Become a SIF rep

SIF Rep

What are the rights of a workplace representative?

As a SIF Workplace Rep, you have certain rights under employment law. If the SIF is recognised by your employer, you have more rights than if the SIF is not recognised. Trade union recognition is a formal agreement with an employer for a particular union to undertake collective bargaining on behalf of that employer’s staff.

Collective bargaining typically covers terms and conditions of employment (pay, hours, and holidays), discipline and grievance matters, health and safety, allocation of work, and redundancy. It often extends to cover professional development and change management.

If the SIF is recognised by your employer, you are entitled to:

• Statutory paid time off for union duties and training
• Approach non-members about joining
• Somewhere to display SIF materials
• Reasonable use of facilities, such as email, telephone and a photocopier
• Use of a room for meetings.

You have the right to access documentation that affects members including job descriptions, staffing structures, pay and conditions of service documents, and local employment policies. Further details about the rights for workplace reps in recognised workplaces can be found in the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) code of practice on time off for trade union duties and activities.

In non-recognised workplaces, the rep does not have the right to collective bargaining; however, members are still able to access individual assistance from the SIF. In particular, all workers have the right to be accompanied in a formal grievance or disciplinary hearing, and so can be accompanied by the SIF Workplace Rep if they have received appropriate training.

As a companion, you can attend a hearing and confer with your member but cannot answer for them. If you are not available to act as a companion on the date of the hearing, the member involved can suggest another date within five working days and the employer has to postpone the original hearing. If you do not have the appropriate training or can not attend on the chosen date you will refer it to the SIF staff who will attend in your place. You have a right not to be victimised for acting as a companion for a colleague.

SIF Support and Training

As a workplace rep, we want you to feel confident and supported in your new SIF role.

The SIF provides many opportunities for our reps to develop their knowledge and skills:

• Induction activities
• Training opportunities through the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU)
• Training and events for Reps with the SIF and external stakeholders (face-to-face and online)
• A forum for you to network, share and support each other
• Places for reps at the SIF Annual Conference

If you would like to become an SIF Rep or for more information, please complete the form.