AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT entered into this 1st day
of July, 2004, by and between the OBSERVER AND ECCENTRIC NEWSPAPERS, a
subsidiary of HOMETOWN COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, INC., hereafter referred to as
the "Company" and the NEWSPAPER GUILD OF DETROIT, LOCAL 34022, acting
for itself and on behalf of the employees of the Company described in Article
1, hereafter referred to as the "Guild".
This Agreement shall be in effect
through the last day of June, 2007. If
either party wishes to propose a change in any of the conditions of this
Agreement to take effect after the expiration date, it shall notify the other
party in writing not less than 60 days prior to the expiration date of this
Agreement of the proposed change.
ARTICLE I
1.01 The Company recognizes the Guild as the
exclusive bargaining representative for its editorial department employees,
excluding supervisory employees and confidential employees as defined in the
National Labor Relations Act. As used
herein, the term "employee" refers to employees in the bargaining
unit represented by the Guild.
1.02 The parties recognize the practice whereby
excluded employees perform the same kinds of work as is performed by bargaining
unit employees and agree that such practice may continue.
1.03 The parties recognize the practice whereby
stringers, independent contractors and freelancers perform the same kinds of
work as is performed by bargaining unit employees and agree that such practice
may continue.
1.04 The parties recognize the practice whereby
special sections and advertising-related work may be assigned to bargaining
unit employees, to other employees, or contracted out and agree that such
practice may continue.
1.05 Performance of the following whether by
presently or normally used processes or equipment, or by new or modified
processes or equipment, shall be assigned, except as provided above, only to
employees covered by this contract:
a.
The editorial functions presently performed within the editorial
department.
ARTICLE II
2.01 All bargaining unit employees shall as a
condition of employment, on or after thirty (30) days from the date of
employment, or the effective date of this agreement, or the date this agreement
is signed, whichever is later, either (a) join the Guild or maintain membership
in good standing in the Guild or (b) pay to the Guild an amount equivalent to
Guild dues and fees or (c) pay to the Guild an amount equivalent to such
portion of Guild dues and fees necessary to the duties of the Guild as
exclusive representative of the employees regarding labor/management issues as
calculated in accordance with governing law.
2.02 The Company shall be obligated to terminate the employment of an employee who fails
to meet the requirements of Section 1 of this Article and whose termination is
lawful under the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1957, as amended.
ARTICLE III
3.01 Upon an employee's voluntary written
assignment, the Company shall deduct weekly from the weekly earnings of such
employee and pay to the Guild not later than the 10th day of each month all
Guild membership dues and agency fees, whichever is applicable. Such membership dues or fees shall be
deducted from the employee's earnings in accordance with the Guild's schedule
of rates furnished the Company by the Guild.
Such schedule may be amended by the Guild at any time. An employee's voluntary written assignment
shall remain effective in accordance with the terms of such assignment.
3.02 The dues deduction assignment shall be made
upon the following form:
GUILD
"CHECKOFF" AUTHORIZATION
Date_____________________
I understand
that, by agreement with the Newspaper Guild of Detroit, you perform for your
employees the service of paying their Guild dues by payroll deduction. I wish to take advantage of this
convenience, at no extra cost to me.
I hereby
authorize and request you to check off and deduct such amounts during the month
for which such dues are levied and the Guild so notifies you, from any salary
then standing to my credit as your employee, and to remit the amount deducted
to the Newspaper Guild of Detroit.
I hereby assign
to the Newspaper Guild of Detroit, from my salary earned or to be earned by me
as your employee, an amount equal to all membership dues lawfully levied
against me by the Guild for each calendar month following the date of this
assignment as certified by the Treasurer of the Newspaper Guild of Detroit.
This assignment
and authorization shall remain in effect until revoked by me, but shall be
irrevocable for a period of one year from the date appearing above or until the
termination of the collective bargaining agreement between yourself and the
Guild, whichever occurs sooner.
I further agree
and direct that this assignment and authorization shall be continued
automatically and shall be irrevocable for successive periods of one year each
or for the period of each succeeding applicable agreement between yourself and
the Guild, whichever period shall be shorter, unless written notice of its
revocation is given by me to yourself and to the Guild by registered mail not
more than thirty (30) days, and not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the
expiration of each period of one year, or of each applicable collective
agreement between yourself and the Guild, whichever occurs sooner. Such notice of revocation shall become
effective or the calendar month following the calendar month in which you
receive it. This assignment and
authorization supersedes all previous assignments and authorizations heretofore
given to you by me in relation to my Guild membership dues.
__________________________
Witness
__________________________
Employee's
Signature
ARTICLE IV
4.01 During the life of the Agreement, the Guild
will not cause or permit its members or any member of the bargaining unit to
cause, nor will any member of the Guild or member of the bargaining unit take
part in any sit-down, stay-in, or slow-down, strike, sympathy strike in support
of non-employees of the Company, stoppage of work, or picketing in any office
covered by this contract, or any curtailment of work or restriction of
production by bargaining unit employees.
The Company shall have the right to discharge or otherwise discipline
any employee who engages in any of the activities prohibited by this
Article. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
employees shall not be required to perform work which would be performed by
employees of another Company except for the fact that they are engaged in a
lawful work stoppage, nor shall employees be required to cross a lawful primary
labor union picket line at any of the Company's offices covered by this
contract, which have been authorized by the International Union which
represents the picketing employees.
4.02 During the term of this Agreement, the
Company agrees it will not institute a lock-out.
ARTICLE V
ARTICLE VI
6.01 Any employee having an employment related
problem and/or the employee's shop steward on behalf of the employee, might
discuss the problem with the employee's supervisor. No resolution of such problems shall be inconsistent with the
provisions of this Agreement.
6.02 A grievance is a dispute between the Guild
and the Company concerning the interpretation or application of the provisions
of this Agreement or the alleged violation of the provisions of this Agreement.
6.03 Any grievance shall be put in writing,
signed by an authorized representative of the Guild, and submitted to the
Executive Editor or his designated representative within thirty (30) calendar
days following the date of the incident giving rise to the grievance, or if
later, within thirty (30) calendar days from the date the Guild, by its
Observer & Eccentric unit representatives, knew or reasonably could have
known of such incident.
