Before

1. “The first rule of rules, know the rules!” Become familiar with your Master Agreement which relates to administrative or disciplinary action as well as the grievance procedure. Also have a Master Agreement handy to use on site as an Association Representative. Be sure to bring it to any meeting in which you are representing a member.
2. Know the reason for the meeting and the level of advocacy the member expects from you prior to the meeting.
3. Make sure the administrator knows you will be attending the meeting. A quick email or phone call is all that is necessary and is considered a professional courtesy which goes a long way toward building trust and rapport with an administrator.
4. It is always a sound idea to meet ten or fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled meeting to check in and review the situation and reiterate the ground rules.
5. Encourage the member to journal the incident as soon a possible. The journaling should include all the relevant details; time, place, situation, witnesses, etc. Journaling will help the member to clearly recall important details after the event. Often the details of an emotionally charged incident can quickly become confused and muddled. Journaling as soon as possible after the event can prevent confusion and keep the details fresh in the members mind.

During

1. Take plenty of notes. The most important items to include are the time and date of the meeting and who is present in the room. While taking notes, be mindful of getting all the facts. If you are unsure of a fact, ask for clarification. There are no stupid questions when getting the facts. The most powerful tool in your arsenal often will simply be a pad of paper and a pen.
2. “We have two ears and one mouth” Listen twice as long as you speak. These are words to live by. It is also important to let the member know if you reach over and touch their arm it is the signal to STOP TALKING IMMEDIATELY.
3. Avoid confrontations, if the situation gets too hot; shut the meeting down when cooler heads can prevail. Then call the Association office ASAP. (970-223-7321) Be professional and assertive but not aggressive.
4. Members have the right to representation AT ANY MEETING THEY CHOOSE! Any meeting can also be rescheduled to ensure a representative is present. This is especially true of the “impromptu meeting” where someone is called into a meeting that will “just take a minute.” “Impromptu meetings” usually are a set up to catch someone off guard without the benefit of representation.
5. Find out the supervisor’s views.
6. Focus on problem solving as appropriate.
7. Know your worksite, keep your eyes and ears open.
8. If it starts to feel “weird” call Greg or Fran at the PEA office right away. (970-223-7321)

After

1. MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY!!!!
2. Keep your notes in a separate Association Representative file and in a safe location.
3. Keep PEA in the loop with an update.
4. If it starts to feel “weird” call Greg Grote or Fran at the PEA office right away. (970-223-7321)
5. If the meeting goes well and you think to yourself “that meeting went well, so why was I there?” know that it went well BECAUSE you were there. Management will often use a different tone when Association representatives attend a meeting.
6. Always debrief with a member after the meeting for feedback, clarity and closure.
7. Remember, these same guidelines and courtesies also apply if the meeting is called by the member.