Optional Mediation The Parties may mutually agree to non-binding mediation:
(a) If the grievance is not resolved at Step 3, either Party may request that a Mediator be appointed to meet with the Parties, investigate and define the issues in dispute and facilitate a resolution.
(b) The Mediator shall be appointed by mutual agreement between the Parties.
(c) The purpose of the Mediator's involvement in the grievance process is to assist the Parties in reaching a resolution of the dispute, and anything said, proposed, generated or prepared for the purpose of trying to achieve a settlement is to be considered privileged and will not be used for any other purpose.
(d) The expenses of the Mediator shall be equally borne by both Parties.
(e) The grievance may be resolved by mutual agreement between the Parties.
Mandatory Mediation Prior to and as a condition of either Party’s filing suit in state or federal court, the Parties shall engage in a mediated settlement conference in accordance with the North Carolina Superior Court Rules Implementing Statewide Mediation. The Parties shall mediate in good faith until settlement is reached or an impasse is declared by the mediator.
Termination of Mediation The mediation shall be terminated:
1) By the execution of a Settlement Agreement by the Parties;
2) By a written declaration of the mediator to the effect that further efforts at mediation are no longer worthwhile; or
3) By a written declaration of a Party or Parties to the effect that the mediation proceedings are terminated.
Voluntary Mediation a) The central parties may, on mutual agreement, request the assistance of a mediator.
b) Where the central parties have agreed to mediation, the cost shall be shared equally between the central parties.
c) Timelines shall be suspended for the period of mediation.
Mediation Procedure The Chairman shall promptly advise the parties of a scheduled Mediation Hearing date. Unless a party requests an expedited procedure, or unless all parties to the proceeding agree to one or more extensions of time, the Mediation Hearing set forth below shall be completed within forty (40) days of BCBSA's receipt of the Complaint. The selected mediators, unless the parties otherwise agree, shall adhere to the following procedure:
i. Each party must be represented by its CEO or other representative who has been delegated full authority to resolve the dispute. However, parties may send additional representatives as they see fit.
ii. By no later than five (5) days prior to the date designated for the Mediation Hearing, each party shall supply and serve a list of all persons who will be attending the Mediation Hearing, and indicate who will have the authority to resolve the dispute.
iii. Each party will be given one-half hour to present its case, beginning with the complaining party (or parties), followed by the other party or parties. The parties are free to structure their presentations as they see fit, using oral statements or direct examination of witnesses. However, neither cross- examination nor questioning of opposing representatives will be permitted. At the close of each presentation, the selected mediators will be given an opportunity to ask questions of the presenters and witnesses. All parties must be present throughout the Mediation Hearing. The selected mediators may extend the time allowed for each party's presentation at the Mediation Hearing. The selected mediators may meet in executive session, outside the presence of the parties, or may meet with the parties separately, to discuss the controversy.
iv. After the close of the presentations, the parties will attempt to negotiate a settlement of the dispute. If the parties desire, the selected mediators, or any one or more of the selected mediators, will sit in on the negotiations.
v. After the close of the presentations, the selected mediators may meet privately to agree upon a recommendation for resolution of the dispute which would be submitted to the parties for their consideration and approval. If the parties have previously agreed to be bound by the results of this procedure, this recommendation shall be binding upon the parties.
vi. The purpose of the Mediation Hearing is to assist the parties to settle their grievances short of mandatory dispute resolution. As a result, the Mediation Hearing has been designed to be as informal as possible. Rules of evidence shall not apply. There will be no transcript of the proceedings, and no party may make a tape recording of the Mediation Hearing.
vii. In order to facilitate a free and open discussion, the Mediation proceeding shall remain confidential. A "Stipulation to Confidentiality" which prohibits future use of settlement offers, all position papers or other statements furnished to the selected mediators, and decisions or recommendations in any Mediation proceeding shall be executed by each party.
viii. Upon request of the selected mediators, or one of the parties, BCBSA staff may also submit documentation at any time during the proceedings.
