request that my union representative be present. Without representation, I choose not to answer questions."
Memorize it. Say it calmly. Then stop talking until your delegate arrives.
When it applies
- ✓Investigatory interviews about an incident or complaint.
- ✓Meetings where management is gathering facts that could lead to discipline.
- ✓Any time you reasonably believe discipline could result.
- ✗It does NOT apply to routine conversations, performance feedback that isn't disciplinary, or being told the outcome of an investigation.
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