Union Grievance Intake Checklist

Use the checklist as a starting record

Use this checklist when a member, steward or group brings a workplace concern to the union. It helps organize an initial conversation; completing it does not determine whether a grievance exists or file anything with an employer. Your organization’s authorized representatives decide how to proceed under the governing procedure.

Record what you know, mark what remains unconfirmed and assign follow-up. Do not delay a time-sensitive review while waiting to fill every blank. Grievance procedures and deadlines depend on the applicable CBA, policy, statute and jurisdiction. A checklist supports that review; it does not supply a universal deadline or replace the required filing process.

Identify the matter and the people involved

Start with a stable case or intake reference, the date and time received, and the name of the representative recording it. Identify the member or affected group, bargaining unit, employer or agency, and relevant work location. Use the information needed to distinguish this matter from another one.

• Member or group involved and an appropriate way to follow up.
• Representative taking intake and the intended case owner.
• Existing case reference, if this concern is related to an open matter.
• Any communication or access needs that affect the next conversation.

Keep contact details in the authorized case record. A broad status report usually needs a case reference and next action, rather than every personal detail collected during intake.

Capture the concern in a neutral account

Ask what happened, when and where it occurred, who was involved, and how the member learned of it. Record the member’s account separately from your interpretation. Distinguish a direct observation from something another person reported. Where a date or detail is uncertain, say so.

Write a short issue summary that another representative can understand without the full conversation. Avoid deciding disputed facts in the intake summary. For example, “Member reports a change to the posted assignment and requests review” preserves the concern without declaring that the agreement was violated.

Ask what outcome the member is seeking. Record the requested remedy as a request, with any supporting explanation. Do not imply that the union or employer has agreed to it merely because it appears on the checklist.

Flag dates and the governing documents

List the event date, any notice or receipt date, previous communications, meetings and actions already taken. Keep the date of an event separate from the date someone told the union about it. Identify any upcoming meeting, required response or possible procedural deadline for prompt review.

Locate the potentially applicable agreement and its effective period. Record the article, section or other procedure that needs review, together with where the source can be found. If applicability is unclear, name the person who will resolve it rather than copying a deadline from another matter.

Separate a proposed date from a reviewed date. Record the rule, triggering event, calculation assumptions, reviewer and any documented extension. Our grievance deadline guide explains how to make this record reviewable. An internal reminder is a preparation aid; it is not evidence that a required filing or service occurred.

List documents and information still needed

Create a short inventory of the records available: the relevant notice, correspondence, schedules, agreement language, filed documents or other material connected to the concern. Identify the source and date of each item, and keep the original alongside any working copy or summary.

• Record where the document is stored and who can access it.
• Distinguish a draft from a version actually sent or received.
• List missing records with the person responsible for obtaining them.
• Identify potential witnesses and the subject of their information without treating an unconfirmed account as established fact.

Follow your organization’s procedures for collecting and protecting sensitive material. Keep internal preparation notes, personal information and any restricted records within the appropriate access boundaries. This worksheet does not establish a retention period or permission to distribute documents.

Assign a concrete next step

Before ending intake, name the person responsible for the immediate action, what they will do and when they will check back. “Investigate” is difficult to track; “obtain the notice and identify the applicable procedure” is a task someone can complete or report as blocked.

Record any decision or communication still needed from an authorized representative. Identify a backup when the owner may be unavailable, and make clear who will update the member. If responsibility passes to someone else, use the union case handoff guide to transfer the context and confirm receipt.

Store the intake record with the case so it becomes the start of a continuous history. The complete grievance tracking guide covers how assignments, evidence, procedural steps and outcomes stay connected after intake.

Review the record before moving forward

Check that the intake reference, source dates, reported concern and next owner are clear. Make uncertainty visible: “notice not yet received” or “procedure awaiting review” is more useful than an unexplained blank. Confirm that the representative receiving the matter can locate the supporting documents.

The downloadable worksheet is intentionally short. Add supporting pages or use the same headings in your existing system when the matter needs more detail. Review the template against your union’s own process before adopting it. It is an administrative aid, not legal advice or an employer-facing grievance form.