KNOW YOUR RIGHTS DURING THE TRANSITION
WHAT DOES UNION PROTECTION MEAN RIGHT NOW? Even without a finalized contract, you have legal protections. CPAA Deputy General Counsel Samantha Odyniec breaks down what every school leader needs to know, including the two big protections you already have on the job, and how to use them when it matters most. • Deny the request and immediately end the interview. • Allow you to choose whether to proceed with the meeting without a representative or end the interview. We recommend not attending any interview that could lead to discipline without a union representative, regardless of how minor you think the investigation or incident in question is. The right to representation generally does not apply to meetings to provide training or inform you about district policies or where you are a witness rather than a subject of an investigation. However, when you make the above statement, CPS should follow one of the three steps above or say that the meeting will not result in discipline. Unsure if this applies to a certain meeting? Call the legal hotline!
By Samantha Odyniec, Deputy General Counsel, CPAA
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO UNION REPRESENTATION DURING INVESTIGATORY INTERVIEWS When asked to have a meeting with a supervisor or other department, invoke your Weingarten rights by saying: “If this meeting could in any way lead to discipline, termination, or impact my working conditions, then I request union representation and will not participate until I am afforded this right.” After making this statement, CPS may lawfully take one of three courses of action: • Grant your request and delay the interview until a representative is available.
50 • CPAA QUARTERLY MAG | Q3 AND Q4 2025
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