Common use of VSEA RIGHTS Clause in Contracts

VSEA RIGHTS. 1. The Employer shall not enter into any consultations, agreements, or informal discussions regarding employment relations matters with any other organization or individual purporting to represent any group of employees, and must not engage in any type of conduct which would imply recognition of any organization, group, or individual other than the VSEA as a representative of the employees in any bargaining unit. This is not intended to supersede the provisions of 3 VSA Ch. 27, 941(j). 2. VSEA stewards shall be allowed to visit any State facility, worksite, or office in their designated areas of responsibility for the purpose of receiving or investigating grievances or complaints. 3. VSEA TIME OFF Subject to the efficient conduct of State business, which shall prevail in any instance of conflict, permission for reasonable time off during normal working hours without loss of pay and without charge to accrued benefits shall not be unreasonably withheld. The VSEA shall provide written notice of the meeting and date to the Department of Human Resources, for those meetings outlined in subsections (a)–(h) below, with as much notice as possible. Subject to the foregoing, time off shall be granted in the following instances to: (a) Members of the VSEA Board of Trustees to attend twelve (12) regular Trustee meetings and up to two (2) special Trustee meetings a year; (b) Members of the Council for attendance at any of the four (4) regular council meetings per year. The State may grant permission for attendance at not more than one (1) additional special meeting; (c) Officers/Delegates, up to a maximum of four (4), shall be allowed reasonable time off, not to exceed an aggregate of one hundred sixty (160) hours for all bargaining units in any calendar year to attend national or regional meetings of the VSEA national affiliate; (d) To the treasurer of the State Police Unit to conduct Unit treasury business, not to exceed five (5) hours per month. Such time off shall apply if the treasurer is a xxxxxxx and is credited towards the xxxxxxx’x time off; (e) To representatives of the State Police Unit to attend meetings of the Unit’s national affiliate, not to exceed an aggregate of two hundred forty (240) hours per fiscal year. No one representative may utilize more than one hundred (120) hours of this time per fiscal year. (f) Unit Chairperson, up to one hundred thirty-five (135) hours per year, subject to the operating needs of the department for conduct of unit Labor Relations/Contract Administration business; (g) Members of VSEA standing committees will be permitted to attend ten (10) meetings per year; (h) Unit executive committee members will be given time off to attend five (5) meetings per year; (i) Stewards for the processing and handling of complaints and grievances, including necessary appearances at all steps of the grievance procedure; up to one hundred (100) hours per xxxxxxx per year shall be considered a reasonable time for processing and handling of complaints and grievances, and may be extended by mutual agreement in any instance; State Police Unit: up to twelve (12) stewards (one (1) for each troop and one (1) for headquarters). An additional xxxxxxx shall be allowed for each new barracks which opens during the life of this Agreement; An employee will not be permitted more than a total of two hundred forty (240) hours, three hundred (300) for Unit Chair persons, time off in any fiscal year under paragraphs 3, subsections (a)-(i). (j) Members of the bargaining team who are assigned second or third shift shall be excused from their shift on an hour for hour basis, on any day when time off under this section is granted, in their capacity as a member of the team. The Department may elect for a period of time during contract talks to assign the employee to first shift. Except in the instance of conflicting State business, the State shall make a reasonable effort to assist employees on non-standard work weeks, who are scheduled for bargaining meetings with the State, by accommodating a request by the employee to readjust his/her schedule in order to preserve days off. Normally, the rescheduling will take place within the same pay period, with no guarantee of back-to-back days off when rescheduling occurs. The State shall not compel the employee to work more than a regular shift as part of the rescheduling, unless by mutual agreement of the employee and supervisor. Any such rescheduling shall be for a full workday off, unless by mutual agreement of the employee and supervisor. VSEA reserves the right to cancel the meeting when the absence of a team member results from inability to reschedule. VSEA agrees to hold the State harmless from VSEA grievances relating to any complaint(s) due to rescheduling of a team member. (k) Members of Labor Management Committees for meetings scheduled by the State and VSEA; (l) Any of the above or to chapter officers for the purpose of attending training sessions approved in advance by the Department of Human Resources. Approval shall not be unreasonably withheld; In any such instances, under this Section, such employees shall coordinate their absences from work to minimize the adverse impact on the efficient conduct of State business and in all cases must secure advance permission from appropriate supervisors and shall give the State as much prior notice of any such meetings as possible, including concurrent written notice to Department Heads when VSEA sends a notice of meetings to its own representatives. “VSEA business” as referred to in this Article involves the institutional role of the VSEA as required by current law in dealing with the State. 