2007-2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement

Association Rights

3.1. Bulletin Boards: The Employer shall furnish reasonable space on bulletin boards for the use of the Association. The Association shall use this board for posting of notices pertaining to recreational and social activities, Association elections, reports of the Association, or its committees, Association meetings notices, legislative enactments, decisions of the Public Employee Labor Relations Board (PELRB), and judicial decisions affecting public employee labor relations. The Association shall not post any materials which are obscene, defamatory, or impair the operation of the department; or which constitute partisan, political campaign material. Where the Employer finds material posted on the bulletin board to be objectionable as violative of the Agreement, it will consult with the Association or any representative. If such consultation doesn't resolve the Employer's objections, the material in question shall be promptly removed from the bulletin board by the Association. The matter will then be immediately referred to the grievance procedure for resolution. Where the Association posts material on bulletin boards in violation of this Agreement, the Employer may require advance approval of all future material to be posted.

3.2. Member and Employee Reports: The Employer agrees to provide payroll deduction information to the Association on a computer disk or other mutually agreed format at least biweekly for the administration of dues deductions and Association programs.

In addition, the Employer shall notify the Association of all newly hired full-time employees, the names and business addresses of all permanent unit employees, and employees who have terminated state service at least monthly on a computer disk, or other mutually agreed format.

These reports shall include, at least, the following:

• employee's name
• employee's home address for Association members only
• employee’s work e-mail address if applicable
• employee's state identification number
• employee's payroll number
• employee's labor grade and step
• employee's salary schedule
• employee's business address
• employee's job classification
• employee's date of employment

3.2.1 The Association shall provide a written notice to the Employer that is suitable for inclusion in the “check message” on employee paychecks/advices that informs employees that the Association is the exclusive bargaining representative for all unit employees and therefore requires access to the employee for Association correspondence. The Employer agrees to place the message on employee paychecks/advices quarterly at the request of the Association.

3.3. Association Business: The internal business of the Association shall be conducted by full-time employees during their non-duty hours.

3.3.1. Association chapters may utilize the Employer's messenger service and, to the extent that they do or may exist, electronic mail system(s) for the duration of this Agreement for internal Association business, provided that said mailings are clearly identified as the property of the Association.

3.4. Use of Facilities: Association committees or chapters shall be allowed the use of facilities of the Employer for meetings providing that written approval of the Employer is secured subject to the following conditions:

3.4.1. Such Employer facilities are available and their use for such meetings would not conflict with the Employer's business.

3.4.2. Such approval shall be subject to such other reasonable conditions as may be imposed by the Employer.

3.4.3. Such approval, if given, will be limited to members of the committee, full and part-time bargaining unit employees, Association staff members, and guests.

3.4.4. Nothing in this provision shall be construed as a limitation of the rights of the Association, its chapters or committees to utilize the Employer's facilities that are otherwise available for public use.

3.5. Access To Employees: Staff representatives of the Association shall be allowed to visit work areas of employees during working hours and confer on conditions of employment to the extent that such visitations do not disrupt the work activities of the area being visited. Prior to entering the work area, the representative shall receive permission from the appropriate department head or his/her designee stating the reason(s) for such visitations. Permission shall not be unreasonably denied.

3.6. Administrative Leave: SEA officials shall be allowed a cumulative total of sixty (60) days off per contract year without loss of time or pay for the purpose of attending meetings, conventions or conferences relative to labor relations or Association affiliations. Time off shall be limited to five (5) days per official for each such request. All requests shall be submitted to, and approved by, the Bureau of Employee Relations for timely notification to the Employer that the leave has been approved and shall be awarded.

3.7. Union Leave: The Employer shall grant five (5) working days of union leave to each of the duly elected representatives of the Association to the quadrennial convention of the Service Employees International Union. The Association shall provide the Employer with not less than sixty (60) days notice of the dates for this leave and the names of the elected representatives.

3.7.1. The employer shall approve reasonable preparation time, not to exceed one day per week, during even-numbered years beginning September 1st until negotiations begin for up to fifteen (15) members of the Association's state-level bargaining team.

3.8. Group Programs: The Association shall be allowed the use of seven (7) payroll deductions for any group program(s) in addition to a dues deduction.

3.9. Board of Directors Leave: The Employer shall authorize up to forty-eight hours per year per person without loss of time or pay for directors and officers of the Association's Board of Directors, for the purpose of attending meetings of the Board of Directors. The employee shall give a seven day notice for use of such leave.

3.10. Employee Orientation: Full-time unit employees shall be entitled to an Employer orientation within thirty (30) calendar days of hire. The orientation may be presented in written form, by video, in person or by any combination of presentation methods. The Employer shall inform new full-time unit employees that the Association is the exclusive representative of all unit employees and provide information on all benefit programs provided by the Employer. The Employer agrees to distribute informational packets provided by the Association to new employees. The Association shall be allowed to make a presentation, at orientations offered by the Employer. The presentation may be up to one half hour in duration and shall be conducted by an Association staff person. If an Association staff person is unable to attend the orientation, an Association staff person shall have access to all new employees for up to one half hour at the convenience of the Employer within thirty (30) calendar days following the orientation. This provision shall also apply to regularly scheduled part-time unit employees, however the presentation method shall be at the Employer’s choice.

3.11. President’s Leave: The Employer shall authorize a leave of absence with pay for the President of the Association. The leave of absence with pay shall be taken for a two-year period beginning two (2) weeks after written notice by the Association to the Bureau of Employee Relations and the newly-elected President's agency.

During such leave of absence with pay, the President shall continue to receive and retain all of his/her wages, rights, benefits, and seniority as a state employee except that all leave accumulation shall be frozen for the duration of the leave of absence. Upon returning from the leave of absence, the President shall resume earning leave at the rates appropriate to his/her service at the time of return. The Employer agrees that there shall be no action taken with respect to the President or the President's state position prior to or following his/her return from the leave of absence because of his/her legal union activities.

The Association agrees to reimburse the Employer for the full cost of the wages and benefits for the President, and to indemnify the Employer against any and all liabilities associated with the leave of absence, including but not limited to workers' compensation.

3.12. Access to Employer Intranet Website: The Employer agrees to provide the Association access to the Employer’s intranet website, currently known as Sunspot, on a read-only basis. Such access shall be provided to the Association in a manner that preserves the security and integrity of the Employer’s system.