Grievance on Layoffs and Recalls Grievances concerning layoffs and recalls shall be initiated at Step 2 of the grievance procedure.
LAY-OFFS AND RECALLS (a) Both parties recognize that job security shall increase in proportion to length of seniority. Therefore, in the event of a lay-off, employees shall be laid off in the reverse order of their bargaining unit-wide seniority.
(b) The employer shall meet with the union executive prior to a lay-off to review the seniority list and to discuss the order of lay-off. In addition, the parties will look to identify and implement all reasonable alternatives to the proposed lay-off Note: Where a proposed lay-off results in the subsequent displacement of any member(s) of the bargaining unit, the original notice to the union provided in (a) above shall be considered notice to the union of any subsequent lay-off.
12.02 Employees shall be recalled in the order of their seniority.
12.03 New employees shall not be hired until those laid off have been given an opportunity to recall.
12.04 An employee who accepts lay-off or exercises her/his bumping rights or otherwise secures alternate employment within the Agency following a notice of lay-off shall retain the right to be reinstated in his/her former job if such becomes available within nine (9) months of his/her original notice of lay-off.
12.05 An employee shall be given the right to continue their benefit coverage following lay-off. The employer shall continue to pay its share of such insured benefit premiums for a laid off employee for a period of six (6) months following lay-off, or until the employee has found other employment which includes benefit coverage prior to the end of the six (6) month period.
(a) An employee shall have the opportunity of recall from lay-off in order of seniority to the final subsequent vacancy after the job posting provision has been exhausted providing he/she has the ability to perform the work within a reasonable time period, and is qualified.
(b) An employee recalled to work in a different classification from which he/she was laid off shall have the privilege of returning to the classification held prior to the lay-off should it become vacant within six (6) months of being recalled.
(c) The employer shall notify the employee of recall opportunity by registered mail, addressed to the last address on the record with the employer (which notification shall be deemed to be received on the second day following the date of mailing). The notification shall state the job to which the employee is eligible to be recalled and the date and time at which the employee shall report for work. The employee is solely responsible for his/her proper address being on record with the employer.
(d) Employees on lay-off shall be given preference for temporary vacancies, which are expected to exceed ten (10) working days. An employee who has been recalled to such temporary vacancy shall not be required to accept such recall and may instead remain on lay-off. Further such employee recalled to a temporary vacancy is not entitled to any notice of lay-off at the end of the temporary assignment.
LAY-OFF AND RECALL 16.01 Where, because of lack of work, lack of funds or reorganization, resulting in abolishment of jobs or functions, the Employer determines it necessary to reduce the size of its workforce, the Employer shall give written notice to the Union President or his designee no less than twenty-one (21) days in advance of any such lay-off, indicating how many employees will be affected and what department(s) are being reduced. Such reductions shall be made in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth.
16.02 Employees within affected classifications shall be laid off according to their relative seniority (within the department) with the least senior employee being laid off first, providing that all students, temporary, part-time, seasonal and probationary employees within the affected classifications are laid off first. For the purposes of this article, department or bargaining unit shall mean the various positions included in Appendix "A".
16.03 Employees who are laid off from one classification may displace (bump) another employee with lesser seniority in a lower rated classification within the same department.
16.04 Employees who are bumped by a more senior employee shall be able to bump another employee with lesser seniority in a lower rated classification pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 16.03, above.
16.05 At the end of the bumping process, the employee who is bumped and unable to bump another employee pursuant to the above provisions, shall be laid off.
16.06 Employee(s) who are laid off, shall have the option of bumping another employee pursuant to the above provisions, or being directly laid off by the Employer.
16.07 In all cases where one (1) employee is exercising his seniority to bump another employee, his right to bump into another department is subject to the conditions that he is qualified for the position and able to perform the functions and duties of the position into which he is attempting to bump, as determined by the Employer.
16.08 Recalls shall be in the inverse order of lay-off and a laid off employee shall retain his right to recall for eighteen (18) months from the date of his lay-off.
16.09 Notice of recall shall be sent to the employee's address listed on the Employers records and shall be sent by certified mail. An employee who refuses recall or does not report for work within fourteen (14) days from the date the employee receives the recall notice, shall be considered to have resigned his position and forfeits all rights to employment with the Employer.
16.10 Employee(s) scheduled for lay-off shall be given a minimum of twenty-one (21) days advance notice of lay-off.
16.11 Each notice of lay-off shall contain the following information:
1) The reason for lay-off or displacement;
2) The date that the lay-off or displacement becomes effective;
3) The employee's seniority date in the classification;
4) A statement advising the employee of the right to recall and re-employment.