ARTICLE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE The parties to this Agreement are agreed that it is of the utmost importance to adjust complaints and grievances as quickly as possible. Unless agreed to by both the Company and the Union, no grievance shall be presented, the alleged circumstances of which originated or occurred, or should have come to the attention of the employee concerned, more than five (5) working days prior to its original presentation in writing at Step A grievance shall consist of a dispute concerning interpretation and/or application of any Article, Schedule or Clause in this Agreement. Should a grievance arise it shall be handled as follows. Prior to filing a formal grievance, an employee will, with the assistance of his xxxxxxx, refer the on an informal basis to his immediate Supervisor. If the grievance cannot be settled as a result of this discussion, then it may be dealt with as follows: STEP The employee shall a written grievance with his immediate Supervisor within five (5) working days of the incident giving rise to the complaint. The immediate Supervisor shall answer the grievance within five (5) working days. The grievance shall specify the Article or Articles and subsections of the Agreement of which a violation is alleged, indicate the relief sought and be signed by the employee. STEP Should the employee be dissatisfied with the disposition of the grievance at Step the grievance may be referred to the Plant Manager within five (5) working days after receipt of the immediate Supervisor's reply at Step The Plant Manager shall convene a meeting with the and Chief Xxxxxxx and shall answer the grievance in writing within five (5) working days of such meeting. STEP If no settlement is reached at Step the the Union Grievance Committee and representatives of Management shall meet to discuss the grievance within five (5) working days of receipt of the reply of the Plant Manager. The Union's National Representative will be in attendance at this meeting. If the grievance is not settled within five (5) working days it may be referred to arbitration as hereinafter provided. The Union or the Company may initiate a grievance beginning at Step of the Grievance Procedure. Such grievance shall be filed within five (5) working days of the incident giving rise to the complaint and be in the form prescribed in Step Any such grievance may be referred to arbitration under Article by either the Union in the case of a Union grievance or the Company in the case of a Company grievance. The Union may not institute a grievance directly affecting an employee or employees which such employee or employees could themselves institute and the regular Grievance Procedure shall not thereby be by-passed except where the grievance would affect the Bargaining Unit as a whole. This Clause shall not preclude a group grievance signed by a group of employees commencing at Step Any complaint or grievance which is not commenced or processed through the next stage of the Grievance or Arbitration Procedure within the time specified shall be deemed to have been dropped. However, time limits specified in the Grievance Procedure may be extended by mutual agreement in writing between the Company and the Union. An employee who has been discharged or suspended may file a written grievance at Step within five (5) working days of the discharge or suspension. In taking disciplinary action within twenty-four (24) months from the date of a suspension or dismissal (reinstatement) for a similar infraction, the Company may consider the employee's entire record preceding suspension or dismissal (reinstatement), as the case may be. In taking disciplinary action within twelve 2) months from the date of an oral or written warning for a similar infraction, the Company may consider the employee's entire record preceding the employee's oral or written warning, as the case may be.
Discipline Procedure 1. Disciplinary action may be imposed for violation of written rules and regulations as set forth by the Board, incompetence, inefficiency, dishonesty, drunkenness, immoral conduct, insubordination, discourteous treatment of the public, neglect of duty, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, any other failure of good behavior, or conviction of a felony.
2. No employee shall be disciplined without first having had the opportunity for a hearing, if the employee so requests, with an OAPSE representative of his/her choice present. The employee shall be given a written statement containing the charges and the time and place of the hearing. The written statement shall notify the employee of his/her rights to OAPSE representation. The employee must be given the opportunity to sign the statement acknowledging receipt of the statement and date received. Under emergency conditions as determined by the supervisor (including, but not limited to, health and/or safety of the employee or other employees; blatant insubordination; or refusal to work), the supervisor may immediately suspend an employee without pay for a period of up to three (3) work days without the formal hearing described above. An opportunity for a formal hearing with the supervisor must be provided within the suspension period. Failure to provide an opportunity for a hearing during the suspension period shall preclude the right of further discipline for the offense causing the initial suspension. Emergency suspensions will not be subject to Section 6 of this Article.
3. Disciplinary action of less than discharge should generally be progressive and corrective in nature.
A. Disciplinary actions shall be grievable. This Section shall supersede existing state law governing termination of employment (O.R.C. 3319.081).
B. In determining progressive and corrective action, just cause shall be construed and limited to the nature and seriousness of the offense, the effect the alleged conduct has on the Board’s operation, the discipline or lack thereof used in other similar situations known to the Board, and the appropriateness of the proposed penalty in view of the record and length of service of the charged employee. The enumeration of these factors is not intended to preclude either the exercise of good and sound business judgment or to minimize the importance of an employee’s property interest in his job.
Non-Binding Mediation Except as provided in Section 19.5, if the dispute is not settled or resolved pursuant to Section 19.2, the Parties shall endeavor to settle the dispute in an amicable manner, using non-binding mediation under the rules of JAMS before having recourse in a court of law. Each Party shall be responsible for the expenses of such Party's participants, consultants, experts or representatives and shall be paid by the Party producing such participants, consultants, experts or representatives. All other expenses of the mediation, including required travel and other expenses of the mediator, and the cost of any proofs or expert advice produced at the direct request of the mediator, shall be borne equally by the Parties, unless they agree otherwise. Any resultant agreements from mediation shall be documented in writing. All mediation proceedings, results, and documentation shall be inadmissible for any purpose in any legal proceeding (pursuant to California Evidence Codes Sections 1115 through 1128), unless such admission is otherwise agreed upon in writing by all Parties. Mediators shall not be subject to any subpoena or liability, and their actions shall not be subject to discovery. The mediator must have substantial experience with the water utility/treatment industry, including both publicly-owned and privately-owned water utilities. If any of the matters or issues involved in any dispute are outside the scope of expertise of the mediator, the mediator shall have the right to retain and rely on one or more experts with respect to the applicable matter or issue requiring expert advice. Any person selected as an expert shall be knowledgeable and experienced in the matters sought to be mediated and shall have no affiliation with the Parties; provided, however, the expert may have been utilized by either Party as a consultant not more recently than twelve (12) months prior to the time of engagement if the mediator determines that such expert will provide services unbiased by such prior consulting relationship. Mediation shall be completed within 60 days after request for the mediation by either Party, unless the parties to the mediation otherwise agree in writing. If the subject matter of the dispute relates to a very time sensitive issue, the Parties shall reasonably cooperate with one another to expedite the above-described mediation.
