(a) The Stewards and/or Officers shall be permitted reasonable time during working hours to investigate and process grievances raised by Bargaining Unit members and to represent members in disciplinary actions brought by management. Stewards and officers shall be permitted to leave their regular work area to investigate or process a grievance or provide representation in disciplinary matters, provided, however, that no more than two representatives, apart from those on full-time release, shall be released for any given matter unless otherwise agreed by the Division Head. The Stewards and officers shall notify their immediate supervisors that they are leaving their jobs to handle a problem and shall report when returning to work utilizing the designated form.
Union officers shall also be permitted reasonable time to conduct other necessary Union business during working hours.
It is the intent of the parties that Union release time will be utilized in the manner that will least interfere with City operations.
Current practice will not be used as a standard of interpretation in the administration of this section.
(b) Labor-Management Meetings.
Labor-management meetings shall be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time and date. They shall be held upon request of either party within a reasonable time period to discuss problems and/or matters of mutual concern. The subject(s) of the meeting will be provided at the time of the request.
The Union shall have representatives (stewards) from the affected department and shifts present, in addition, the Local President, Chief Steward and/or divisional steward may be present. The City may have individuals attend necessary to a resolution or discussion of the topic. Stewards attending the labor-management meeting will have their shifts adjusted accordingly if they are on opposing shifts to the date and time of the meeting. Any time adjustment for the stewards will be made that work day.
An agenda will be furnished by the party requesting the meeting at least three (3) work days in advance of the scheduled meeting by the party requesting the meeting.
Union representatives of the Labor-Management Committee shall not suffer loss in pay for attendance at such meetings provided by this article. However, such meetings which extend the work day shall be on non-paid time.
Within fifteen (15) work days from the date of the any labor- management meeting, management or the Union shall respond either orally or in writing to the other party on any issues which require an answer.
Agreements reached through labor-management meetings shall be implemented as quickly as possible by both parties.
Labor-Management meetings are not an extension of the collective bargaining agreement between the parties. (Cannot change terms of the labor agreement.)
The Union reserves the right to grieve issues discussed at labor-management meetings, if said issues are specifically part of the existing collective bargaining agreement. The City reserves the right to provide information at labor-management meetings without any legal/contractual duty to arrive at an agreement with the Union.