6.04 The Company shall meet with the Guild
Grievance Committee within ten (10) working days after the written grievance is
submitted, and will give the Guild a written answer within ten (10) working
days after the date of such meeting.
The Guild Grievance Committee shall consist of not more than four (4)
persons of the Guild's own choosing and the company's grievance committee shall
consist of not more than four (4) persons of the Company's own choosing. Employee members of the Guild Grievance
Committee shall be allowed time off without loss of pay during their scheduled
working hours for the purpose of attending the grievance meeting provided for
in this section.
6.05 If the Company's written answer does not
satisfactorily resolve the grievance, the Guild may submit the grievance to
arbitration by mailing a written demand for arbitration to the American
Arbitration Association (Detroit office) and mailing a copy thereof to the Company
within thirty (30) work days from the Guild's receipt of the company's written
answer.
6.06 The arbitrator shall be selected and the
arbitration shall be conducted pursuant to the voluntary labor arbitration
rules of the American Arbitration Association.
The decision of the arbitrator, made within his authority, shall be
final and binding on the Company, the Guild, and any employee or employees
involved. The arbitrator shall have no
authority to alter, amend, modify, add to or subtract from the provisions of
this Agreement. The cost of arbitration
shall be borne equally by the parties, except that neither party shall be
obligated to pay any part of the cost of a stenographic transcript without
express consent, and each party shall bear its own expenses such as attorneys
and witness fees.
6.07 A grievance described in Section 6.02 above
shall be barred if not submitted within the time limit specified in said
Section 6.03 or if arbitration is not demanded in the manner and within the
time limit specified in Section 6.05 above.
Time limits may be extended by mutual agreement in writing.
6.08 Any back pay awarded by the arbitrator shall
provide for deduction of any and all amounts received by the employee during
the period in question from other employment or self employment, except other
employment or self employment in which the employee was engaged while employed
by the Company, as well as from unemployment compensation and from workmen's
compensation.
6.09 The Guild recognizes the right of the Company
to establish, modify or eliminate job functions, job classifications, and job
descriptions. In the event any such
changes are significant to the extent that a change in wage minimum is
warranted, the Company agrees to advise the Guild, within thirty (30) days
after such changes are instituted, of the new minimum and of the changes which
warrant it. Any change in job function,
classification or description may be the basis of a grievance involving either
or both the questions of whether the change warranted a change in wage minimum,
or whether the changed wage minimum was reasonable. In the event the later question is involved, the arbitrator shall
have the authority to modify the wage minimum established by the Company only
if the arbitrator determines that the Company was arbitrary in setting the wage
minimum. Such minimum for new jobs shall be effective on the date new job
content is effective provided in the interim there was no significant change in
job content.
ARTICLE VII
7.01 No employee shall be dismissed without just
and sufficient cause. Except in cases
of willful misconduct, the Guild and the employee shall be notified in writing
at least two (2) weeks in advance of each dismissal with specifications of the
facts alleged to be just and sufficient cause for such dismissal, or the
employee shall receive two (2) weeks pay in lieu of advance notice to the Guild
and the employee. This section does not
apply to economic dismissals. In
addition to such notice or pay in lieu of notice, and in the case of economic
dismissals, but not in the case of dismissal for misconduct, employees shall
receive severance pay in the amount of one week's pay for each full six months
of employment to a maximum of four weeks' pay.
7.02 The Company shall give the Guild two weeks'
advance notice of any economic dismissals in a job classification specifying
the names of the persons to be economically dismissed, and their job
title. Dismissals to reduce the force
shall be accomplished by inverse order of seniority by classification. Part-time employees shall be dismissed (by
seniority) before any full-time employees.
If the Company determines that an economic dismissal is necessary in a
job classification, then the employee in that classification with the least
seniority shall be economically dismissed first; provided, that the more senior
employees in that job classification can competently and efficiently perform
the work available within the classification without additional training.
a. An employee economically dismissed from a job classification may displace the least senior employee (with less seniority) in the highest lesser paying job classification that he or she can competently perform the duties of without additional training. Any employee so displaced will in turn be considered economically dismissed from a job classification.
7.03 Seniority employees who are economically
dismissed shall have a right to be recalled to employment in the job
classification from which they were dismissed during the period of two years
immediately following the date of their economic dismissal. In the event there is a vacancy within the
job classification and employees in that classification have been economically
dismissed for less then two years then the Company shall first recall the most
senior of such employees; provided, the more senior employee can competently
and efficiently perform the available work without additional training. An employee recalled to his job classification
within two years of the date of an economic dismissal will suffer no break in
seniority, except upon recall the employee will receive a new experience
anniversary date unless he/she has accumulated comparable experience during
layoff. An employee so recalled shall
be paid the wage minimum for the classification into which he/she is recalled.
7.04 New hires shall be considered probationary
employees during the first ninety (90) calendar days worked in their
employment. During such period the
Company may dismiss such employees without the employee or the Guild having
recourse to the Grievance Procedure. An
employee's probationary period may be extended by mutual agreement between the
Company and the Guild in writing.
Employees who successfully complete their probationary period shall have
seniority dating back to their date of hire.
7.05 Seniority means length of continuous
employment. An employee shall hold
seniority only in his or her then current job classification. In the event an employee is transferred or
promoted from one job classification to another, the employee’s seniority shall
transfer to the employee’s new job classification at the end of the ninety (90)
day calendar day trial period as set forth in Section 8.04. In the event an economic dismissal occurs in
the employee's former job classification while the employee is in a trial
period and the employee does not successfully complete the trial period, then
if the dismissed employee had more seniority, the employee returning to his or
her former classification shall be dismissed and the more senior employees
recalled.
7.06 An employee shall lose seniority and his/her
employment will be deemed interrupted by:
a. Dismissal under Section 7.01 for
just and sufficient cause.
b. Resignation or retirement.
c. Economic dismissal for a period of
more than two years.
d. Refusal
to accept an offer of rehire into the classification from which the employee
was economically dismissed.
e. Acceptance of a non-bargaining unit
job with the Company.
f. Failure
of the employee, within two weeks after receiving notice of recall into the
classification from which the employee was economically dismissed, to
satisfactorily arrange for returning to work in that classification within a
total of four weeks after receiving such notice. A copy of such notice of recall will simultaneously be mailed to
the Guild.
