HEALTH & WELFARE 16:1 The parties signatory hereto shall enter into a Health and Welfare Plan for which there is a Trust Agreement, known as the Line Construction Benefit Fund, for the purpose of providing insurance benefits for eligible employees and/or their dependents. Effective the first of the month following the signature date of this Agreement, the Employer shall pay to the Line Construction Benefit Fund the sum of $6.50 for each hour worked. Hours worked shall be deemed to include straight-time hours worked, overtime hours worked, and report time not worked. Remittance shall be forwarded to the place designated by the parties hereto on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of each month for each hour worked in weekly payroll periods ending during the preceding month, together with a monthly payroll report on a form to be furnished to the Employer. It is understood and intended by the parties to this Agreement that the purpose of this clause is to establish an Employer financed Health and Welfare Trust and that contributions thereto shall not be deemed to be wages to which any employee shall have any right other than the right to have such contributions paid over to the Trust fund in accordance herewith. Failure of an individual Employer to make all payments provided for, including liquidated damages for late payments, within the time specified, shall be a breach of this Agreement and will further require action by the Trustees as set forth in the Trust Agreement. Any increase in the required contributions set forth above will be paid equally (50% by the Employer and 50% by the Employee). The amount paid by the Employee will come from their NEAP contribution.
16:2 HRA: Effective the first of the month following the signature date of this Agreement, the Employer also agrees to pay into the Line Construction Benefit Fund $1.00 per hour through the term of this Agreement. HRA is calculated on all hours worked for all working classifications covered by this Agreement. These contributions shall be used to provide Health Reimbursements Accounts(s) under the Line Construction Benefit Fund Plan of Benefits.
SAFETY & HEALTH A. Employees covered by this Agreement who are uniformly and periodically required by the Company to take physical examinations because of the duties they perform shall be scheduled and paid for the time spent taking such examinations in accordance with the Company's established procedures for employees under this Agreement. The Company will schedule the exam in a way that is not unduly burdensome to the employee or the Company. The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to employees required to take physical examinations after absence due to illness or any physical examinations other than those specified above.
B. The Company hereby agrees to maintain safe, sanitary and healthful working conditions in all shops and facilities and to maintain on all shifts emergency first aid equipment at a first aid station to take care of its employees in case of accident or illness, and that sufficient employees will be given initial and recurrent first aid / CPR training. It is understood that this does not require the Company to maintain a nurse or doctor on the property, but in an emergency the Company will utilize the appropriate emergency services.
C. The Company agrees to furnish good drinking water and sanitary fountains; the floors of the toilets and washrooms will be kept in good repair and in a clean, dry, sanitary condition. Employees will cooperate in maintaining the foregoing conditions Shops and washrooms will be lighted and heated in the best manner possible consistent with the source of heat and light available. Individual lockers will be provided for all employees where space and lockers are available. Every effort will be made as early as possible to provide space and lockers for all employees.
D. The Company, Union, and employees will cooperate toward the prevention of accidents and the furtherance of an aggressive safety program. A joint Company-
E. The Company shall furnish all necessary safety devices for employees working on hazardous or unsanitary work, and employees will be required to use or wear such devices in performing such work.
F. The Company will furnish appropriate aprons, gloves and shoes to all employees required to work with acids and chemicals that are injurious to clothing while such employees are engaged in such activities, and employees will be required to wear such equipment.
G. Employees taken sick or injured while at work, shall be given medical attention as promptly as reasonably practicable. Employees will not be refused permission to return to work because they have not signed releases of liability pending the disposition or settlement of any claims which they may have for compensation arising out of such sickness or injury.
H. In cases of occupational injury or illness employees may elect to be treated by their personal physician, and decline treatment from others, provided they have their physician registered with United's medical department prior to the occurrence of illness or injury. The Company's physician will retain the right to monitor the employee's course of treatment.
I. United will maintain a Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan which satisfies the requirements of the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen regulations. Corporate Safety agrees to consider any proposed changes to the Plan that may be suggested by the Union in an effort to improve the safety of employees in their work environment and to solicit comments from the Union whenever routine revisions are made to the Plan. The Company agrees to make available, at no cost to covered employees, complete post- exposure evaluation including necessary blood work and medications.
