SHIFT BIDDING AND ASSIGNMENTS. Communication Officer will have the right once per year, according to practice, to bid shifts on the basis of bargaining unit seniority. Bids will be posted by November 1 of each year and completed by November 30 of each year. The qualifications and experience of the employee, the number of employees necessary on a shift, and whether there is a sufficient number of qualified, experienced employees on a shift will be determined by the Chief. In the event an insufficient number of qualified, experienced employees is or would be assigned to a shift, the Chief may assign the least senior qualified, experienced employee(s) to that shift. If an opening develops on a shift which a senior communications officer originally bid for, he/she may elect to decline his/her original bid and remain where he/she is, at which time such opening shall be offered to the next senior communications officer who originally bid that shift as his/her first choice, and continue until filled, or if not filled will be assigned to the least senior communications officer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Chief may temporarily adjust individual employee schedules for the purpose of addressing individual performance or remedial training issues. Employees subject to temporary schedule changes of more than one (1) day will be provided at least seven (7) calendar days advance written notice with an explanation for the schedule adjustment. In the event the Employer intends to implement a general department scheduling change, (defined as a re-structuring of the schedule format, e.g., 6 days on – 2 days off to 5 days on – 2 days off), the parties agree to utilize the Labor Management Committee, as provided in Section 10.1, to discuss the Employer’s rationale for the change and to give the parties an opportunity to discuss potential alternatives, if alternatives exist. General department scheduling change is not intended to mean a temporary re-assignment of personnel onto another shift to fill a scheduling void due to an extended leave of absence, retirement, resignation, termination etc. If, at the conclusion of the Labor Management Meeting discussion, the Employer determines to institute any general scheduling change, it shall provide at least forty-five (45) calendar days notice of the change to the employees.