7.07 The Company shall give the Guild thirty (30)
days notice prior to the introduction of major changes in equipment, machines
or apparatus. Notwithstanding Paragraph
6.09 above, no job will be reclassified on account of the introduction of major
changes in equipment, machines or apparatus, to a lower paying classification
so long as the incumbent in that job held the job prior to such introduction.
7.08 There shall be no discrimination in the
hiring, employment or termination of any employee because of his or her
membership or activity in the Guild, nor because of his or here religion, race,
color, national origin, age, sex, marital status or parental status or
disability.
ARTICLE VIII
8.01 a. No employee shall be permanently transferred to another job classification without the employee’s consent. No employee shall be penalized for refusing to accept such a permanent transfer.
b. An
employee may be transferred to another community coverage area provided the
transfer is not arbitrary.
c. With
respect to transfers permitted under paragraphs 8.01 a. and 8.01 b. above,
there shall be no reduction in salary or impairment of benefits as a result of
such transfer. Part time jobs that expand to full time jobs shall be posted as
a vacant bargaining unit job.
8.02 Present employees shall be given first
consideration for vacant bargaining unit jobs subject, however, to prior
operation of the rehiring list. Within
seven (7) calendar days after a permanent vacancy in a bargaining unit job
exists, the Company will either:
a. Post a notice of a job opening for not less than seven (7) calendar days in all offices of the Company where bargaining unit employees work; indicating the job classification, wage minimum, primary location, required qualifications, and the bidding deadline date which shall be no less than seven (7) working days after posting. The Company will provide the Guild with a copy of such posting; or,
b. Notify the Guild and the chairperson that the job will not be filled.
c. Any employee who expects to be absent for any reason for not more than thirty (30) calendar days may advise a Managing Editor in writing of an advance bid in a specific classification in the event an open job is posted in that classification during the period of absence.
8.03 The Company shall consider all bidders and
select the qualified bidder, if any, who is most qualified. The qualified bidder is one who meets the
posted relevant qualifications for the job and who appears capable of
competently and efficiently performing the job. Where qualifications are equal, the most senior employee will be
selected from the bidders who qualify. Nothing herein shall abridge or restrict
the Company’s exclusive right to fill any vacancy from outside the bargaining
unit.
8.04 An employee promoted or transferred under
Section 8.03 above shall be given a trial period of not more than ninety (90)
calendar days. Such trial period may be
extended by mutual agreement between the Company and the Guild in writing. During such trial period the Company may
determine the employee is not qualified for the job and may return the employee
to the classification from which he or she came. During the first forty five (45) day of the trial period the
employee may advise the Company in writing of his or her desire to be returned
to his or her former job classification.
In the event of such notice the employee will be returned within thirty
(30) working days of such notice without penalty. During the trial period a promoted employee shall receive the
wage minimum in the new classification next higher than the wage formerly
received in the old classification.
8.05 A promoted employee may not bid for a
different position under Section 8.02 for at least six (6) months, which
includes the ninety (90) day trial period, unless a shorter period is approved
by management.
8.06 At the end of a trial period the employee's
seniority shall transfer to the employee's new job classification unless during
the trial period the employee was returned or asked to return to his or her
former job classification.
8.07 If the employee returns to the
classification from which he or she came, he or she shall then receive the wage
he or she would have received had he or she never been advanced or transferred,
and will have his or her seniority reinstated in his or her former job
classification as though he or she had never been advanced or transferred.
ARTICLE IX
9.01 The work week shall consist of forty (40)
hours in five (5) not necessarily consecutive days.
9.02 The working day shall consist of not more
than eight (8) consecutive hours, broken only by an unpaid meal period of
one-half or one hour mutually agreed to by the employee and Company, to be
taken at a time determined by the employee's supervisor, except that employees
may be scheduled two (2) or four (4) days a week up to ten (10) straight time
consecutive hours with a similar meal arrangement. In the event of an assigned working meal there will be no unpaid
meal period during the shift.
9.03 Notwithstanding Paragraph 9.02 above, one
day of the week for an employee may be scheduled as a split shift in which the
hours of work are split into two (2) non-consecutive parts each of two (2)
hours or more accept that split shifts will not be scheduled for an employee in
a week that she/he is scheduled for four (4) ten hour days. In the event the total elapsed scheduled
time of a split shift exceeds ten (10) hours for an employee then the employee
will receive a $6.00 meal expense allowance, unless during the shift the
employee has an assigned working meal.
9.04 Except as otherwise provided in Paragraph
9.03 above, no employee will be called in to work for a period of less than
four hours, except that an employee may be called back to work for any period
after completing scheduled work on a day in which case the employee will be
paid time and one-half for the actual time worked plus travel time to and from
work.
9.05 On any shift of more than six (6) hours
presentation desk employees and receptionists will have two unscheduled paid
15-minute break periods taken at times determined by individual employee's
supervisors, and other employees will have available to them two unscheduled
paid 15 minute break period, each in addition to an unpaid lunch as provided
for in Paragraph 9.02 above. On any
shift of six (6) hours or less there will be only one applicable break period
and, notwithstanding Paragraph 9.02 above, an unpaid lunch period of one-half
or one hour mutually agreed to by the employee and Company.
9.06 Work schedules shall be posted not later
than 1:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding the work week (Monday thru
Sunday) for which they apply. Schedules
may be changed only in an emergency or with the consent of the employee, and
then not to violate any of the provisions of this Article.
9.07 No employee shall be scheduled to start a
shift within eight (8) hours of the scheduled end of the previous shift,
exclusive of overtime. Any work
required before the expiration of such eight (8) hours shall be paid at the
rate of time and one-half in addition to the straight time scheduled hours of
work for the day.
9.08 All employees assigned to outside of the
Observer and Eccentric coverage area shall have travel time considered as work
time and not time off. Travel time and mileage within the coverage area will
not be paid from home to first assignment and from last assignment to home.
9.09 Overtime shall be worked as required. Overtime is defined as work beyond the
scheduled hours in a work day or days in the work week as defined in Paragraphs
9.01 and 9.02, work performed outside of scheduled hours, or work in excess of
forty (40) hours per week. In
calculating weekly overtime, holidays not worked falling within the work week
shall count as eight (8) hours of work.