16.12 In the event of extenuating circumstances such as illness, injury, or other good cause preventing the employee from returning within the time limit above, the City may, at its sole discretion, grant a reasonable extension, not to exceed thirty (30) days. In the event such illness or injury precludes an employee from returning to work within the time limit above (including extension), such employee shall be by-passed for recall, but shall remain on the recall list, for the remainder of the term of the recall period. The denial of an extension shall not be made in an arbitrary manner.
16.13 In the event a job opening occurs in a lower rated classification, the most senior employee on lay off will be recalled and given the option of accepting the job or not, provided he has the ability and qualifications, as determined by the Employer, to perform the work in question. If the employee accepts the job opening, he will have the right to claim his original classification in the event it becomes available within eighteen (18) months.
16.14 Recall lists shall be kept current by the City. The Union President shall be furnished and/or forwarded a copy of all recall lists as they are made current by the City.
LAYOFFS AND RECALLS (a) Employees will be laid off in reverse order of seniority whenever there is a reduction of employees in the bargaining unit. The only exception to this provision is when the client requests in writing that a specific security guard be retained at their site. Guards can bump due to (1) loss of site, (2) being bumped by a senior guard, (3) client removal for non-disciplinary reasons, (4) return from approved leave of absence or (5) loss of position on a site.
(b) The Company shall notify employees whose position is to be eliminated due to the loss of work at a specific site or the loss of the entire site at least five (5) working days prior to the effective date of termination of the position. Such employee will be entitled to bump junior employees at other sites in order to maintain employment and status. The company will meet with the affected employee and their Union representative as quickly as possible after notification in order to allow the employee to review options and make an informed decision where they wish to bump into. The parties will attempt to place the security guard into an alternate site where said guard will not lose any days of pay, but in no event, will the placement, or bumping take more than five (5) working days (no more than five (5) unpaid days). If an employee is not slotted into their new position within said five (5) working days, the company will provide payment in lieu of work. During the up to five (5) days waiting period, the employee will be entitled to be on top of the spare board list if they so desire.
(c) The Company shall generally give notice of recall by registered mail to the last recorded address of the employee. The employee shall keep the Company informed of the employee's present address of location where he may be reached. The employee who fails to do so shall forfeit his right of recall.
(d) If, within one (1) calendar day from the receipt of such notice, the employee accepts the recall, the job will be held open for one (1) calendar day from the day of the employee's acceptance. In the event that such recalled employee is employed elsewhere at the time of recall, the Company will hold the position vacant for two (2) weeks if the Company has received appropriate advance notice from its client.
(e) In circumstances where the Company must fill vacant positions without delay, the Company shall give notice of recall by telephone until able to find a qualified employee who is prepared to report to work immediately.
(f) If the employee declines the position, or fails to respond to the notice within one (1) calendar day from the date of receipt of the original notice, or fails to report to work within the time period outlined above, such employee shall be considered to have resigned and shall forfeit his recall rights. Should such employee be prevented from returning to work due to illness or accident he shall retain his recall rights and the Company shall be at liberty to recall another employee. The employee shall be required to show proof of such illness or accident.
Settlement of Grievances The applicable procedures of this Agreement shall be followed for the settlement of all grievances. All grievances shall be considered carefully and processed promptly.
Processing Grievances The Association Representative involved and the grieving supervisor shall not leave work or disrupt departmental routine to discuss grievances without first requesting permission from his/her immediate superior, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Association Representative and the grieving supervisor shall be allowed a reasonable amount of time during working hours while on the Appointing Authority's premises when a grievance is investigated or presented in Steps 1 and 2.
Group Grievances No more than five (5) grievants will be permitted to attend grievance meetings.
LAYOFFS AND RECALL 16.01 It is not the intent of these lay-off and recall procedures to apply to the normal summer period. However, where known, recall dates of ten (10) month employees shall be indicated on the Separation Certificate issued by the Employer.
16.02 In the event of lay-off, employees shall be laid off in reverse order of their seniority provided that those persons retained have the necessary skills, qualifications, and ability to perform the duties of those jobs maintained.
a) In order to minimize the potentially disruptive nature of an Educational Assistant lay-off during the school year, an Educational Assistant who has received a lay-off notice during the school year may elect to:
i) Accept the lay-off and be recalled under the terms of the Collective Agreement or;
ii) Displace the most junior permanent Educational Assistant in the Division.
b) Where there are Educational Assistants who are on lay-off or who are laid off at the end of June, and there will not be sufficient positions in September for them all to be recalled, then the Employer will lay-off a sufficient number of the most junior Educational Assistants so as to enable the more senior Educational Assistants to be recalled in September.
c) Educational Assistants who receive a lay-off notice must declare their intention to displace a junior Educational Assistant within the first five (5) working days of receipt of the lay-off notice. It is agreed between the parties that failure to do so will mean that the Educational Assistant accepts lay-off at the end of the notice period.
