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LETTER 30 Alternative Workweek Schedules
Mr. James M. Parent Assistant Directing Business Representative District Lodge No. 26 I.A.M.A.W., AFL-CIO 365 New Britain Road Kensington, Connecticut 06037
Dear Mr. Parent: This is to confirm the understanding and agreement reached between the Company and the Union concerning the implementation of alternative workweek schedules. These alternative workweek schedules may consist of a four-day workweek consisting of four ten-hour workdays or a three-day workweek consisting of three twelve-hour workdays. The parties recognize it is in their mutual interest to grow the Company’s aftermarket business, which is in an extremely competitive market. In an effort to have long term success in this business endeavor, which includes satisfying customer demand, the Company may maintain at its Cheshire facility, at its discretion, those mandatory alternative workweek schedules in place as of the signing of this Agreement. Any additional alternative workweek schedules required in Cheshire will be filled on a voluntary basis only. It is agreed implementation of the alternate workweek schedule in Cheshire will be conducted as follows: · Qualified employees will be surveyed for shift preference and placed in seniority order. · Every effort will be made to fill any remaining three (3) day, twelve (12) hour shifts on a voluntary basis. · If an insufficient number of volunteers are found from within Cheshire, the vacancies will be posted in accordance with Article 29 of this Agreement. If there is an insufficient number of qualified applicants, the least senior qualified employees will be placed on the three (3) day, twelve (12) hour shifts. · Any employee forced onto a three (3) day shift will be given thirty 30 days notice prior to beginning his or her new shift assignment. To properly respond to future customer requirements or business needs, the Company may also implement alternative workweek schedules within its shop operations, for up to a total of twelve percent (12%) of the bargaining unit employees who work in the affected product center or similar organization. Employees will be selected on a voluntary basis. In implementing any of these alternative workweek schedules, it is the intent of the parties not to advantage or disadvantage those employees who work such alternative schedules over employees working the traditional five day workweek, consisting of eight (8) hour days. Attached to this letter is a chart, which identifies the payment of various Company benefits, for both the traditional and alternative workweek schedules. Prior to the implementation of an alternative workweek schedule, the Union will be given sixty (60) calendar days’ notice and the Company will present to and discuss with the Local Union President the issues giving rise to the necessity for implementing the alternative workweek schedule. Subsequent to that discussion, those issues will be forwarded to the Executive Steering Committee for review and discussion. At the request of the Union, the Company will also discuss any additional issues of pay or working conditions which may arise and are not already covered in the attached chart or Article 12. The participants will include the local management, human resources and the local Union leadership. In the event that the alternative workweek schedule discussed herein is not implemented within ninety (90) days after the initial notice above, and it is subsequently decided by the Company to implement, the Union will be provided with an additional thirty (30) day notice prior to implementation. When implementing an alternative workweek schedule, the following pay policies will apply: · Employees working a three day/twelve hour workweek will receive a premium equal to 11.1% of their hourly wage rate plus cost-of-living allowance for each hour worked. In addition, employees working a three-day/twelve hour workweek will receive a 30-minute paid lunch on each twelve (12) hour shift. · In addition, employees working second shift on either a four-day/ten-hour workweek, or a three-day/twelve hour workweek will receive a second shift premium equal to ten percent (10%) of such hourly wage rate plus cost-of-living allowance for each hour worked. The following process will be utilized to implement alternative workweek shifts: · The Company will survey qualified employees from the affected departments/cells for transfer to an alternative workweek schedule. Selection will be based upon the most senior qualified employees volunteering from the affected department/cell. · In the event an insufficient number of qualified employees volunteer, the Company will, if feasible, solicit qualified employees from other departments/cells in the affected seniority area. · If qualified volunteers are selected and transferred from outside the affected department/cell, any requirement to replace those employees will be accomplished in accordance with the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. · Should there be an insufficient number of volunteers following the survey within the seniority area, the Company may fill any alternative workweek schedule openings by recall, job posting or new hire. The Company will not force any employee to the alternative workweek schedule. Once the alternative workweek schedule is implemented, the Company will allow requesting employees in seniority order (the most senior to least senior) to transfer off the alternative workweek schedule, as openings become available. Should it become necessary to eliminate a specific alternative workweek shift, other than as a result of layoff or a resulting reallocation, the Company will give the Local Union President a minimum of thirty (30) days notice, during which time the parties shall meet and discuss the placement of affected employees on traditional workweek shifts. In the event it is necessary to reduce the number of alternative workweek assignments, employees within each job classification affected by the reduction will be offered the opportunity to return to the traditional workweek schedules, beginning with the most senior employee. Any disputes over the issues of alternative workweek schedules, other than the implementation or continuation of such, will be subject to the grievance procedure, including arbitration. Disputes concerning the implementation or continuation of alternative workweek schedules will be referred to and discussed by the Executive Steering Committee at its next regular scheduled meeting.
Sincerely, James R. Miller Vice President, Industrial Relations Accepted this 6th day of December 2004
PAYMENT FOR BENEFITS
* Example depicts employee with five (5) weeks vacation eligibility.
** Exceptions will be strongly considered for employees on military encampment which falls on scheduled workdays.
The contractual requirement for a rest period applies to both the traditional and 4 day/10 hour workweek schedule. (If working more than two hours overtime in a day, employees will be given a paid 18-minute break prior to the start of the overtime.) For the 3 day/12 hour workweek schedule, employees receive a paid 30 minute lunch break in lieu of the 18-minute rest period.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR ALTERNATIVE WORKWEEK SCHEDULE
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR ALTERNATIVE WORKWEEK SCHEDULE
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