Overtime shall be paid for at the rate of time and one-half. Notwithstanding this Paragraph, part-time
employees shall not receive daily overtime except for work both beyond
scheduled hours and in excess of eight (8) hours. Overtime will be worked and paid for only when approved in
advance by the Company.
9.10 There will be no pyramiding of overtime.
ARTICLE X
10.01 Temporary employees may be employed for a
special project or for a specified time, in either case not to exceed three (3)
consecutive months in any twelve (12) month period (such three (3) month
consecutive period may be extended by mutual agreement between the Company and
the Guild) but not to displace or replace regular employees. For example, temporary employees may be
employed for vacation coverage, during employees' sick leave, to fill in
vacancies created by promotion, fill in for employees on leaves of absence, or
may be employed while the Company is attempting to permanently fill an open job
while following the procedures of Article VIII (Transfers and Promotions). The Guild shall be notified in writing as to
the nature of each temporary employees' employment.
a. Temporary employees are covered by
this Agreement and will be paid at the wage minimum based upon their individual
experience and job classification, but are not entitled to any of the fringe
benefits provided in this Agreement
b. Temporary employees shall not
acquire seniority and are not covered by Articles VI and VII.
10.02 Part-time employees shall not be scheduled
to work less than four (4) hours in any day.
A part-time employee shall not be employed where, in effect, such
employment would eliminate or displace a regular full time employee.
a. Part-time employees shall be paid on
an hourly basis equivalent to the wage minimum based upon their individual
experience and job classification.
b. A part-time employee shall advance
on the schedule of wage minimums on the basis of 2,000 hours of work being
equivalent to one year's experience.
For this purpose, hours of work shall include hours in which no work was
performed, but for which pay was received.
ARTICLE XI
11.01 The Guild shall be notified of the job title and experience level of new employees in accordance with Article XX. An employee advancing from job grade 1 to job grade 2 shall receive the increase provided thereby on their anniversary date. An employee advancing through scheduled minimums shall receive the increase provided thereby on each anniversary date in his/her classification. An employee paid a salary above the minimum shall receive an experience rating which conforms to his or her salary.
An employee in
job group 5 shall receive an experience rating at the time of employment and
the Guild notified in accordance with the provisions of Article XX.
11.02 There shall be no reductions in salaries
except in the event of an employee economically dismissed from a classification
and then employed in a lower classification; and, except in the event of an
employee demoted for cause to a lower classification.
11.03 Employees paid above the top minimums shall
maintain the same dollar differential above the new top minimums when top
minimums are increased.
11.04 The wage minimums established herein are
minimums only. Individual merit may (at
the sole discretion of the Company) be acknowledged by increases above the
minimums.
11.05 Any employee who is assigned work in a
higher bargaining unit job grade for four (4) or more hours on any day shall,
for that period, receive additional pay at the rate of $25.00 per week. An employee assigned to an excluded job for
a full day shall for that day receive additional pay at the rate of $45.00 per
week.
a. Bargaining
unit employees may perform work outside their classification
11.06
Employees will be paid bi-weekly and such payment will, at the option of the
employee, be by direct deposit.
11.07 Photographers required to supply their own
photographic equipment will receive an equipment depreciation allowance of
$110.00 per month until such time as they are assigned photographic equipment
by the company. Part-time employees who are required to perform photographic
assignments with some of their own equipment will receive pro-rata equipment
depreciation allowance. Temporary full-time photographers will receive
photographic equipment depreciation allowance for each full calendar month of
their employment. Temporary photographers employed for less than a period of a
full month will receive no depreciation allowance.
Photographic
equipment supplied by the company including electronic cameras and imaging
equipment purchased during the life of this contract will assigned to full time
employees and will be paid for and maintained by the company.
Company-supplied
photographic equipment is to be used only for Company business.
At such time
during the term of this contract as digital cameras and imaging equipment is
assigned to full-time photographers to take the place of their present
equipment, the present photographic equipment will be reassigned to part-time
photographers and in the order of their seniority.
11.08
Employees required to use their own vehicle in the course of their employment
will receive a mileage allowance of 36 cents per mile. An employee who drives a
Company or personal vehicle in the course of their employment shall maintain at
all times a valid driver’s license and shall be subject to the Company’s
Driving Record and Motor Vehicle Policy set forth in Attachment A.
11.09
Editorial Assistants - It is understood that Editorial Assistants may perform
the following types of duties: General typing; typing and processing editorial
input of brides, shorts, calendars, engagements, obits, press releases,
freelance work, columns, births, etc.; scanning of submitted photos and morgue
photos and other images; processing and/or routing e-mail; filing; library;
order supplies; cashier; circulation starts-stops; handle ads; answering
phones; greeting customers; and other work as assigned.
11.10
It is agreed between the Company and the Guild Local 34022 that student interns
receive $7.50 an hour.
11.11
It is agreed between the Company and Guild Local 22 that photo clerks be paid
an hourly rate as follows:
Effective date of contract $9.97
1st Anniversary date of
contract $10.24
2nd Anniversary date of
contract $10.52
ARTICLE XII
Note: Full-time
bargaining unit employees on the payroll as of the signing date of this
Agreement, shall receive a one time signing bonus of $1,200 to be paid as
follows:
a.
$600
payable in the first pay period that begins after the signing date of the new
Agreement;
b.
$300
payable 60 days following the signing date of the new Agreement;
c.
$300
payable 120 days following the signing date of the new Agreement;
d.
Full-time
employees must be employed on the date each installment payment is due to be
eligible for an installment payment.
A. Upon Effective Date of Agreement:
II Reporter,
Photographer, $480.05 $546.69 $611.37 $702.19 $827.70
Editorial Graphic Artist
III Special
Editor, $505.05 $571.69 $636.37 $727.19 $853.39
Photographic Leader
IV Paginator $550.00 $610.00 $670.00 $729.53
V Editorial
Assistant $385.29 $427.65 $496.23
As of the effective date of this
Agreement, full-time bargaining unit employees below the top wage scale for
their classification shall receive a two per cent (2%) wage increase in their
weekly wage rate. This adjustment shall have no effect on their normal
progression through the experience wage schedules.