J. The Flight Safety Committee shall function as described in Letter of Agreement #21.
K. In the event the IBT and the Company jointly petition the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for, and are granted, formal party or observer status in connection with an investigation involving a Company incident or accident, the Company and the IBT will
L. Any MSAP program will be covered in a stand alone MOU between the Company, the Union and the FAA. While there is a valid MOU the Company will sponsor 1 full-time, IBT representative to participate on the ERC scheduled Mon-Fri, on traditional business hours. This position will in all respects be treated in a similar manner regarding necessary transportation as other IBT staff positions. The Company agrees to supply access to office space appropriate for the confidentiality needs of the position and access to office supplies.
M. In the event the Company requires employees covered by this Agreement to wear protective footwear as personal protective equipment, the Company will provide an allowance to such employees for the actual cost of protective footwear that complies with Company standards. Such allowance shall be up to a maximum of $52.80 per year per employee on a rolling calendar basis.
HEALTH AND WELFARE 36.01 Health and welfare benefits shall be as contained in Appendix "A" of this Agreement and shall form part of this Agreement.
Health and Safety Plan Consultant shall prepare and submit a Health and Safety Plan (“HASP”) for the portion of Consultant’s work that will involve field work, assessments, or investigations of certain Project elements. The HASP shall describe how Consultant plans to complete field work, assessments, and/or investigations at the RWF. Consultant’s HASP must comply with the CIP HASP and shall be updated as new conditions are encountered.
HEALTH AND WELFARE PLAN 9.01 The Employer shall make available the following or similar benefits as mutually agreed between the Employer and the Union to eligible regular full-time employees (as defined below). The cost of the benefits under Sections 9.07, 9.08, 9.09, 9.10, 9.11, 9.12 and 9.13 below shall be paid one hundred percent (100%) by the Employer. An eligible full-time employee shall be one who has three (3) consecutive months current employment at the effective date of the Plan. Benefits for full-time employees who are laid off will be maintained by the Employer for one half (½) of the employee's recall period as specified in Section 14.04 on the following basis: - B.C. Medical Services Plan (M.S.P.) - Group Life Insurance - Hearing aid, eyeglasses and prescription drug coverage A regular full-time employee who does not have three (3) months' current consecutive full-time service at the effective date of the Plan, or a new employee, shall be eligible the day following the date their current consecutive full-time service reaches three (3) months.
9.02 A regular full-time employee reduced to part-time shall continue to be eligible to participate in the Plan. Full-time employees reducing to below thirty-two (32) hours per week shall receive proportionate Weekly Indemnity benefits. Employees shall return completed enrollment forms as soon as possible. The Employer will only offer benefits after first eligibility test is met. If refused at that time by the employee, further testing is not required. If an employee later wants coverage, it is his or her responsibility to make application to the Employer. If he or she is eligible for coverage, the same rules regarding late enrollment as apply to full- time staff may be imposed.
9.03 The Employer shall also make available the benefits to employees (except students) who work an average of thirty-two (32) hours per week for a period of three (3) consecutive months. Such employees shall receive the same benefits as set out for full-time employees in this Section of the Agreement.
9.04 For the purposes of entitlement and disentitlement, the conditions set out below will apply:
A. Employees who average thirty-two (32) hours per week for a three (3) month period will be eligible for all benefits under Section 9 on the first of the month following meeting this requirement. Eligibility verifications will be done each month ending on the last Saturday of the month on a 4, 4, 5 basis, i.e.: if an employee had averaged thirty-two (32) hours per week in the three (3) months prior to April 25, he/she would become eligible for the benefit package on May 1.
B. If an employee fails to meet the eligibility test, he/she will continue to be eligible for three (3) months. At that time he/she will be tested again and, if eligible, will continue receiving benefits. If not eligible, will cease receiving benefits. Thereafter at the end of each month, the employee's eligibility will be tested and, as soon as he/she becomes eligible again, benefits will be reinstated.
9.05 The Employer shall also make available: - Medical Services Plan (M.S.P.) - Extended Health Benefit (E.H.B.) - Hearing Aid, Eyeglass, Prescription Drug Plan (H.E.P.) to employees (except students) who work an average of twenty-four (24) hours per week for a period of three (3) consecutive months. For the purposes of entitlement and disentitlement, the hours' tests set out above will apply, but will be based on twenty-four (24) hours instead of thirty-two (32) hours per week. New employees who are covered by the B.C. Medical Services Plan at the date of their employment can elect to maintain their continuity of coverage to be paid as defined above.
9.06 Enrollment of group benefits shall be compulsory at the option of the Employer. The Employer, at his option, may require all enrollment cards to be signed within three (3) months from the date that regular full-time employment commenced. If, under exceptional circumstances, an employee does not sign an enrollment card within three (3) months of employment, he or she may be allowed a further month of grace at the option of the Employer. A period of grace longer than one (1) month may be allowed by the Employer; but, in such cases, a medical examination at the employee's own expense shall be compulsory and a three (3) month penalty period may be imposed.
