DIFFERENTIALS AND NO LOWERING OF STANDARDS. Existing wage differentials among classes of workers within a building shall be maintained. It is recognized that wage differentials other than those herein required may now or hereafter arise or exist because of pay rates above the minimum required by this Agreement. All employees enjoying higher wages, higher benefits or better working conditions than provided for herein, either pursuant to a prior collective bargaining agreement or otherwise, shall continue to enjoy at least the same. This Article shall not apply if the changes result from consolidations effectuated under the terms of this Agreement or to guards hired on or after January 25, 1978. When an employee possesses considerable mechanical or technical skill and devotes more than seventy-five percent (75%) of working time in the building to work involving such skill, the wage rate shall be determined by mutual agreement between the Employer and the Union. Such an employee shall receive a wage of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) per week above the contract minimum rate for a handyperson. It is understood that licensed engineers covered under this Agreement shall constitute a separate bargaining unit and shall receive the same wages and benefits as paid to engineers under the Realty Advisory Board (RAB) agreement covering licensed engineers in New York City except that pension, health, legal and training fund contributions shall continue to be paid under the terms of this Agreement. If the Employer and the Union cannot agree upon the rate of pay of such employee, or in cases where an obvious inequity exists because of an employee’s regular application of specialized abilities in such employee’s work, the amount or correctness of the differential may be determined by arbitration.