B. Upon
first anniversary date of this Agreement:
I Copy
Editor/Paginator $615.00 $681.66 $748.27 $860.44
II Reporter, Photographer, $480.05 $546.69 $611.37 $702.19 $850.46
Editorial Graphic Artist
III Special Editor, $505.05 $571.69 $636.37 $727.19 $876.86
Photographic Leader
IV Paginator $550.00 $610.00 $670.00 $749.59
V Editorial Assistant $385.29 $427.65 $509.88
C. Upon second anniversary date of this
Agreement:
Job Grade
1
2
3
4
5
I Copy Editor/Paginator $615.00 $681.66 $748.27 $884.10
II Reporter, Photographer, $480.05 $546.69 $611.37 $702.19 $873.85
Editorial Graphic Artist
III Special Editor, $505.05 $571.69 $636.37 $727.19 $900.97
Photographic Leader
IV Paginator $550.00 $610.00 $670.00 $770.20
V Editorial
Assistant $385.29 $427.65 $523.90
ARTICLE XIII
13.01 Vacations shall be earned and taken during
the calendar year. Vacation may not be
accumulated from year to year.
Seniority
employees who will have completed the specified periods of service as of
January 1 of any year shall be eligible in that year for a vacation with pay on
the following basis:
Less than one year's service -- 1 day of
vacation for each 26 days worked.
After one full years' service -- 2 weeks.
After three full years' service -- 3
weeks.
After five full years' service -- 4
weeks.
As
required by line 1 of this section 13.01, the vacation eligibility shown above
shall be earned during the year as follows:
Vacation
hours earned
An
employee who works less than a full year in the prior calendar year shall
receive partial vacation on the basis of one day's vacation with pay for each
26 days worked in the preceding calendar year, if the employee would have been
entitled to two weeks' vacation if he/she had worked a full year; one day's
vacation for each 17 days worked if the employee would have been entitled to
three weeks' vacation if he/she had worked a full year; and one day for each 13
days worked if the employee would have been entitled to four weeks' vacation if
he/she had worked a full year. For this
purpose days worked includes days on which no work was performed but for which
pay was received (for vacations, holidays, sick or personal days) but not
including periods of pay under the Company's disability income plan.
13.02 Vacation schedules, with any applicable
limitations, will be posted by February 1 of each year at each location. Employee requests for vacation time off
shall be determined on the basis of seniority with respect to requests made
prior to April 1 of any year. Vacation
conflicts which rise on account of requests made after April 1 shall be
determined on a first request basis.
13.03 An employee whose vacation time includes a
holiday shall receive an additional eight (8) hours of vacation at a time
mutually agreeable to the employee and the Company. With the agreement of the Company, an employee's vacation may
begin and end on any day of the week. A
maximum of five days of an employee's vacation entitlement may be taken in
periods of not less than four (4) hours, providing they are approved and
prescheduled. The balance of an
employee's vacation entitlement must be taken in periods of not less than full
weeks.
13.04 An employee unable to take his or her vacation
during the calendar year on account of illness or at the Company's request
shall receive pay in lieu of vacation at the end of the calendar year, or with
the consent of the Company may take his or her vacation in the next calendar
year and consecutively with the consent of the Company.
13.05 In the event of termination of employment (or the employee's estate in case of
death), accrued vacation credits shall be liquidated in cash. An employee who
terminated his/her employed voluntarily or otherwise, is entitled to receive
vacation pay earned in the current calendar year, less any vacation previously
paid for in the calendar year. Any used but unearned vacation days will be
deducted from the employee’s final paycheck.
ARTICLE XIV
A. HOLIDAYS
14.01 A seniority employee shall receive holiday
pay at the rate of eight (8) hours of straight time pay for a full time
employee without performing work on the following holidays, provided the
employee works the regularly scheduled shift immediately preceding and
immediately following the holiday:
New Years Day Labor Day
Memorial Day Thanksgiving
Day
July 4th Christmas Day
Effective January 1, 1999, employees shall receive one floating holiday on the same terms and conditions as applied to other paid holidays and which must be scheduled and approved in advance.
14.02 In the event the holiday occurs during the
period of an employee's vacation, an additional day of vacation will be
scheduled at a time mutually agreed upon between the employee and the
employee's supervisor.
14.03 A seniority employee who performs work on a
holiday shall receive overtime pay at the rate of time and one-half for all
hours worked in addition to holiday pay provided the employee works all
scheduled hours during the week in which a holiday occurs. For this purpose any excused and paid time
off will be considered scheduled hours of work.
14.04 The Company's past practice regarding
religious observances by employees will be continued during the term of this
Agreement.
B. PERSONAL DAYS
14.05 Personal days are for the purpose of
accomplishing personal business which cannot be conveniently taken care of
outside of working hours. A seniority
employee will accrue (and may thereafter take as scheduled and approved in
advance) during the first calendar year
of employment one eight (8) hour personal day for each 52 days worked. In subsequent calendar years a seniority
employee is entitled to five personal days per calendar year to be taken as
scheduled and agreed upon in advance by the employee's supervisor, in
increments of eight (8) or four (4) hours.
With the approval of the employee's supervisor, not more than one
personal day may be taken immediately prior to a vacation and not more than one
personal day may be taken immediately after the period of a vacation. Personal days do not accumulate from year to
year and must be taken in the year allowed.
C. SICK DAYS
14.06 (a) Sick
days are for the purpose of providing continuing income during the period of an
employee's personal short-term illness.
The seniority employee will accrue (and may thereafter take) during the
calendar year of employment, sick days at the rate of eight (8) hours for each
37 days worked. In subsequent calendar
years a seniority employee is entitled to seven (7) sick days per calendar year
to be taken in increments of whole or half days. An employee can carry over up to two sick days from the prior
calendar year. However, no employee can
have more than nine (9) accumulated sick days in any one calendar year.
(b) In Addition, an employee may maintain a “disability leave bank” comprised of up to 5 unused sick days (40 hours) from a prior calendar year within the term of this contract, and which may accumulate up to a maximum of 15 days (120 hours), all of which shall be banked for use in conjunction with a disability leave.
(c) Such
days may not be used to extend the 26 week maximum disability leave benefit,
but may be used to supplement the 55% disability benefit (the total not to
exceed 100% of straight time daily/weekly wages), and may also be used during
the seven or fourteen day waiting periods.
(d) Employees
will not be paid accumulated sick days or accumulated disability leave bank
days/hours upon termination.
