Grievances

Grievances are the way that union-represented staffers enforce their contract and protect their rights. You cannot be disciplined or discriminated against for exercising your contractual rights. If you believe that a supervisor has violated your contractual rights and you and your chapter leader have been unable to resolve your complaint informally, you should file a grievance against the DOE. Your chapter leader and your district representative will explain the process to you; help you prepare the grievance, citing the violated contract clause; and represent you at the hearing. In certain instances, your chapter leader can file a grievance on your behalf (i.e., class size, mandated consultation, posting, program deadlines). For most grievances, the first step is at the school level. If your case is not resolved at the school level, the union can proceed to a hearing at the chancellor's level. If necessary, the union will consider taking the grievance to the final appeal, arbitration, in front of an independent neutral arbitrator, selected jointly and paid for equally by the DOE and the UFT.