What are Weingarten Rights? When should I use them?
Weingarten rights: An employee’s right to union representation at a meeting with management when the employee has a reasonable belief that discipline will result from the meeting. [1975 U.S. Supreme Court decision]. (as defined at http://www.csueu.org/ContentBuilder/tabid/162/ArticleId/36/Default.aspx). Weingarten Rights are derived from a U.S. Supreme Court Decision which gives employees the right to union representation at an investigatory interview with the employer which “the employee reasonably believes may result in discipline” and does not apply to meetings where the employer will do all the talking or is handing an employee a “reprimand.” When called in to an investigatory interview, an employee has a right to a) know what the meeting is about, and b) union representation at the meeting, if it could lead to a negative action (The employee must request representation to secure this right).
