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As a CWU member you need to be aware of your rights to representation and who you can take into any formal meeting with your employer. This could be in respect of:
Your right to be accompanied is limited to an official Trade Union representative or another ‘friend or colleague’ who must also be an employee of the same company.
You do NOT have the right to take in a solicitor or personal friend or family member (unless your invitation letter specifies otherwise- usually if you are under 18).
Your rights also include the right to reasonably postpone the meeting to ensure you have time to prepare for the meeting and have a trade union representative available to attend with you.
Your rep is there to give advice, guidance and support throughout the process. They will also ensure that you are being treated fairly, check that the business is following the correct process and that you are given the opportunity to tell your side of the story.
Your rep can:
The only thing they can’t do is answer a question put directly to you – though they can add to your answer.
Your rep can also challenge the business before or during the meeting if they go outside of process, raise issues that you have not been informed would form part of the meeting, don’t give you the proper opportunities to present your case, or if they become too heavy handed.
The union’s advice is that you should always be accompanied by a qualified trade union representative – It’s your right and you’re already paying for the service! You should never feel pressured to go in alone or that by being accompanied you would harm the outcome.
We often hear people say their manager told them there was ‘nothing to worry about’, but then get in touch to appeal against the warning they’ve received
It’s much easier to stop a warning being given than to get it overturned by appeal. If you are in any doubt, get in touch. We’ll give you HONEST advice about what to expect and potential outcomes to any hearings you are asked to attend.
As soon as you know you’ve been invited to a meeting, GET IN TOUCH. We will need to see ALL the documents that form part of the case as soon as possible so we can give you the best advice and the best representation possible. If you get in touch the day before or the day of the meeting, we may not be able to attend the hearing and may not be able to get it rescheduled at such short notice.
CWU Mersey Branch
Suite 142d, The Genesis Centre
Birchwood
Warrington
WA3 7BH