(a) Except for emergency situations, work schedules shall not be changed unless the changes are mutually agreed upon by both the City and the Union. This provision shall not be construed to prevent the City from assigning work from one shift to another.
(b) If, under this section, work schedule changes are proposed by the City, and the Union does not mutually agree to the proposed change, then the proposal of the City may be referred to arbitration at the request of the Mayor. The arbitrator shall review the proposed change to determine its reasonableness, including its impact on bargaining unit employees. In the event the arbitrator finds that the proposed change is not reasonable, then that proposal will not be implemented. Where the proposal is found by the arbitrator to be reasonable, it may then be implemented. When the decision is rendered in favor of the City, the arbitrator shall have the authority to compensate for monetary losses to the employees.
The City and the Union shall meet for the purpose of selecting an arbitrator within ten (10) work days after the Mayor has notified the Union, in writing, of the City's desire to refer a proposed change to arbitration. Any proposal referred to arbitration shall be submitted to the arbitrator as an accelerated grievance and shall take precedence over other matters awaiting arbitration. The proposal shall not be implemented until the arbitrator's decision has been rendered.