4. The State will include in its package of written information for new employees a VSEA informational brochure, provided by the VSEA, identifying it as the exclusive bargaining agent. Not later than two (2) weeks after entry into the bargaining unit, the State will provide each employee with a copy of the informational brochure and the applicable collective bargaining agreement within two (2) weeks, or for departments which do not have a pre-existing informational packet system, at the time payroll deduction and tax forms are given to the employee to be filled out. 5. The State shall provide the VSEA with sufficient space on all State bulletin boards generally accessible to employees for the purpose of posting VSEA information. 6. Union organizing activity will not be conducted on State premises during scheduled work time, excluding all authorized breaks and meal periods. 7. If space is readily available on the premises, the employer shall provide places where VSEA staff, representatives, and/or VSEA stewards can confer privately during working hours with employees regarding any complaints or grievances they may have. Such places shall be within the VSEA xxxxxxx’x designated area of responsibility. The State shall provide space for VSEA meetings during non-duty hours when these meetings do not conflict with established plans of the State. The VSEA must request the use of this space through the appropriate appointing authority as far in advance of the anticipated meeting as is practical. For securing space to conduct VSEA elections, polling space shall be requested at least two (2) weeks in advance. 8. The VSEA Director or his or her representative shall be allowed to visit any State facility, office or work location during working hours for the purpose of conducting VSEA business or investigating an employee complaint or grievance, provided that permission is obtained in advance from the appropriate managers, if available, and provided that such meetings do not adversely affect the efficient conduct of State business. Permission shall not be unreasonably withheld. 9. A VSEA xxxxxxx, and/or a VSEA staff representative may be permitted to attend any meeting held by an agency, department or worksite when permission is granted by the appropriate supervisors. 10. VSEA shall have exclusive payroll deduction of membership dues. Dues, to include any VSEA approved insurance program premiums, shall be deducted on each payday from each bargaining unit employee who has designated VSEA as their representative. The amount of dues to be deducted will be certified by the VSEA to the Payroll Division.

VSEA RIGHTS. 1. The Employer shall not enter into any consultations, agreements, or informal discussions regarding employment relations matters with any other organization or individual purporting to represent any group of employees, and must not engage in any type of conduct which would imply recognition of any organization, group, or individual other than the VSEA as a representative of the employees in any bargaining unit. This is not intended to supersede the provisions of 3 VSA Ch. 27, 941(j941 (j). 2. VSEA stewards shall be allowed to visit any State facility, worksite, or office in their designated areas of responsibility for the purpose of receiving or investigating grievances or complaints. 3. VSEA TIME OFF Subject to the efficient conduct of State business, which shall prevail in any instance of conflict, permission for reasonable time off during normal working hours without loss of pay and without charge to accrued benefits shall not be unreasonably withheld. The VSEA shall provide written notice of the meeting and date to the Department of Human ResourcesPersonnel, for those meetings outlined in subsections (a)–(ha) – (h) below, with as much notice as possible. Subject to the foregoing, time off shall be granted in the following instances to: (a) Members of the VSEA Board of Trustees to attend twelve (12) 12 regular Trustee meetings and up to two (2) special Trustee meetings a year; (b) Members of the Council for attendance at any of the four (4) regular council meetings per year. The State may grant permission for attendance at not more than one (1) additional special meeting; (c) Officers/Delegates, up to a maximum of four (4), shall be allowed reasonable time off, not to exceed an aggregate of one hundred sixty (160) 160 hours for all bargaining units in any calendar year to attend national or regional meetings of the VSEA national affiliate; (d) To the treasurer of the State Police Unit to conduct Unit treasury business, not to exceed five (5) hours per month. Such time off shall apply if the treasurer is a xxxxxxx and is credited towards the xxxxxxx’x time off; (e) To representatives of the State Police Unit to attend meetings of the Unit’s national affiliate, not to exceed an aggregate of two hundred forty (240) 240 hours per fiscal year. No one representative may utilize more than one hundred (120) 120 hours of this time per fiscal year. (f) Unit Chairperson, up to one hundred thirty-five (135) 135 hours per year, subject to the operating needs of the department for conduct of unit Labor Relations/Contract Administration business; (g) Members of VSEA standing committees will be permitted to attend ten (10) meetings per year; (h) Unit executive committee members will be given time off to attend five (5) meetings per year; (i) Stewards for the