D. JURY DUTY
14.07 Employees called to jury duty will be paid
the difference between their daily straight time pay and jury duty pay for each
day the employee is required to report for jury duty. In the event an employee is excused from jury duty with more than
four hours of his otherwise scheduled shift remaining then the employee must
return to work immediately or not be entitled to jury duty pay for that
day. Night shift employees called for
such service shall not be required to work on the day so spent, provided he/she
spent at least four hours in such service on that day.
E. BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
14.08 In the event of a death in the immediate
family of an employee, the employee shall receive up to three working days off
with pay as bereavement leave.
Immediate family is defined as the employee's spouse, parents, children,
parents-in-law, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren and
stepchildren.
ARTICLE XV
15.01 Upon written request made at least two weeks
in advance, an employee with twelve months or more of service shall be granted
an unpaid leave of absence because of election or appointment to a position in
The Newspaper Guild or a local of The Newspaper Guild. Upon expiration of such
leave and after 30 days notice, the employee shall be reinstated in the same or
comparable position as held when the leave was granted. During the period of such leave, there will
be no accumulation of vacation credit, no holidays will be paid and after the
month in which the leave commences no insurance coverage of any kind will be
provided or made available. Neither will the period of such leave be counted
toward seniority for pension purposes
15.02 Upon written request made at least one week
but where possible two weeks in advance, a seniority employee shall be granted an unpaid leave of absence because of
election or appointment as a delegate to a convention or special meeting of The
Newspaper Guild or any branch thereof or any organization with which The
Newspaper Guild is affiliated, provided not more than two employees at a time
are on such leave. During the period of
such leave, no holidays will be paid. After the first five work days of such
leave, the employee will pay the full cost of all insurance coverage for the
remaining period of such leave in advance, and there will be no accumulation of
vacation credit.
15.03 The period of any leave of absence provided
for in the Agreement paid or unpaid, beyond the first thirty (30) calendar days
thereof, shall not count towards the accumulation of experience, and any
affected employee's experience anniversary review date will be shifted
accordingly.
ARTICLE XVI
16.01 Provided the conditions set forth in the
Company's Maternity Plan are met, maternity leave will begin when the
employee's physician expresses the professional opinion that the employee is no
longer physically capable of safely performing her job responsibilities. No employee shall be required to commence a
maternity leave so long as she is able to efficiently perform her normal duties
safely. Any dispute about such ability
shall be decided by medical evidence.
16.02 Time spent on maternity leave will not be
counted for the purpose of computing vacation pay.
16.03 Group hospitalization, dental, drug, optical
(effective July 1, 1981), and life insurance coverage will be paid for by the
Company, for the period of maternity leave with disability pay up to a maximum
of 26 weeks. Regular full-time and part-time employees will continue to make
their same monthly contributions as in effect immediately prior to the
beginning of their leave. Contributions will be deducted from benefits or paid
in advance each month by the employee. Such insurance may be continued for an
additional period of maternity leave without pay of not more than 26 weeks
provided the employee pays the full premiums therefore to the Company in
advance.
16.04 In order to be eligible for maternity leave
with disability pay, an employee must be under a doctor's care and appropriate
forms must be completed by both the employee and her doctor. If the maternity leave with disability pay
extends beyond six (6) weeks after termination of the pregnancy, it will be
necessary for the employee's physician to complete additional forms furnished
by the Company verifying the employee's continuing disability. Any dispute about such disability shall be
decided by medical evidence.
16.05 In addition to the period of maternity leave
with disability pay, maternity leave without pay for the purpose of nursing and
caring for the child shall be granted upon an employee's request.
16.06 An employee who returns from maternity leave
of 26 weeks or less will be reinstated in the same or a comparable position
without loss of seniority.
16.07 An employee may elect to continue an unpaid
extended maternity leave beyond a total maternity leave period of 26
weeks. In such case the employee will
be re-employed from a preferential
hiring list as an appropriate job is available. Employees re-employed not more than one year after the maternity
leave began will have no break in seniority (including for pension purposes)
because of the leave. Employees who
return after more than one but less than two years' maternity leave will not have
the maternity leave period count toward their seniority for any purpose. After two years' maternity leave, an
employee's seniority will be lost.
ARTICLE XVII
17.01
Military Service leave of absence without pay will be granted to any
seniority employee who enlists in or is ordered into long term active duty in
the military service. Such an employee
will be re-employed in as comparable a classification as possible upon
receiving a general or honorable discharge from active service, without loss of
seniority, provided:
a. The
employee's application for re-employment is made within ninety (90) days from
discharge from active service, or within ninety (90) days from release from
military hospitalization of not more than one year after such discharge from
active service; provided, in the event of original active service or not more
than three months, such application must be made within thirty-one (31) days.
b. The
employee presents to the Company a certificate showing satisfactory completion
of active military service.
c. The
employee's period of active duty does not exceed four years.
17.02 An employee required to perform short term
military duty will be granted a military service leave of absence to attend
summer encampment with the Michigan National Guard for a period of two weeks or
less, will be granted pay for such period equal to the difference between the
employee's regular straight time pay for the period and the pay he received
from the Michigan National Guard. This
short term military service leave is in addition to the normal vacation to
which the employee would be entitled.
17.03 Special short term military service leave
will be granted in times of short term call ups on account of events such as
civil disorders, severe weather emergencies and so forth. In such case the Company will pay the
employee the difference between his regular straight time pay for the period of
such call up and the military pay received for such period. The period for which such pay will be paid
shall not exceed, for any such leave, ten (10) working days.
17.04 Time spent on military service leave,
provided for in this article, shall not constitute a break of service with the
Company.
17.05 Except for short term military service
leaves provided for in Paragraphs 17.02 and 17.03 above the employee's
insurance benefits shall cease upon the employee entering active military
service. All other fringe benefits
shall be affected as though the employee were on an unpaid leave of absence when
he enters long term military service.
ARTICLE XVIII
18.01
Health Care Benefits and Life Insurance
The life insurance, accidental death and
dismemberment insurance shall be equal to the annualized rate of base pay,
rounded to the nearest $1,000.00. Life insurance, accidental death and
dismemberment insurance, and disability insurance plan will become effective
for a new employee upon the employee’s attaining seniority.
