Boland Falconry Club

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

POLICY

The BFC acknowledges that any club member, who has a grievance or is dissatisfied with any matter concerning the BFC management or conditions of membership, will have the right to lodge a grievance with the BFC.  The BFC attempts to resolve any such grievance at the earliest possible stage to the satisfaction of both parties.

Accordingly, the BFC has agreed to implement a grievance procedure, the main purpose of which will be to prevent and resolve conflict in the club environment and to protect the interests of the club and its members.

PRINCIPLES

Any club member or group of club members may lodge grievances, which directly concern them with the BFC in terms of the grievance procedure.

Any grievance lodged will be attended to as speedily as possible and will not be unreasonably delayed.

Management will consider all grievances lodged in a fair and just manner.

No victimisation of any club member who has lodged a grievance will be tolerated.

Allow an interpreter if necessary.

Allow parties to call witnesses to testify.

Question witnesses if necessary.

Cross-examination should not be allowed.

Do not proceed with the investigation if the aggrieved party is not present.

Any club member lodging a grievance may be accompanied and represented at any stage of the procedure by a fellow club member of his/her choice.

The grievance procedure may be utilised by all club members of the BFC.

PROCEDURE

STEP 1

FIRST LEVEL

A club member who has a grievance must first bring it to his/her immediate supervisory club member, who will endeavor to resolve the issue within 7 days of the issue being raised.

If the club member is not satisfied with the outcome, the club member will have the right to raise a formal grievance with the next higher level of management within two days of the previous decision.

STEP 2

SECOND LEVEL

If the club member is not satisfied with the outcome of the previous decision, or if the grievance concerns the club member’s supervisor, then the club member will complete a formal grievance form and submit it to the next level of club management within seven days of the previous decision.

The relevant management committee will arrange a meeting within seven days after having received the grievance form.  The parties concerned may extend the time period upon agreement.  The meeting , which will be attended by the grieved club member, a representative, (if requested by the club member) and the official, will be chaired by the chairman.  The chairman will see to it that minutes be kept of the meeting, whether written or on a tape recording, however, any decision made will be recorded on the formal grievance form.

If the club member has received no satisfactory answer within seven two working days of the formal grievance having been lodged, this will be noted on the grievance form and the club member should be advised to take the issue to top management, which must be done within seven working days.

STEP 3

THIRD LEVEL

This is the highest level in the BFC’ managerial hierarchy and this will usually be the Chairman chaired by a representative of the Western Cape Nature Conservation.

The club member in step two will advise the chairman who will arrange a meeting, consisting of all the parties in step two, within seven working days after the decision of the official in step two has been passed to the club member.  This time period may be extended by consent of the parties concerned.  Minutes, which will be kept of such meeting, may be either in writing or on a tape recording, however, any decision made will be recorded on the formal grievance form and such decision will be conveyed to the club member within two days of the date of the meeting.