ARTICLE 7 - UNION BUSINESS
Section 1. Union Representatives
Union Staff representatives shall be permitted to have access to the premises of
the College for the performance of official Union business, provided that there
is no disruption of operations. Requests for such access will be made in advance
and will not be unreasonably denied. The Union will furnish the College with a
list of staff representatives and their areas of jurisdiction.
Section 2. Union Officials
A. Except as hereinafter provided, Union business shall be conducted by Union officials
on off-duty hours. Designated Union officials shall be permitted to have time off without
loss of pay for the investigation and processing of grievances and arbitrations. Grievants
shall be permitted to have time off without loss of pay for processing their grievances
through the contractual grievance procedure, except that for class action grievances,
no more than three (3) grievants shall be granted such leave. Requests for all such
time off shall be made in advance and shall not be unreasonably denied. Union officials
and representatives shall conduct Union business in a manner, which shall not be disruptive
to the College’s operations or any employees work. The Union will furnish the College with
a list of the designated Union officials.
B. The President of the Local, for the purpose of attending meetings at other Colleges in
the State and Community College System, shall be granted release time without loss of
wages or benefits not to exceed two (2) days each month. Such leaves shall be approved
in advance by the CEO.
Section 3. Paid Leave of Absence
A. Leaves of absence without loss of wages, benefits or other privileges may be granted to
elected delegates of the Union to attend conventions of the State, Regional and Parent
Organizations. Such leave will require the prior approval of the CEO. Persons designated
as alternate delegates shall not be granted paid leave of absence to attend such conventions.
B. Leaves of absence without loss of wages, benefits or other privileges may be granted to
the Union negotiating committee members for attendance at negotiation sessions with the
Employer and related Union caucuses. Such leave will require the prior approval of the CEO.
C. Leaves of absence without loss of wages, benefits or other privileges may be granted
for attendance at joint labor management meetings. Such leave will require the prior
approval of the CEO.
D. Leaves of absence without loss of wages, benefits or other privileges may be granted
to Executive Board members for attendance at ten (10) Executive Board meetings per year.
Such leave will require the prior approval of the CEO. The number of paid attendees and
the duration of the meeting shall not exceed past practice.
Section 4. Unpaid Leave of Absence
Upon request of the Union, an employee may be granted a leave of absence without pay to
perform full-time official duties on behalf of the Union. Such leave of absence shall
be for a period of up to one year and may be extended for one or more additional periods
of one year or less at the request of the Union. Advance approval of the CEO is required
for all such leaves of absence or extensions thereof.
Section 5. Attendance at Hearings
A. Designated Union officials may be granted leave of absence without loss of wages,
benefits or other privileges to attend hearings before the Legislature and State agencies
concerning matters of importance to the Union and the Employer. Such leave will require
prior approval of the CEO.
B. Witnesses called by the Union to testify at a Step IV hearing or in an arbitration
proceeding (Step V) may be granted time off without loss of benefits or other privileges
(not including wages).
C. All leave granted under this section shall require prior approval of the CEO.
Section 6. Union Use of Premises
A. The Union shall be permitted to use the same or similar facilities of the College for
the transaction of Union business during working hours which have been used in the past
for such purpose, and to have reasonable use of the College facilities during off-duty
hours for Union meetings subject to appropriate compensation if required by law. This
section shall not be interpreted to grant an employee the right to carry on Union business
during his/her own working hours not granted elsewhere in this contract.
B. Unit members shall continue to be permitted access to the same or similar facilities
as approved and provided in the past.
Section 7. Bulletin Boards
The Union may post notices on designated bulletin boards or an adequate part thereof in
places and locations where notices are usually posted by the College for employees to read.
All notices shall be on Union stationery, signed by an official of the Union, and shall
only be used to notify employees of matters pertaining to Union affairs. The notices may
remain posted for a reasonable period of time. No material shall be posted which is
inflammatory, profane or obscene, or defamatory of the Commonwealth or its representatives,
or which constitutes election campaign material for or against any person, organization or
faction thereof.
Section 8. Employer Provision of Information
The College shall be required to provide the Union with the following information:
1. Every month, a list of all new employees in the bargaining unit and their date of
employment and classification.
2. Every month, a list of all unit employees who have had a change in status.
3. Every month, a list of all unit employees not on dues or agency fee checkoff and who
are off payroll for any reason the week of deduction.
4. A list of unit employees who withdrew checkoff authorizations within two months of
such withdrawal.
5. Every six months, a list of all unit employees and their title and last date of hire.
Where the College has been providing this or other information to the Union at more frequent
time intervals, the information shall continue to be furnished at such intervals.
Section 9. Orientation
Where the College provides an orientation program for new employees, one-half hour shall
be allotted to the Union and to the new unit employees during which time a Union
representative may discuss the Union with the employees.
Where the College does not provide an orientation program for new employees, a
forty-five (45) minute period shall be allotted to the Union and to the new unit employees
that month during which time a Union representative may discuss the Union with the employees.
Such meeting shall not take place at the new employee’s assigned work location.
Section 10. Campus Unit Meetings
The Chief Human Resources Officer and the Local Union Stewards shall discuss procedures
to enable unit members to meet on campus. Such procedures shall be approved by the CEO.