Tyler Barth is the Chief Steward of Enfield EMS. Stewards are the backbone of an effective union. They reach out to new members and help educate them on their rights. They serve as a bridge between elected union leadership and workers on the job. They listen to co-workers and provide a confidential way for members to bring forward their ideas and concerns. Most importantly, it is a steward’s job to inspire, lead and build a sense of unity and solidarity among the workers in our union. All union members have a right to have a steward present during meetings that they feel might be disciplinary. As the Chief Steward, Tyler can arrange steward training for anybody who wishes to serve as a steward and bring concerns from other stewards up through the chain of command of the union executive board.

Weingarten rights guarantee an employee the right to Union representation during an investigatory interview. These rights, established by the Supreme Court, in 1975 in the case of J'. Weingarten Inc,, must be claimed by the employee. The supervisor has no obligation to inform an employee that s/he is entitled to Union representation.

An investigatory interview is one in which a Supervisor questions an employee to obtain information which could be used as a basis for discipline or asks an employee to defend his/her conduct. If an employee has a reasonable belief that discipline or discharge may result from what s/he says, the employee has the right to request Union representation.

When an investigatory interview occurs, the following rules apply:

• Rule 1 - The employee must make a clear request for Union representation before or during the interview. The employee can't be punished for making this request.

• Rule 2 - After the employee makes the request, the supervisor has 3 options. S/he must either:

1. Grant the request and delay the interview until the Union representative arrives and has a chance to consult privately with the employee: or

2. Deny the request and end the interview immediately; or

3. Give the employee a choice of:

1)having the interview without representation or

2) ending the interview

• Rule 3 - If the supervisor denies the request and continues to ask questions, this is an unfair labor practice and the employee has a right to refuse to answer. The employee cannot be disciplined for such refusal but is required to sit there until the supervisor terminates the interview. Leaving before this happens may constitute punishable insubordination.

You are not required to merely be 'silent witness'. You have the right to:

1. be informed by the supervisor of the subject matter of the interview

2. take the employee aside for a private conference before questioning begins

3. speak during the interview

4. request that the supervisor clarify a question so that what is being asked is understood

5. give employee advice on how to answer a question

6. provide additional information to the supervisor at the end of the questioning.

You do not have the right to tell the employee not to answer or give false answers. An employee can be disciplined for refusing to answer questions.