Failure to grieve contract violations indicates acceptance of such violation. Get out of the ranks of the silent majority. Unchallenged contract violations could lead to contract stripping! Without vigorous enforcement, a contract is worthless. We must maintain constant vigilance to insure that our hard-won gains are not eroded by management. Your Union prides itself having built a strong grievance machinery which operates democratically for all unit members. But we need your help to make it work.

A strong grievance procedure vigorously enforced by the Union is necessary to insure equitable treatment under the contract. If you feel that you may have received inequitable treatment, you should contact the Union immediately. Do not delay; there are time limits within which a grievance must be formally filed. A grievance not filed before the expiration of the time limits is irrevocably lost

Fair Representation Policy

The Kent Education Association shall represent all employees in the bargaining unit fairly and shall not discriminate on the basis of membership or non-membership affiliation, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, sex or age.

The Association shall provide access for all members of the bargaining unit to the negotiated Grievance Procedure and make all reasonable efforts for redress or remedy for the grievant, up to and including Step 2, Superintendent Level.

When requested in writing by the grievant, the Association shall proceed to grievance mediation and/or final and binding arbitration with those grievances recommended by the Association's Grievance Commission and that are within the limitations of available monies.

The Grievance Commission shall implement the fair representation policy. The Commission shall provide advice and assistance in processing grievances up to and including Step 2, Superintendent Level. If the grievant requests the Association appeal the disposition of the grievance at Step 2 by submitting the grievance to arbitration, the Grievance Commission shall meet within seven (7) days of receiving the request and shall recommend to the Executive Board that the grievance, based on all the evidence, should be (1) appealed beyond Step 2 or (2) withdrawn without prejudice from the procedure. The grievant shall be given fair opportunity to present additional evidence to the Commission and/or shall be allowed to appeal the recommendation with cause to the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall meet within two (2) weeks of receiving the request for arbitration to make the final decision. The Executive Board shall also make the final determination regarding the limitations of available monies for appeals beyond Step 2.

All actions of the Commission and the Association shall be documented in writing, and communications to and from the grievant shall also be recorded in writing.