Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Before It Gets to a Discipline Meeting

Why asking for help early can make all the difference.

By Nnedi Agu, Representative, Winnipeg Member Centre

I’ve been in a lot of meetings where a member is facing serious discipline, and those are some of the hardest meetings to sit in.

Sometimes the issue sounds small at first. It might be a drink taken without paying for it. It might be staying punched in even though you’re no longer working. It might be taking more break time than approved or changing a time record so a late arrival doesn’t show up as late.

People often focus on the dollar amount or the few minutes involved. But many times, that’s not the main issue. The bigger issue is trust.

Think about it this way. If you went to a friend’s house and they later realized something small was missing—maybe food from the fridge or a pair of earrings—the first question probably wouldn’t be about the value. It would be, can I trust this person in my home again?

Work can be similar. A two-dollar item may not seem like much, but the concern can quickly become: if I can’t trust you with this, how do I trust you with something bigger?

The same idea can apply to work time, taking a product without paying, or changing a time record to hide a late arrival.

What makes these meetings especially difficult is that there’s usually much more going on underneath the surface. The incident is what everyone sees. Underneath it may be financial pressure, stress, mental health challenges, family responsibilities, transportation issues, burnout, or a schedule that just isn’t working anymore. Things can be difficult, and people are often carrying more than others realize.

More than once, I’ve sat in those meetings thinking, I wish this person had reached out for support sooner, before it got to this point.

Sometimes people don’t realize options that may be available if they speak up early. If you need extra breaks because of a medical issue, there may be accommodation options. If you’re dealing with stress, there may be mental health or other workplace supports available. If you’re regularly late because of childcare, transportation, or another challenge, talk to someone. There may be a schedule change, support, or another solution that can address the problem properly.

Your steward or CLAC representative isn’t only there after discipline happens. The union is here to support you, not just to step in at the end. Your reps know the collective agreement, and the kinds of support or processes that may be available. They may not be able to fix everything, but they may be able to help before a difficult situation turns into discipline.

When a discipline meeting happens, the union is still there to make sure the process is fair and that the member is represented. But some situations are much easier to address before trust has been broken than after.

Before it gets to a discipline meeting, before one choice becomes a much bigger issue, and before you find yourself in the hot seat, speak up. A hard conversation early can prevent a much harder one later.

Before It Gets to a Discipline Meeting

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