processing and handling of complaints and grievances, including necessary appearances at all steps of the grievance procedure; up to one hundred (100) 100 hours per xxxxxxx per year shall be considered a reasonable time for processing and handling of complaints and grievances, and may be extended by mutual agreement in any instance; State Police Unit: up to twelve (12) 12 stewards (one (1) for each troop and one (1) for headquarters). An additional xxxxxxx shall be allowed for each new barracks which opens during the life of this Agreement; An employee will not be permitted more than a total of two hundred forty (240) 240 hours, three hundred (300) 300 for Unit Chair persons, time off in any fiscal year under paragraphs 3, subsections (a)-(i).subsection a-i. (j) Members of the bargaining team who are assigned second or third shift shall be excused from their shift on an hour for hour basis, on any day when time off under this section is granted, in their capacity as a member of the team. The Department may elect for a period of time during contract talks to assign the employee to first shift. Except in the instance of conflicting State business, the State shall make a reasonable effort to assist employees on non-standard work weeks, who are scheduled for bargaining meetings with the State, by accommodating a request by the employee to readjust his/her schedule in order to preserve days off. Normally, the rescheduling will take place within the same pay period, with no guarantee of back-to-back days off when rescheduling occurs. The State shall not compel the employee to work more than a regular shift as part of the rescheduling, unless by mutual agreement of the employee and supervisor. Any such rescheduling shall be for a full workday off, unless by mutual agreement of the employee and supervisor. VSEA reserves the right to cancel the meeting when the absence of a team member results from inability to reschedule. VSEA agrees to hold the State harmless from VSEA grievances relating to any complaint(s) due to rescheduling of a team member. (k) Members of Labor Management Committees for meetings scheduled by the State and VSEA; (l) Any of the above or to chapter officers for the purpose of attending training sessions approved in advance by the Department of Human ResourcesPersonnel. Approval shall not be unreasonably withheld; In any such instances, under this Section, such employees shall coordinate their absences from work to minimize the adverse impact on the efficient conduct of State business and in all cases must secure advance permission from appropriate supervisors and shall give the State as much prior notice of any such meetings as possible, including concurrent written notice to Department Heads when VSEA sends a notice of meetings to its own representatives. “VSEA business” as referred to in this Article involves the institutional role of the VSEA as required by current law in dealing with the State. 4. The State will include in its package of written information for new employees a VSEA informational brochure, provided by the VSEA, identifying it as the exclusive bargaining agent. Not later than two (2) weeks after entry into the bargaining unit, the State will provide each employee with a copy of the informational brochure and the applicable collective bargaining agreement within two (2) weeks, or for departments which do not have a pre-existing informational packet system, at the time payroll deduction and tax forms are given to the employee to be filled out. 5. The State shall provide the VSEA with sufficient space on all State bulletin boards generally accessible to employees for the purpose of posting VSEA information. 6. Union organizing activity will not be conducted on State premises during scheduled work time, excluding all authorized breaks and meal periods. 7. If space is readily available on the premises, the employer shall provide places where VSEA staff, representatives, and/or VSEA stewards can confer privately during working hours with employees regarding any complaints or grievances they may have. Such places shall be within the VSEA xxxxxxx’x designated area of responsibility. The State shall provide space for VSEA meetings during non-duty hours when these meetings do not conflict with established plans of the State. The VSEA must request the use of this space through the appropriate appointing authority as far in advance of the anticipated meeting as is practical. For securing space to conduct VSEA elections, polling space shall be requested at least two (2) weeks in advance. 8. The VSEA Director or his or her representative shall be allowed to visit any State facility, office or work location during working hours for the purpose of conducting VSEA business or investigating an employee complaint or grievance, provided that permission is obtained in advance from the appropriate managers, if available, and provided that such meetings do not adversely affect the efficient conduct of State business. Permission shall not be unreasonably withheld. 9. A VSEA xxxxxxx, and/or a VSEA staff representative may be permitted to attend any meeting held by an agency, department or worksite when permission is granted by the appropriate supervisors. 10. VSEA shall have exclusive payroll deduction of membership dues. Dues, to include any VSEA approved insurance program premiums, shall be deducted on each payday from each bargaining unit employee who has designated VSEA as their representative. The amount of dues to be deducted will be certified by the VSEA to the Payroll Division.