CANADIAN STANDARD FOR EXCELLENCE DISCIPLINARY GUIDELINE
The United Association Standard for Excellence policy not only outlines the obligations of UA members on the job; it also spells out the obligations of our signatory contractors as well. In this way, we are making it clear to all parties – including construction owners – that we are dedicated to doing the best job possible.
Employees are obligated to provide a fair day’s work for a fair day’s wages. Contractors must be fair to employees, but also have a role in the promotion of a strong unionized sector. Being fair does not mean “looking the other way” when an infraction occurs. Nor does it mean that the Contractor should merely lay off an incompetent or insubordinate employee when that employee may need counseling, discipline or, in irreparable and egregious cases, exclusion from the industry. All parties have a role in this regard.
The United Association and its signatory contractors hereby have established and shall maintain a common disciplinary guideline.
It is agreed that the United Association and its signatory contractors will make all parties aware of the disciplinary guideline for violation of company and client on‐site rules.
PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINARY GUIDELINE
1. VERBAL WARNING: An employee who has committed an infraction is verbally warned and told that if the infraction occurs again (within some specified period), the degree of disciplinary action will be increased.
Some examples: minor safety policy violations, minor work‐site disruptions, poor workmanship issues, attendance (reporting to work late) problems, verbal abuse to Supervisor and co‐workers.
2. WRITTEN WARNING: If the employee again commits the same or similar violation within the specified period (or possibly an unrelated infraction), the employee will be given a written warning which will be placed on his/her personnel file. The employee will be told that if any further misconduct occurs, the employee will be disciplined again, more severely.
3. SUSPENSION AND FINAL WARNING: If the employee again transgresses in the misconduct, he/she will be suspended from employment for a period of time without pay and will be given a final warning.
This warning clearly will normally specify discharge as the result of another infraction. This step may be repeated, however, for example, a one‐day, then a five‐day suspension.
4. DISCHARGE: If the employee again is guilty of misconduct (as outlined in Step 3), the employee may be discharged.
The Employee may also be immediately discharged, at the Contractor’s discretion, for serious disciplinary misconduct.
In other cases of sufficiently serious misconduct, the Contractor at its discretion may skip any of the preceding steps.
Some examples of serious disciplinary misconduct: Fraud, Severe Health and Safety policy violations, severe work place disruptions, workplace violence and/or intimidation, etc.