All coverage will be in accordance with the
terms of the health and disability plan(s) agreed to between the Company and
the Union; in the event of conflict between the plan(s) end this Agreement,
this Agreement will govern.
Schedule of Changes Effective (July 4,
2004)
Regular full-time employees shall be
eligible for HMO group coverage in the Health Alliance Plan HAE (or any
other HAP HMO plan that provides an
equivalent level of benefits).
Regular full-time employees will
contribute to the cost of the Hospital-Medical-Dental and Drug Group Insurance
program by payroll deduction as follows:
Individual
coverage: $25.00
per month
Employee
and child(ren) coverage: $35.00 per month
Two
Person coverage: $45.00 per month
Family
coverage: $70.00
per month
“Dental
only” coverage (employee only) $15.00
per month
Employees with HMO coverage shall
receive employee and family dental coverage; employees enrolling in only in
dental coverage will receive employee coverage, not family coverage.
·
Regular
full-time employees on medical or other paid leaves of absence will continue to
make their same contributions as in effect immediately prior to the beginning
of their leave. Contributions will be
deducted from benefits or paid in advance each month by the employee.
Waiting period
for medical and
Prescription
drug coverage 1st day of the month
which follows
90
calendar days from hire
Waiting period
for dental 1st
day of month which
follows one year from hire
Prescription
drug copay per prescription $10.00
1st Tier
18.02 Disability Insurance Plan
The disability insurance plan in
effect on the day of execution of this Agreement will continue in effect during
its term. The disability insurance plan will become effective for a new
employee upon the employee’s eligibility for health benefits.
A. Eligible bargaining unit employees
will be entitled to sickness and accident benefits of 55% of straight time
weekly wages for 26 weeks.
1) Disability payments will begin on the 8th day of hospital confinement or the15th day of sickness.
2) It
is not necessary to be confined to a hospital to receive these payments, but
the employee must be under a doctor's care and appropriate insurance forms must
be filed by employee and doctor.
Approval for payment by the insurance carrier will be used as the basis
for all company payments.
B.
All coverage will be in
accordance with the terms of the disability plan agreed to between the Company
and the Union; in the event of conflict between the plan and this Agreement,
this Agreement will govern.
18.03 Pension and 401(k) Plans
A. Pension
Plan.
1. During the term of this Agreement, the Company will continue in effect for employees its present pension plan. As a part of the contract agreed to between the Union and the Company in 1994, the Union agreed to a freeze of pension benefits for its members as of December 31, 1994 in accordance with the then-current benefit formula. As part of the same agreement, a separate pension plan was created by the Company for Local 34022 members at the newspaper in accordance with the provisions of law and including the frozen pension benefits described above. A formula yielding a monthly benefit of $30 times years of service for years beginning January 1, 1995 and thereafter was added to the pension plan effective January 1, 1995.
2. The monthly benefit formula will be
further increased to a monthly benefit of $32 times years of service for years
beginning January 1, 2000 and thereafter
B.
401K
1. A 401K plan was implemented effective
January 1, 1986. Employees may
contribute to the plan under its provisions.
No contribution will be made by the Newspaper.
2. Effective July 1, 1995
a. The union employees will have a 401(k) plan
having the same investment funds as the plan for non-union employees.
b.
There will be no employer contributions to the union plan.
c. Union employees will pay any custody fees associated with any
funds in the plan.
d. Union employees will pay any fees
associated with inter fund transfers and
Distributions under the same terms and conditions as the non-union
plan.
e. Union employees will pay any loan fees
associated with the loan provisions of the
Plan.
f. The Company will pay any record keeping,
trustee, and other administrative fees.
g. The fees described above must be paid in the amounts as they may
change from
time to time.
ARTICLE XIX
19.01
The same basic plan described for full time employees will apply to
part-time employees who participate in the insurance package program, on a
pro-rata basis.
The disability income weekly
payments will be based on average hours worked per week in the previous
calendar year times current rate of pay. During a part-time employee’s first
calendar year of employment, any necessary determinations will be based, whenever
possible, upon the employee’s actual earnings or actual average hours of work
per week during the prior calendar quarter.
Part-time employees are subject to
all terms of this Agreement and shall receive the following fringe benefits on
a pro-rata basis: Guild HAP Plan and dental coverage, vacations, holidays, sick
days and personal days.
Guild HAP Plan and dental coverage,
full time off with pro-rata pay and group insurance coverage in the following
calendar quarter based on the number of straight time hours actually worked to
500 hours (to include vacation, holiday, personal days and sick days as days
worked) I the previous quarter.
Vacations, holidays, sick days and
personal days pay will be based on the actual straight time hours worked in the
prior calendar year to 2000 hours.
During the first calendar year of
employment the benefits will be based on actual straight time hours worked to
500 in the prior calendar quarter.
Life insurance: Life and accidental
death and dismemberment based upon the employee’s earnings in the prior
calendar year.
Guild HAP Plan and dental coverage:
The employee will contribute as a condition of continuing coverage, by payroll
deduction authorization, that portion of the premium which is over and above
that portion paid by the Company. The Company will pay that portion determined
by multiplying the whole premium by the fraction the numerator of which is the
employee’s average hours of work per week in the prior calendar quarter and the
denominator of which is 40. (Effective July 1, 1998 the minimum part-time
contribution will be not less than the contribution required of a full-time
employee). Such payroll deduction authorization shall be revocable upon written
notice to the Company, but once revoked by an employee, may not be reinstated
for a period of one year. Except as indicated in all of 19.01 above: During the
employee’s first calendar year of employment any necessary determinations will
be based, whenever possible, upon the employee’s actual earnings or actual
average hours of work per week during the prior calendar quarter.
ARTICLE XX
20.01 An employee's byline or credit line shall
not be used over his or her protest. In
the event substantial changes in copy are made the employee will be informed,
whenever practicable in line with past practice, prior to publication.
20.02 If a question arises as to the accuracy of
printed material, the employee concerned will be consulted where practicable
prior to any retraction of the material involved.
