A strong grievance process is one of the most important responsibilities of any union. For executives and elected presidents, ensuring that grievances are tracked, escalated, and resolved on time is critical for protecting worker rights and maintaining trust. Yet in many unions, grievance management is still handled with paper files, spreadsheets, or disconnected systems, which makes it difficult to enforce timelines and ensure fairness.
UnionWare provides a structured approach to grievance handling through its Cases module, helping unions stay compliant, reduce delays, and create transparency across every step of the process.
Why the grievance process matters
Grievances are not just formal complaints, they are the mechanism that enforces contracts and defends worker rights. A well-run process ensures:
- Fairness and accountability for both members and employers.
- Compliance with collective agreements by tracking deadlines and hearing dates.
- Confidence for members that their concerns are taken seriously and handled consistently.
Without a structured system, grievances can fall through the cracks, deadlines may be missed, and the union risks both compliance failures and member dissatisfaction.
Step-by-step grievance process
Every union’s procedures may differ slightly, but the core process follows these stages:
1. Grievance filing
A member reports a complaint or violation. Union staff collect details, assign categories, and open a case. With UnionWare’s Cases module, all grievance information is stored in one place, linked to the member record.
2. Initial review
The union reviews the grievance to determine if it falls under the contract. Supporting documents and notes can be uploaded directly into the case file.
3. Investigation
Union representatives gather evidence, interview members, and prepare documentation. UnionWare keeps these notes and documents organized and accessible in the case manager.
4. Employer meeting
The union meets with the employer to present the grievance. Outcomes, agreements, or next steps are recorded in the system to maintain a full history.
5. Escalation or resolution
If unresolved, the grievance may escalate to arbitration or other formal processes. UnionWare’s templates and workflows generate reminders and correspondence, ensuring that no deadlines are missed.
6. Case closure
Once resolved, the grievance is marked closed, with outcomes and awards recorded for future reference.
How UnionWare supports grievance management
UnionWare’s Cases module was built to handle grievances, arbitrations, and disputes with structure and accountability. Key features include:
- Case Manager to securely manage all case types, storing notes, documents, expenses, outcomes, and awards.
- Assignment tracking to split duties among staff and track participants such as members, legal counsel, arbitrators, and witnesses.
- Templates and workflows to automate letters, emails, reminders, and correspondence.
- Auto case numbering for consistency and easy reference.
- Case visualization through ULink to give leaders and staff a role-based view of assigned items and summaries.
This ensures grievances move forward on time with full transparency. It also reduces risk by creating a complete audit trail that can be reviewed at any point.
A real-world example of efficiency
During a recent implementation project for a large public sector organization, early feedback showed how UnionWare’s systems reduced administrative workload dramatically: what previously took more than 3 hours, plus additional manual time to work through exceptions, was reduced to 2 minutes or less with only about 15 minutes of exception handling. While this project was broader than grievances alone, the results demonstrate how automating processes improves efficiency and confidence for both staff and members.
Overcoming common concerns
Some leaders worry about the price or the length of implementation. These concerns are valid, but case studies show the return on investment is clear:
- Price: Automating grievance management reduces hidden costs like missed deadlines, manual errors, and staff hours spent searching for documents.
- Implementation: Successful unions often adopt a phased approach to modernization, beginning with the most critical workflows before expanding to others. This method allows teams to maintain continuity while steadily improving efficiency and scalability.
Conclusion
A structured grievance process protects worker rights, ensures compliance, and builds member confidence. UnionWare’s Cases module equips unions with the tools to manage grievances from filing through resolution, with full accountability and measurable results. For executives and presidents, this means peace of mind that every grievance is tracked, every deadline is met, and every member’s voice is heard.
