Association Release Time Subd. 1. The Employer and the Association agree that the release of an ASF Member from normal job duties to perform other service shall be governed as follows:
Association Days The Association shall be provided a total of twenty-two (22) days during the school year of released time to conduct Association business with a maximum of seven (7) used on any given day. Requests for Association days shall be made in writing and, when at all possible, at least three (3) days prior to such leave and shall be submitted to the Superintendent or his/her designee. The Association shall assume any expense incurred by the hiring of a substitute teacher.
Union Release Time The appointing authority may grant to elected officers or appointed representatives of the Union time off for employee organization representation activities. No more than one employee in a department or Bureau of the Department of Public Works with a total of no more than six employees for all bargaining units (4, 14, 15 & 18) shall be allowed release time under this article.
A. The Union shall submit a written request for release of an employee to that employee’s Department Management, which shall include a list of all employees currently on release time for these Units. Such request shall be submitted at least 21 calendar days prior to the effective release date, specifying the starting and ending dates of release. The Union shall provide a copy of said request to the City Administrative Officer. The employee shall fill out any necessary paperwork required by Management for his/her release.
B. Whenever operationally feasible, the Department shall grant the time off request. When it is not possible to immediately grant the request, the Department shall provide an explanation in writing and specify a date when the employee can be released.
C. Release time shall be granted for a maximum of one year in any three-year period unless additional time is approved by the CAO and the affected departments.
D. Employees shall be paid the employee’s current salary by the City while the employee is performing these duties for the Union.
E. Employees shall retain all of their existing benefits, including, but not limited to medical, dental, deferred compensation plan, retirement benefits and seniority accrual in their civil service class.
F. The Union shall reimburse the City for all salary and benefits costs incurred as a result of release time, including but not limited to, vacation, sick leave, compensated time off, retirement, short-term disability, life insurance, medical, dental and workers’ compensation. The benefits cost shall be based on the benefits rates established by the City Administrative Officer as contained in the City Budget in effect during the period of release time, and the cost of other benefits approved by the Joint Labor Management Benefits Committee that become effective during this period.
G. Payment of any overtime worked while on release time shall be the responsibility of the Union.
H. The City Administrative Officer shall bill the Union and Union shall make payments to the City Administrative Officer of all reimbursable costs identified in Section E above.
I. An employee on release time shall submit weekly timesheets signed by the employee and the Union (General Manager or his/her designee) to their respective Personnel Director specifying the number of hours worked and use of any sick leave, vacation time or compensated time off.
X. Should an employee incur a work-related injury while on release time, he/she shall remain on release time with the Union during the period of injury-on-duty (IOD), or until the release time has ended, and shall continue to be counted in determining the 4 employee maximum, as provided for above. The Union will reimburse the City for all IOD and Workers’ Compensation related costs.
X. When the employee returns from release time, he/she shall return to his/her civil service classification and pay grade at the time of release.
L. The employee must have passed probation in his/her current class to be eligible for release time.
M. The Union shall indemnify, defend and hold the City and its officers and employees harmless against any and all claims, suits, demands or other forms of liability that might arise out of or result from any action taken by an employee in the service of the Union. The City Administrative Officer shall maintain a list of employees who have been approved for release time and the approved duration.
Association Representatives Authorized representatives of the Association shall be permitted to transact Association business on and with school property at all reasonable times provided that such activities shall not interfere with normal school operations.
Association Leave The Association shall be allowed to use up to 5 days of leave each school year for use by teachers who are officers or agents of the Association. The Association shall reimburse Unified School District 434 for the loss of use of the teacher taking such leave by paying the daily cost of a substitute teacher. The Association shall notify the Superintendent not less than 5 calendar days in advance of using such leave.
Association Grievance A grievance, as defined in Section 7.1, relating to occurrences actually involving at least three (3) nurses or arising under the Association Representative article, may be initiated by the Association at Step 2 of the above-mentioned procedure by the filing of a written grievance, signed by a representative of the Association, within 35 calendar days from the date of occurrence. Such grievance shall describe the problem and the contract provisions alleged to have been violated.
Association Dues The District agrees to deduct Association dues from the paycheck of each employee who individually and voluntarily authorize dues deductions. Employees’ authorizations will be in writing in a form agreed upon by the Association and the District. Said deduction shall be in nine substantially equal amounts during the school year beginning on or after October 15 of the corresponding school year. A schedule of deductions shall be provided to employees on or about September 1st. Authorizations shall continue from year to year unless revoked by the employee in writing prior to July 1 of any year. Dues deducted from employees’ wages will be transmitted to the Association following each corresponding payroll deduction. The Association will annually certify to the Superintendent the amount of Association dues. The following shall also apply:
A. The Association shall provide payroll at District’s Business Office, dues deductions covered under this paragraph by October 1 of the contract year in which the deduction applies for all existing members as of said date, otherwise the employees' previous year deductions shall continue in force for the entire contract year unless terminated by the employee by the dates set forth herein. Deductions for any new employee hired prior to the date of said report shall also be included in the report.
B. The form in which the Association reports union dues for existing membership must include, at minimum, employee name, social security number, and total unions dues to be deducted for the corresponding contract year. The report shall list employees alphabetically by last name.
C. The form in which the Association reports union dues for new members must include, at minimum, employee name, social security number, total unions dues to be deducted for the corresponding contract year, and signed employee authorization.
D. The District payroll office shall make changes to union dues not more than once in any contract year. However, union dues to individual employees may be adjusted as necessary due to changes in employment status with proper notification and reporting from the Association as outlined herein. If an employee elects to become a member after the Association Dues are submitted by the Association, the employee shall be responsible for paying any additional fees directly to the Association.
E. The District shall provide the Association a list of all support staff covered under the collective bargaining agreement upon request of the Association, but not more than once per month.
Association Leaves 1. The Board will provide the Association President or their designee with forty (40) days of paid release time during the course of the school year in order to conduct Association Business. The Association shall reimburse the Board for the cost of any substitute required as the result of any such released time which exceeds forty (40) days during the course of the school year.
2. The following provisions were not bargained and have been included for informational purposes only:
a. Because of the many responsibilities imposed on the President of the Association, and in order to enhance the quality of instruction in the classes taught by him or her and maintain continuity, the Board will provide the building to which the President is assigned with a full-time aide who is also a certified substitute teacher.
b. The building principal and the President will work out a mutually agreed upon schedule for the use of the aide.
c. The presence of this aide will not be used to justify absences in excess of those authorized by the terms of this Agreement.
Notice to Association When, at any formal step, the grievant is not represented by the Association, which cannot occur at the arbitration step, no solution shall be finally approved until the Association is given a statement in writing of the proposed solution and five (5) work days in which to file a response.
Prime Time Vacation Period Subject to the provisions of this article, it is the intent of the parties that no employee will be restricted in the time of year they choose to take their vacation. The Employer will make every effort to allow employees to take their vacation during the period of April 15th to October 15th inclusive, which will be defined as the prime time vacation period.
