I have been having my own problems at work recently, and considering this is my third entry on my work experience in the last year, it should come as no surprise to people who have been reading. I do work in a unionized environment and we do have a code of conduct policy that may restrict my ability to reveal certain information about my company. I also prefer to keep anonymous as much as possible to avoid be asked information. So I can tell you information about my workplace that has resulted in the departure of some employees. Some employees who have been fired eventually got their jobs back. However, we have a new provincial government and they may make it more difficult for me to get my job back in the event that I were to ever be fired (I work for a crown corporation, which means I am in the public sector). That being said, I cannot speak on behalf of my employer and this blog is simply my experience being shared and my opinion on what I think happens or will happen at work.
I look at my experience and I ultimately realize that people become disgruntled for the following reasons:
1. Denied promotion for no valid reason: This did happen to another employee who had to fight for 7 months to get their promotion through the grievance process. I filed a grievance more recently because I was denied a temporary job assignment with no valid reason given. In both of our cases, management couldn't give an explanation as to why.
2. No recognition for good work and improving performances: I have had good couple years at work. However, management wants to continue holding the past against me. They are making it clear to me that they are more than happy to me move the field goal posts further and further back.
3. No incentive to move forward: In connection with number 2 above, if improvement can't be acknowledged, then the small victories can't or won't be celebrated. What would be the point in doing a good job if there is no reward for it?
4. Grievance process is drawn out over long periods of time: This may ring true in a unionized environment with a Collective Bargaining Agreement. In this case, your being disgruntled may be directed at your union representatives as well as your management team. You just want your grievance to go along smoothly and as quickly as possible. However, when your grievance ends up taking 12-24 months to get to arbitration (and it doesn't get thrown out or union settles for less than what you are owed), you start getting pissed off even more. Personally, I have not gone to arbitration yet, so I can't say I have been screwed over by my union in that regard... yet. I have seen others take forever. The only advice that can be given is to just let the process sort things out. But if you are like me however:
5. You have too many grievances: You have been wronged enough times by your management team that you may be putting in a lot of grievances. Regardless of how wrong management might be, if you keep filing grievances instead of letting decisions go, they will have no problem letting arbitration sort out your mess. At this point, I have to understand that I might win a couple, but it will most certainly come at a cost to the relationship with the employer. You can't expect to win some grievances without your employer taking it personally. I myself will have to be prepared to live with that.
6. Management shows a total lack of respect to the employees: The most recent grievance I was referring to in number 1 is what I will be referring to here. I ended up finding out in a text message from a co-worker on another shift that the position I had applied for was given to someone else. Management felt it was necessary to not give me any notice ahead of time, or pull me aside to inform me of the decision. This was piss poor tact no matter how you look at it in a unionized environment, especially if you want that employee affected to be respectful and accepting of your decision making. The only reason management would want to do this however may have to do with the fact that they want to make it clear that they don't respect you or like you. In other words, they may not have cause to fire me, but want me to quit without having to offer a severance package.
To avoid becoming disgruntled: I have no real advice for you that would make me not look like a hypocrite. But I would imagine that you would have to pick your own battles and take the grievances that matter the most to you to arbitration and argue those grievances. You will have to understand that the arguments are out of your control once you go past the necessary stages that occur before arbitration (you have to argue to management that you were wronged and deserve what you are asking for). Also keep your arguments with management away from your fellow employees. The more you complain to other employees, the more likely you will receive complaints about being your attitude and it may affect the morale of the workplace. You will still have to maintain a high level of professionalism if you choose to stay around in the environment in which management has caused you to be disgruntled. Your attitude before arbitration will ultimately be considered. Be careful what you say and to who.
I don't know the management perspective of how they deal with a disgruntled employee. But I imagine they will have to nip any issues in the bud as they occur. If they don't, that will be the warning sign that they don't care and want you to leave despite having no cause to fire you. Now if management does want you gone, they will fire you if they see you making mistakes as a result of being disgruntled That is why I recommend being as professional as possible as it will help your argument. If management doesn't care that you are disgruntled and wants you gone, you will feel like you are walking on eggshells. The first excuse they can find to fire you with cause (meaning possibility of severance is significantly reduced), expect them to pull the trigger.
In my unionized environment, I have only heard the rumours that management does offer payouts to employees they don't want back. It appears that the payouts would have to be something substantial in order to get the employee to not come back. I have seen some employees return a couple years after being fired too since there had to be an underlying issue for that employee's dismissal.
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