16.03 Employees shall be recalled in order of their seniority provided that the person recalled has the necessary skills, qualifications, and ability to perform the duties of the job.
16.04 New employees shall not be hired if there are employees on lay-off with the necessary skills, qualifications, and ability to perform the work.
16.05 In the event of lay-off, every employee affected shall be given four (4) weeks’ notice before the date on which she is to be laid off, and to the extent that such minimum notice is not given, the employee shall receive pay in lieu thereof.
16.06 Grievances concerning lay-offs and recalls shall be initiated at Step II of the grievance procedure.
16.07 Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 15.01, an Educational Assistant who normally works twenty-seven and one-half (27 ½) or more hours per week, and whose hours of work have been unilaterally reduced during the school year, shall, at the Educational Assistant’s option, be deemed to have been laid off. An Educational Assistant accepting a position having fewer hours than their normal working day will be given primary consideration upon application when new positions become available having comparable hours.
16.08 All Educational Assistants laid off shall be placed on a recall list, with copy furnished to the Union, and shall be called back to work as required beginning with the most senior Educational Assistant and descending from there.
16.09 No Educational Assistant shall be permitted to have her name remain on the recall list in excess of twelve (12) school months following the month in which the layoff occurred.
Disciplinary Grievances If the grievance is not resolved at Step 2, the Union may file a request for mediation with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) in accordance with WAC 000-00-000, with a copy to the Office of Financial Management/SHR/Labor Relations Section (OFM/SHR/LRS) and the Human Resources Office within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the Step 2 decision. In addition to all other filing requirements, the request must include a copy of the grievance and all previous responses.
COMPLAINT AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE 9.01 Where a difference arises between the parties relating to the interpretation, application or administration of this Agreement, including any questions as to whether a matter is arbitrable, or where an allegation is made that this Agreement has been violated or whenever an employee who has completed the required probationary period and has been accepted by the Employer for employment in the permanent service, claims that he/she has been disciplined or discharged without reasonable cause, such difference, allegation or claim being hereinafter referred to as the grievance, the grievance procedure set forth below shall apply.
9.02 The Association shall name, appoint or otherwise select a Grievance Committee of no more than three (3) who shall be members of the Association and shall have reached at least the rank of First Class Fire Fighter and other advisors as deemed necessary at the expense of the Association. The Employer shall recognize and deal with the Grievance committee with respect to any matter or dispute which properly arises from a breach of the Collective Agreement from time to time during its term. This committee shall suffer no loss as a result of their attendance at such grievance meetings, hearings, etc.
9.03 No grievance will be considered where the circumstances giving rise to it occurred or originated more than ten (10) full working days before the submission of the grievance.
Step 1 - An employee having a grievance will take the matter up through their Association representative. The President or designate shall contact Fire Management to seek a resolution.
Step 2 - If the grievance is not settled within five (5) working days, the Association shall submit the matter in writing to the Fire Chief or designate within five (5) working days of receiving the reply from Step 1. The Fire Chief or designate shall render the written decision to the Association within five (5) working days after receiving the written grievance. In the context of this Article a working day shall be deemed to be Monday to Friday excluding designated holidays.
Step 3 - If the reply of the Fire Chief is not acceptable to the Association the grievance may be referred to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) or the Director of Human Resources within five (5) working days of the written decision of the Fire Chief. The CAO or the Director of Human Resources, who together with the Fire Chief and any other advisors deemed necessary, shall meet with the Association Representatives within 5 working days to consider the grievance. Within five (5) working days of the aforesaid, the CAO or the Director of Human Resources will render a written reply to the employee and the Association.
Step 4 - If no resolve is reached at Step 3, the matter shall be submitted to arbitration. Notice shall be given within 5 business days. The parties agree that, for the purposes of this collective agreement the words of the expedited arbitration provisions of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 as amended (Section 49), will be deemed to have been incorporated into this collective agreement. Accordingly and notwithstanding any other provisions of this article (the grievance/arbitration provisions); either party may refer a grievance to expedited arbitration in accordance with the provisions of Section 49. The parties further agree that neither party will raise any jurisdictional or other objection to the application of Section 49 to a grievance under this collective agreement as it pertains to the right to an expedited arbitration. Either party is entitled however, to raise any objection, with the arbitrator with respect to whether the provisions of Section 49 have been properly utilized in respect of any specific grievance (e.g. objections with respect to time limits etc.). Such an appointment by the Minister of Labour or his or her designate will be determined to be a joint appointment in accordance with Section 53(3) of the Fire Protection and Prevention Act.
9.04 Extensions to the time limits in 9.03 may not be unreasonably withheld.
9.05 The employee in all steps of the grievance procedure shall be confined to the grievance and redress sought as set forth in the written grievance initially filed as provided.
