If you’ve visited one of our MGEU regional offices lately, you may have noticed a difference — MGEU staff are sometimes using a new security system to let visitors in.
“The folks in these locations sometimes work alone,” says MGEU President, Michelle Gawronsky. “As a union and an employer, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure their safety given that anyone could walk right in off the street. So the Safety and Health Committee began working with MGEU management to find the right balance between user-friendly, accessible services and enhanced security measures.”
If you drop by an office and find it’s locked, signage will tell you how to contact the MGEU Resource Centre, who’ll work to arrange a meeting with your rep. If you’re dropping off an item, a secure drop box has been added near the public entrance.
“First of all, we are now requesting all MGEU members visiting one of the union’s seven regional offices to please book an appointment before coming to see their staff representative. This recognizes our staff reps’ busy schedules – their jobs often take them out of the office and we want to make sure members continue to have the option of meeting their rep in the office. Members will still have the ability to request a workplace visit if that’s their preference,” said Gawronsky.
It’s all part of the union’s plan to remain accessible to members, while providing additional safety measures for those working alone – which also includes adding a new check-in system for those who spend hours on the road assisting members throughout the province.
Members will have also noticed additional respectful workplace signage in MGEU office entrances and in all meeting rooms.
“As always,
we want to remind both members and staff that a safe, respectful workplace is a
shared responsibility,” Gawronsky said. “It’s up to each of us to make all
reasonable efforts to work cooperatively and maintain respectful interactions
at all times.”