Stage 1 - Informal Conflict Resolution. The informal conflict resolution process will not be utilized to investigate and resolve Human Rights Harassment. An employee who believes they have a potential complaint of harassment should make their objection known to the alleged harasser and is encouraged to resolve the matter wherever possible on an informal basis. The employee may choose to ask for the help of their local Manager or Union Representative to facilitate a meeting between the parties. In an environment of confidentiality, the Manager and/or Union Representative will outline the complaint procedure, the definition of harassment, and discuss various possible courses of action with the parties in order to resolve the matter quickly and appropriately. At any point | the complainant, management or Unifor may decide to discontinue the informal process and escalate the matter to Stage 2. While the informal conflict resolution process will not assign formal responsibility for the conflict, management may need to address inappropriate behaviour on the part of individuals involved in the dispute, and warn that future incidents of inappropriate conduct may result in discipline and the more formal investigation process of Stage 2. Stage 1 resolution should be completed within two weeks from the date of the initial complaint. When complaints are resolved at this stage the Company and the Union will keep a brief summary of the conflict and its resolution for a period of one year from the date of the complaint, at which time the summary will be removed from both the Company’s and Union’s conflict resolution file. This summary is kept to document patterns of behaviour should other similar issues arise within this period regarding any of the parties in the initial complaint.