Termination Due To Lack Of Funding Appropriation If, in the judgment of the Director of Accounts and Reports, Department of Administration, sufficient funds are not appropriated to continue the function performed in this agreement and for the payment of the charges hereunder, State may terminate this agreement at the end of its current fiscal year. State agrees to give written notice of termination to contractor at least 30 days prior to the end of its current fiscal year, and shall give such notice for a greater period prior to the end of such fiscal year as may be provided in this contract, except that such notice shall not be required prior to 90 days before the end of such fiscal year. Contractor shall have the right, at the end of such fiscal year, to take possession of any equipment provided State under the contract. State will pay to the contractor all regular contractual payments incurred through the end of such fiscal year, plus contractual charges incidental to the return of any such equipment. Upon termination of the agreement by State, title to any such equipment shall revert to contractor at the end of the State's current fiscal year. The termination of the contract pursuant to this paragraph shall not cause any penalty to be charged to the agency or the contractor.
Dispute Resolution; Mediation (a) Either party may commence the dispute resolution process of this Section 8.2 by giving the other party written notice (a “Dispute Notice”) of any controversy, claim or dispute of whatever nature arising out of or relating to or in connection with this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or the breach, termination, enforceability or validity thereof (a “Dispute”) which has not been resolved in the normal course of business or as provided in the relevant Ancillary Agreement. The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve any Dispute by negotiation between executives of each party (“Senior Party Representatives”) who have authority to settle the Dispute and, unless discussions between the parties are already at a senior management level, who are at a higher level of management than the Persons who have direct responsibility for the administration of this Agreement or the relevant Ancillary Agreement. Within fifteen (15) days after delivery of the Dispute Notice, the receiving party shall submit to the other a written response (the “Response”). The Dispute Notice and the Response shall include (i) a statement setting forth the position of the party giving such notice and a summary of arguments supporting such position and (ii) the name and title of such party’s Senior Party Representative and any other Persons who will accompany the Senior Party Representative at the meeting at which the parties will attempt to settle the Dispute. Within thirty (30) days after the delivery of the Dispute Notice, the Senior Party Representatives of both parties shall meet at a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably deem necessary, to attempt to resolve the Dispute. The parties shall cooperate in good faith with respect to any reasonable requests for exchanges of Information regarding the Dispute or a Response thereto.
(b) If the Dispute has not been resolved within sixty (60) days after delivery of the Dispute Notice, or if the parties fail to meet within thirty (30) days after delivery of the Dispute Notice as hereinabove provided, the parties shall make a good faith attempt to settle the Dispute by mediation pursuant to the provisions of this Section 8.2 before resorting to arbitration contemplated by Section 8.3 or any other dispute resolution procedure that may be agreed by the parties.
(c) All negotiations, conferences and discussions pursuant to this Section 8.2 shall be confidential and shall be treated as compromise and settlement negotiations. Nothing said or disclosed, nor any document produced, in the course of such negotiations, conferences and discussions that is not otherwise independently discoverable shall be offered or received as evidence or used for impeachment or for any other purpose in any current or future arbitration.
(d) Unless the parties agree otherwise, the mediation shall be conducted in accordance with the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution Model Procedure for Mediation of Business Disputes in effect on the date of this Agreement by a mediator mutually selected by the parties.
(e) Within thirty (30) days after the mediator has been selected as provided above, both parties and their respective attorneys shall meet with the mediator for one (1) mediation session, it being agreed that each party representative attending such mediation session shall be a Senior Party Representative with authority to settle the Dispute. If the Dispute cannot be settled at such mediation session or at any mutually agreed continuation thereof, either party may give the other and the mediator a written notice declaring the mediation process at an end.
(f) Costs of the mediation shall be borne equally by the parties involved in the matter, except that each party shall be responsible for its own expenses.
(g) Any Dispute regarding the following matters is not required to be negotiated or mediated prior to seeking relief from an arbitrator or, if applicable, from a court pursuant to Section 10.14: (i) breach of any obligation of confidentiality or waiver of Privilege; and (ii) any other claim where interim relief is sought to prevent serious and irreparable injury to one of the parties. However, the parties to the Dispute shall make a good faith effort to negotiate and mediate such Dispute, according to the above procedures, while such arbitration is pending.
