Common use of GENERAL WORKING RULES Clause in Contracts

GENERAL WORKING RULES. 28.1 The Working Rules contained herein, and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, are hereby adopted, and will remain in effect until modified or amended. Any changes in the Working Rules between the Department and the local Union signatory hereto shall be promulgated in the form of schedules supplementary to and incorporated in this Agreement. 28.2 Employees shall receive an amount not less than the equal of four (4) hours of straight-time pay each time called out from their homes at times other than regular working hours. They shall be paid the regular overtime rates from the time they leave home until they return to their homes, except no pay shall be allowed while eating or sleeping; provided, however, that if employees are notified before leaving their regular daily work to report for duty after regular working hours, they shall be paid only from the time they report to headquarters until the time of their return to headquarters, but in any event not less than the equal of four (4) hours of straight-time pay. 28.2.1 Employees will be paid car mileage as covered in Section 26.1 if they are required to furnish their transportation to and from their homes on a callout as described in Section 28.2. No mileage payment will be made if the employees are notified before leaving their regular daily work to report for duty after regular working hours. 28.3 Employees on overtime pay before the start of their regular shift, who have enough of such overtime to equal eight (8) hours or more of regular time rate of pay, shall have eight (8) consecutive hours of relief before being returned to regular straight-time rate of pay, and such employees may be relieved from duty for the day after having earned at least ten (10) hours' straight-time pay. The employees/crew may choose to work one-half of their next regular shift at the overtime rate of pay. After the involved employees have realized compensation equal to their regular shift pay, their supervisor may release them from duty for the remainder of their shift. Alternatively, the employees may at their option use sick leave to compensate for the required time off from their regular scheduled shifts. 28.4 Employees called for duty less than four (4) hours before beginning of regular working hours, or their shift hours, shall be paid at the rate of double time (except intermission for meals) from the time they are called until the beginning of their regular working hours or shift hours. Regular hours or shift hours following shall be at straight time. 28.5 Where the Department desires the transfer of employees from one shift to another, no loss in regular pay shall result and a nominal sixteen (16) hours off duty between shifts shall be allowed and the overtime rate shall be paid for all the time less than the nominal sixteen (16) hours off duty, except where otherwise agreed upon by the Department and the Union. 28.5.1 The schedule for the days to work and the days off go with the job and not the employee, and an employee exercising the option for the change from one job to another assumes the days of work and days off of the new job, and anything pertaining to the schedule for the old job ceases at the beginning of the new job. 28.5.2 Nothing in this Section shall be construed to avoid the payment of overtime to an upgraded employee called back from scheduled time off to fill a higher position when the regular employee in that position is absent from work. 28.6 When employees are transferred to any position in which they have had no previous experience, they shall be given a reasonable break-in period with an experienced employee in that position. 28.7 All employees working on poles, towers, or suspension type platforms seventy-five (75) feet above ground or higher shall receive additional compensation while actually working at these heights. This additional compensation shall be at the straight time rate in addition to the normal rate in effect at the time the work is being performed. This rule shall not apply when employees are working on roofs of buildings where no exceptional hazard exists, nor does it apply to Lineworker (Testing Live Line Insulators over 7500 volts). 28.8 Employees shall not be required to report before or after their regular work periods to other than their regular headquarters for the purpose of picking up vehicles or materials. 28.9 Employees required to attend meetings called by the Department outside of regular working hours shall be paid overtime for those hours which are worked in addition to their regular shift. When attendance at departmental meetings cannot reasonably be scheduled during an employee's regular shift, such employee can be expected to attend as scheduled. An employee who has compelling reasons which make it unreasonable for the employee to attend a given meeting outside of the employee's regular shift shall discuss the situation with the supervisor as far in advance as possible so that alternate arrangements can be made. An employee's attendance at such meetings shall be scheduled at least seven (7) days in advance. 28.10 When a job to be done has been given to an individual or crew and, after inspecting or attempting to do the job, it has been turned back unfinished, the reason for turning it back must be put in writing by the person so doing. Special note must be made of extraordinary hazards, and this information must be given to all persons or crews that are later requested to do the same job. 28.11 Employees classified as Helpers will in no event be used as substitutes to replace Journeyworkers. 28.12 Headquarters shall be where adequate toilet, washroom, lunchroom, and locker facilities are available to accommodate personnel assigned thereto, and where their tools and clothing may be kept in a safe, dry and warm place. Suitable privacy will be provided in the above facilities. All changes of headquarters for any work unit (bid position) shall first be reviewed by the Joint Labor Management Committee for compliance with this Article.