Skip to content

Requesting a Union Observer

When members apply for a posting, under an agreement between the Compensation Employee’s Union and the Workers’ Compensation Board of BC, they can request a Union Observer who will ensure that fair treatment is exercised during the said competition recruitment.  

Members must contact the CEU Office with their request immediately upon applying for a new position.  The CEU Office will be responsible for processing the Observer request while also ensuring that it is kept strictly confidential.  This means that requesting members have the assurance that neither the Human Resources team nor the appointed Observer will be informed of their identity.  It is important to note that once a testing has begun on a competition the Observer requests cannot be processed. 

Once appointed, Union Observers attend panel testing sessions; take notes; and observe the questions/comments and conduct of the interviewing personnel.  Observers do not participate in the panel tests; they simply observe and report back to the Union Office if there are any procedural discrepancies or perceived instances of bias. At the end of the competition, the Observer sends their testing notes to the Union Office.  The Union Office will then refer to the notes if a selection grievance occurs on the competition, or if the Observer raises concerns directly with the Union Office.

In situations where members have concerns about the process of a competition or about their result in a competition, they should contact their local steward and manager and ask to meet for a debrief.  If the member or steward continue to have concerns following the debrief meeting, they will contact the Union Office to discuss next steps.

Appointing a Union Observer

Upon receiving an Observer request, the CEU Office will contact trained Observers to see if someone is available to act as Observer on a given competition.  Once an Observer is selected, the Office will notify the Human Resources representative on the competition and will communicate all the required information to the Observers. The duties of Union Observers are outlined in the Article 17.08 and LOU B8.  Observers must, among other things:

  • strictly adhere to confidentiality so that the privacy of candidates, competition testing and selecting, as well as all information acquired in their observation, are always protected.
  • be aware that the competition they are observing is not in conflict with their own career path, as there will be a restriction, of up to a year, on the Observer from applying on a position in the same job classification.

Applying for the Union Observer role

All members can apply for the Union Observer role.  Those who show interest in becoming an Observer can contact the CEU Office to talk to the Business Representative in charge of this matter. The Representative will provide further guidelines and ensure that interested members are trained to effectively perform the duties of the Observer position.

If you require further information or have any questions or concerns regarding Union Observers, please contact the Union Office.

Back To Top