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ARTICLE 3 - UNION RIGHTS

3.01 Delegates and Organizers

The right of the Union to appoint a reasonable number of delegates is recognized.  The delegates appointed shall have completed their initial probationary period.  Delegates are Union stewards as that term is generally used.

In addition to their regular work duties, the duties of the delegates during work time shall be limited to the investigation and presentation of bargaining unit employees' grievances and representing said employees in meetings with the agency.

Delegates/organizers may receive and discuss complaints and grievances of employees on the premises and time of the agency provided it does not interfere with the necessary operation of the facility.  Delegates may use a reasonable amount of time to perform delegate duties. Delegates shall notify their supervisors when working on authorized union business.  The notification shall be given as far in advance as is practical, according to the circumstances.

Any disputes between the agency and the Union as to whether any organizer or delegate is spending an unreasonable amount of time in any work site conducting authorized union business shall be resolved by the Union and the agency appointing authority or designee.  If the question cannot be resolved at this level, it shall be submitted to the Deputy Director of the Office of Collective Bargaining for resolution.

Employees having a legitimate need for the services of their delegates/organizers shall notify their supervisor. Delegates/organizers will, upon entering any work area other than their own and prior to engaging in any representative duties, report to the supervisor involved.

The Union will provide written notification to the agency of the appointment of all delegates/organizers.  No appointment will be recognized until such notification is received by the agency.

When it is necessary for delegates to conduct authorized union business in a work site or shift other than their own, they shall notify the designated agency representative of that work site or shift of their presence and the nature of their business.

Delegates/organizers of the Union shall be allowed reasonable contact with employees of the bargaining unit during normal working hours.  The organizer shall notify the designated agency representative before conducting union business on the agency's premises and shall adhere to the agency's reasonable policy regarding access.

Each year of the contract, Union delegates will be allowed a maximum of eight (8) hours of time off with pay at his/her straight time rate to participate in contract administration training conducted by the Union.  The time for the delegate training will be at a time mutually agreeable to the Union and the agency.  The Union’s vice-president shall be given ten (10) days administrative leave with pay to attend to his/her duties as an officer.

Employees elected to the Executive Board of the Union may be allowed time off without pay or may use their personal leave or vacation to attend necessary meetings.  Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.

The Union shall designate no more than twenty (20) bargaining unit members to serve on the negotiating team.  Members of the Union negotiating team shall be paid by the Employer for the time spent in negotiations with the Employer as well as for the time spent enroute to and from such negotiations, provided that no Union negotiating team member shall receive more than eight (8) hours pay for any single day.  At the request of the Union, Union negotiating team members will also be paid for up to three (3) days of negotiations preparations.

It is understood that the Union is in exclusive control of the composition of its committee and may select those state employees, up to twenty (20) who will participate in negotiations.  The Union may, on a limited basis, replace or substitute individual committee members as it perceives the need.

3.02 – Union Requests for Time Off

All requests for any form of time off from work pursuant to this Article must be made by completing a form or log provided by the Employer.  No employee will be granted any time off pursuant to this Article, without completing the form or log prior to the utilization of such time, and securing of permission to utilize such time.  The employee shall enter on the form the time the leave commences, and upon returning the employee shall enter the return time.  Employees who do not return to their worksite prior to the end of the employees’ workday shall complete the form at the beginning of the employees’ next workday.  Employees who normally work out of the office, will work out an acceptable alternative union leave request procedure with their supervisor.  In the absence of a mutually agreed to form the employee shall use state leave forms.

3.03 Other Union Deductions

The Employer, for the term of this Agreement, shall withhold other Union deductions from the pay received monthly, quarterly, or annually from those employees who have voluntarily and individually authorized such deduction by executing and submitting a written authorization form (payroll deduction form) in a timely manner.  All funds so deducted shall be remitted to the Union regularly.

3.04 Credit Union Deductions

The Employer agrees to honor Credit Union deduction requests for members who have properly signed and executed the payroll deduction form.  Such deduction shall remain in effect until the Employer is properly notified in writing by the employee of any change.

3.05 Bulletin Boards

The agency shall provide a suitable space for the use of the Union at each facility for the purpose of posting bulletins, notices and other materials affecting the employees in the bargaining units except for those situations where the agency does not lease or own office space.  In institutional agencies, bulletin boards shall be glass enclosed and lockable.  The appropriate Union representative shall have the key.  The posting of any Union materials shall be restricted to such bulletin board space.  Any material posted will be signed and dated by the appropriate Union representative prior to such posting.  The Union agrees not to post any material which is profane, obscene or defamatory to the Employer, its representatives, or any individual, or which constitutes campaign material between competing employee organizations, or partisan campaign literature.  The union representative shall remove any materials in violation of this section.

The unresolved posting of any material at a facility may be referred to the Union and the Office of Collective Bargaining for resolution.

3.06 Meeting Room Space  

Space for meetings or conferences with employees may be provided upon request, when available.  The Employer agrees to provide office space in institutions where space is currently provided to other labor organizations to be used for conducting union business.

3.07 Union Orientation

Where the Employer has a structured employee orientation program, the Union shall be permitted to make a presentation not to exceed thirty minutes in duration regarding the Union.  The Employer shall notify the Union of newly hired employees at reasonable intervals, but no later than before a scheduled orientation.