Grievance

INTRODUCTION

Grievance is any discontent or feeling of unfairness and in the workplace, it should be pertaining to work. Grievance is an action taken by the dissatisfied employees to seek for satisfaction. Grievances may be actual or imaginary activities. An example of actual activities may be employees being upset due to the fact that their salary is being reduced. An example of an imaginary activity can be employee being monitored by their superior due to poor performance at work; unfortunately, the superior’s objective may not be communicated to the employee which leads to employee having the feeling of the superior being intrusive. Other colleagues may think that the superior is being unfair. This type of grievance is based on making assumptions.

There are two category of grievance, the General and Individual Grievance. General grievance affects a group of employees, for example, being retrenched or salary being cut that involves more than one individual. Individual grievance affects only to one employee, for example, employee being sexual harassed or feeling discriminated in any position. Such grievance would require only a one-to-one approach (Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices, 2011).

WHY EMPLOYEES FILE GRIEVANCE

There are several reasons why employee file grievance. One of the reasons may be employees being treated unfairly or being discriminated. In situation such as employer only allows employee to have a half an hour lunch break instead of an hour as stated in the contract, employee may file a grievance against them. Example of employees being treated unfairly and discriminated is in a situation where company is in the process of pay cut; only the female staffs’ pay is being cut while the male staffs’ pay remains the same. In such situation, female employees may file a grievance against the company.

PROCEDURES TO FILE GRIEVANCE

There are four steps of procedures to file a grievance in a non-unionised company. The very...