How to handle: Common Problems

When one of your UNISON members approaches you with a problem the first thing to do is discuss the problem through with them. It may be that you can offer advice that resolves the problem there and then, if not, agree with the member the next course of action and involve the member in the problem solving. Note: Do not give any advice to non members for legal reasons. If your unsure of membership status, check with the Branch first.

Your next step is to arrange a meeting between you, your member and their immediate manager; this may be team leader, ward manager, etc. This may resolve the problem or if not may result in a plan of action that will lead to its resolution in the near future.

If it is clear at that stage that a resolution cannot be found at that level of management then you need to progress this to the next level of management. At this point you may want to seek advice from a senior UNISON representative within the branch.

It is important that the member remains involved in the solving of their problem and any meeting with senior representatives they should attend. After advice and if confident enough, a meeting with the next level of management should be arranged for your member and yourself. At this point you may wish a senior representative to accompany you for support at this meeting.

If the problem still remains unresolved, then again it can be referred to the next level of management, you may wish a senior representative to take on this case now. It is important that at future meetings dealing with the member’s problems that both you and the member attend.

If there is still no resolution to the problem the senior representative may opt to include the services of a UNISON regional officer.

Note:

The aim should be to resolve problems at the lowest possible stage of the process. As a UNISON representative, the members have elected you in your work area so they should have faith in your abilities to resolve problems for them and not just pass the problems onto other representatives with whom they may be unfamiliar with.

Philip Bloyce - Branch Chair

Communicator is optimised for IE 7+ with a screen resolution set at 1024 X 768 or above