Occupational Health and Safety Committee
(a) The parties agree that a joint occupational health and safety committee will be established. The Committee shall govern itself in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations made pursuant to the Workers Compensation Act. The Committee shall be between the Employer and the Union, with equal representation, and with each party appointing its own representatives. The Union agrees to actively pursue with the other Health Care unions, where more than one union is certified with the Employer, a joint union/employer committee for the purposes of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
(b) Employees who are members of the Committee shall be granted leave without loss of pay or receive straight-time regular wages while attending meetings of the Joint Committee. Employees who are members of the Committee shall be granted leave without loss of pay or receive straight-time regular wages to participate in joint workplace inspections and joint accident investigations at the request of the Committee pursuant to the WCB Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. Committee meetings, workplace inspections and accident investigations shall be scheduled during normal working hours whenever practicable.
(c) The Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall have as part of its mandate the jurisdiction to receive complaints or concerns regarding workload problems which are safety-related, the right to investigate such complaints, the right to define the problem and the right to make recommendations for a solution. Where the Committee determines that a safety-related workload problem exists, it shall inform the Employer. Within 21 days thereafter, the Employer shall advise the Committee what steps it has taken or proposes to take to rectify the safety-related workload problem identified by the Committee. If the Union is not satisfied with the Employer's response, it may refer the matter to the Industry Trouble shooter for a written recommendation.
(d) No employee shall be disciplined for refusal to work when excused by the provisions of the
Occupational Health and Safety Act The Employer, the Union, and the Employees recognize they are bound by the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, S.N.S. 1996, c.7, and appropriate federal acts and regulations. Any breach of these obligations may be grieved pursuant to this Agreement.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH A. Consultant will perform the Services in compliance with the most current versions of all laws, standards, rules, and regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and all state and federal laws and regulations relating to safety and health standards. Consultant shall perform the Services in compliance with, will furnish only supplies, articles, and equipment that comply with such laws, standards, and regulations.
B. Consultant shall immediately notify Valley Water in the event of any personal injury accident or occurrence occurring during the performance of the Services. Upon Valley Water’s request, Consultant shall provide Valley Water with documentation fully describing the accident and injury and the actions implemented to prevent similar occurrences.
Accident Prevention Health and Safety Committee (a) The Employer and the Union agree that they mutually desire to maintain standards of safety and health in the workplace in order to prevent accidents, injury and illness.
(b) Recognizing its responsibilities under the applicable legislation, the Employer agrees to accept as a member of its Accident Prevention – Health & Safety Committee at least three (3) representatives, one from each base, selected or appointed by the Union from amongst bargaining unit employees. At any time where a vote is required, an equal number of representatives from each side shall be entitled to vote.
(c) Such Committee shall identify potential dangers and hazards, institute means of improving health and safety programs and recommend actions to be taken to improve conditions related to safety and health.
(d) The Employee agrees to co-operate reasonably in providing necessary information to enable the Committee to fulfill its functions.
(e) Meetings shall be held quarterly or more frequently at the call of the Chair if required. The Committee shall maintain minutes of all meetings and make the same available for review.
(f) Any representative appointed or select in accordance with (b) hereof shall serve a term of one (1) calendar year from the date of appointment which may be renewed for further periods of one (1) year. The Union will encourage its representative(s) to serve at least one (1) year. Time off for such representative(s) to attend meetings of the Accident Prevention – Health & Safety Committee in accordance with the foregoing shall be granted and time so spent attending such meetings shall be deemed to be work time for which the representative(s) shall be paid by the Employer at his regular or premium rate as may be applicable.
(g) The Union agrees to endeavour to obtain the full co-operation of its membership in the observation of all safety rules and practices.
(h) Pregnant employees may request to be transferred from their current duties if, in the professional opinion of the employee’s physician, the pregnancy may be at risk. If such a transfer is not feasible, the pregnant employee, if she so requests, will be granted an unpaid leave of absence before commencement of the maternity leave referred to in Article 16.04
Health and Welfare Plans (a) A copy of the master contracts with the carriers for the extended health care, dental and group life plans shall be sent to the President of the Union.
(b) The Employer will consult the Union before developing any pamphlet explaining the highlights of the plans for distribution to employees. The cost of such a pamphlet shall be borne by the Employer.
