Avalon Manufacturing has a collective agreement with Local 123 of the Canadian Manufacturers Union. Excerpts from the agreement, which expires in six months, are set out below. The current contract was the first agreement between the union and the employer. The employer manufactures bicycle frames and employs 100 full-time and 50 part-time employees. An additional 15 to 25 students are hired in the summer months.

Article 1 Recognition

1.1 The employer recognizes the union as the sole collective bargaining agent for all its employees employed in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, save and except supervisors, persons above the rank of supervisor, office and sales staff.

Article 2 Union Security

2.1 All employees who on the effective date of this agreement are members of the union and all employees who subsequently become members, shall, as a condition of employment, remain members of the union.

2.2 The Company agrees to deduct union dues from the pay of all employees covered by this agreement. Deductions shall be forwarded to the secretary-treasurer of the union accompanied by a list of names of those employees whose dues have been remitted. Dues shall be remitted to the union no later than fourteen days after the end of each month.

Article 3 Non-discrimination

3.1 The employer must not discriminate against any employee because of age, race, colour, creed, national origin, political or religious affiliation, sex, sexual preference, marital status, physical disability, mental disability or because of membership or non-membership or activity in the union.

3.2 The parties recognise the right of employees to work in an environment free from sexual and personal harassment.

Article 4 Management Rights

4.1 It is recognized that the employer exercises all rights and responsibilities of management, subject to the terms of this collective agreement.

Article 5 Strikes and Lockouts

5.1 The union and the employer agree that there will be no strikes or lockouts during the term of this agreement.

Article 6 Grievance and Arbitration Procedure

6.1 It is the mutual desire of the parties that concerns of employees be addressed. It is recommended that employees attempt to resolve any concerns with their designated

supervisor. However, this does not restrict the employee from processing

a grievance as follows:

Step 1. The grievor, together with his or her shop steward, must discuss the grievance with his or her supervisor within five working days.

Step 2. If the dispute is not settled under step 1, the grievance must be put in writing and submitted to the supervisor within ten working days of the incident giving rise to the grievance. The supervisor will provide the employers response in writing within three working days of receipt of the written grievance.

Step 3. If the decision of the supervisor is unsatisfactory or a written reply has not been received within the time provided, then within seven working days of the date upon which the supervisors decision was provided or should have been provided, the grievance will be discussed between the president of the union, the shop steward, and the director of labour relations or his or her designate. The director of labour relations or his or her designate will give the employers decision in writing within five working days.

Step 4. If the grievance cannot be resolved at step 3, then within ten days of the written decision provided in step 3 or the date the written decision should have been provided, the matter may be referred to arbitration.

6.2 The parties will share equally the fees and expenses of the arbitrator.

Article 7 Seniority

7.1 Seniority is the total duration of continuous service by an employee within the bargaining unit, since the employees last date of hire.

7.2 All employees hired are on probation for the first 3 months of service. Upon successful completion of the probationary period, the employees seniority will be effective

the first day of the probationary period.

7.3 An employee will be deemed to be terminated and will lose all seniority rights and privileges and the employer shall have no further obligation to the employee in the event

that the employee:

(a) voluntarily quits;

(b) is discharged and not subsequently reinstated;

(c) is absent without leave for three days;

(d) has been laid off and has refused to return to work within 48 hours after being recalled;

(e) is laid off and not recalled for a period of eight consecutive months; or

(f) has been absent from work by reason of a medically certified illness or injury, for a 24-month period.

Article 8 Layoff and Recall

8.1 In the event of a layoff, the employer must lay off in reverse order of seniority, provided that the remaining employees have the skill and ability to do the job required.

8.2 Employees will be recalled in order of seniority provided that they have the skill and ability to do the job required.

Article 9 Promotions and Job Postings

9.1 The Company must post notices of all job vacancies within the bargaining unit and will receive applications for at least five working days.

9.2 The employer will consider the skill, ability, and seniority of the applicants. Where skill and ability are equal, the employer will select the employee with the most seniority.

Article 10 Leave

10.1 Bereavement leave. An employee shall be granted three regularly scheduled consecutive workdays leave without loss of regular pay and benefits, in the case of the death of a member of the immediate family.

10.2 Personal leave. Leaves of absence shall be granted without loss of seniority for good cause, including personal illness or accident, illness or accident in the immediate family, and jury duty.

Article 11 Holidays

11.1 The employer will observe the holidays required by employment standards legislation.

11.2 The employee is entitled to holiday pay, equivalent to eight hours of regular pay.

Article 12 Vacations

12.1 Employees shall be entitled to annual vacation and vacation pay pursuant to employment standards legislation.

Article 13 Technological Change

13.1 The employer shall notify the union four months before any technological change that adversely affects the job security or working conditions of employees.

Article 14 Contracting Out

14.1 The employer, except in the case of an emergency, shall provide the union with at least five months notice before contracting out any work that would cause the layoff of any employees.

Article 15 Bargaining Unit Work

15.1 Persons not covered by this agreement shall not perform work that is normally performed by bargaining unit employees.

Article 16 Term

16.1 This agreement will remain in full force and effect for one year from the date of its commencement.

Questions 2000 words

Explain issues in the existing contract that could be improved upon from the employers perspective.

Explain issues in the existing contract that could be improved upon from the union perspective.