20.03 Employees shall be free to engage in any
activities outside working hours except that:
a. No
employee shall utilize his position with the Company for personal advantage.
b. No employee shall disseminate confidential information gained during the course of his employment
c. No employee shall submit articles or images concerning events, people or business within the circulation area of the Observer and Eccentric Newspapers to the following publications: The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, Oakland Press, Daily Tribune, C & G Publications, Macomb Daily, wire services, Hour Magazine, Jewish News, Community Crier, Michigan Community Papers, Heritage Newspapers or to any additional publications, or to their Internet sites, or other web sites (for example: CityScape), which are of the nature of those listed above.
No employee shall submit any articles or
photographs to any local newspaper or periodical primarily circulated within
the circulation area of any of the Observer and Eccentric Newspapers or which
overlaps the circulation area of any Observer and Eccentric Newspaper. No employee shall participate in any public
relations activity within the circulation area of any Observer and Eccentric Newspaper
without approval in advance by the Company.
d. No employee shall undertake of his own
initiative or be required to write, process, or prepare anything for
publication in such a way to distort any facts or create an impression which
the employee knows to be false.
ARTICLE XXI
21.01 The Company shall supply the Guild, upon
reasonable request, with a list containing the following information for each
employee:
a. Name, address, sex, minority group, date of
birth, and social security number.
b. Date of hire.
c. Job classification.
d. Experience rating and experience anniversary
date.
e. Salary.
21.02 The Company shall notify the Guild monthly
in writing of:
a. Changes in classification: salary changes by
reason thereof; and effective dates.
b. Resignations, retirements, deaths, and other
revisions in the data listed in Section 21.01 above, and effective dates.
21.03 Within two weeks after the hiring of a new
employee the Company shall furnish the Guild in writing with the data specified
in Section 21.01 above for each new employee.
21.04 The Company shall furnish to the involved
employee and to the Guild a copy of any reprimand or disciplinary notice. An employee shall have the right to review,
upon request, his or her personnel file.
21.05 Each employee shall be responsible to
provide the Company with the employee's current address and telephone number as
well as any changes in personal data such as martial status (single or
married), number of dependents or change in beneficiary. The Company may rely upon the latest
information supplied to its payroll department by the employee. Service of notice to employees as required
under this contract shall be accomplished by mailing to the employee's last address
of record by Certified Mail Return Receipt Requested the involved notice.
ARTICLE XXII
22.01 COMPLETE AGREEMENT. It is understood and agreed that this
contract contains the complete Agreement between the parties hereto and
supersedes all prior agreements, practices, customs and benefits. No additions, waivers, deletions changes or
amendments shall be made during the life of this Agreement except by mutual
consent in writing of the parties hereto.
22.02 RE-USE AND SYNDICATE COMPENSATION. Employees under this agreement will not
receive compensation for the re-use and syndication of their work in any
manner.
22.03 BULLETIN BOARDS. The Company agrees to provide a bulletin board in each Editorial
Department office for the exclusive use of the Guild for official Guild business
only.
ARTICLE XXIII
SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM (OSHA)
23.01
Both the Company and the Guild recognize the obligations of the Company, the
Guild and employees under the Federal
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to prevent, correct and eliminate
unhealthy and unsafe working conditions and practices.
23.02
There shall be established a Safety and Health Committee, consisting of two
Guild and two Company representatives.. This committee will meet at least once
a month. Minutes will be maintained for purposes of continuity and follow-up.
If an employee is called in during non-working hours the employee will receive
2 hours pay at straight-time (no leeway or overtime).
23.03
The function of the Safety and Health Committee is to advise the Company of
hazards, and to recommend to the Company safety rules and safety procedures.
Safety and health committee meetings may be held during working hours or
outside working hours, as the Company and the Guild may agree upon from time to
time. Guild committee members shall be allowed time off without loss of pay
during their scheduled working hours for the purpose of attending such
meetings. Any matter before the committee which cannot be resolved by it may be
referred within ten (10) working days to the Grievance Procedure set forth in
Article 6 beginning with the third step.
23.04
The Company will administer a safety and health program and establish safety
rules.
ARTICLE XXIV
The Company’s
policy covering Guild employees for substance abuse, prevention and testing is
incorporated into the contract by reference.
ARTICLE XXV
The provisions
for use of a Joint Labor-Management Committee are agreed to and are
incorporated into the contract by reference.
It is agreed
that this Agreement shall be in effect from the first day of July, 2004 through
the 30th day of June, 2007.
IN WITNESS
WHEREOF this Agreement has been duly executed this ___1st___ day
of _July_____,
2004.
NEWSPAPER GUILD
OF DETROIT, OBSERVER
& ECCENTRIC NEWSPAPERS
LOCAL 34022
______________________________________ __________________________________
Louis J.
Mleczko, President David Karapetian
______________________________________
LeAnne Rogers,
Unit Chairperson
______________________________________
Sue Mason, Vice
Chairperson
______________________________________
Bill Bresler
_____________________________________
Steve Cantrell
LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING
It is agreed
that the Letters of Understanding signed July 1, 1991 re: "No Strike
Clause" and "Recognition and Coverage Clause" will continue to
apply during the life of the Agreement for the term July 1, 2004 to June 30.
2007.
NEWSPAPER GUILD
OF DETROIT, LOCAL 34022
Louis J. Mleczko
LeAnne Rogers
Tom Hoffmeyer
Ken Abramczyk
Jim Toth
OBSERVER &
ECCENTRIC NEWSPAPERS
David Karapetian
Hugh Gallagher
Joe Bauman
Revised
July 1, 1991
Mr. Don Kummer
Administrative
Officer
Newspaper Guild
of Detroit, Local 22
RE: No-strike Clause
Dear Mr. Kummer:
This
supplemental letter agreement supplements the collective bargaining agreement
between the Observer & Eccentric Newspaper Division and your Union.
It is agreed
that bargaining unit members will not participate in any recognition or
information picketing at any facility of the Suburban Communications
Corporation. It is further agreed that
this letter of agreement does not prohibit bargaining unit employees from
participating in picketing activity that is a part of a strike by employees
employed at any other facility of Suburban Communications Corporation; in which
event is further agreed that bargaining unit employees shall refrain from publishing
(by poster, buttons or any other means) the fact that they are employees of the
Observer & Eccentric Newspaper Division or any part thereof.
The term of this
supplemental letter agreement shall be coincident with that of the underlying
collective bargaining agreement between the parties.
Kindly indicate
your agreement with the foregoing by executing and returning the enclosed copy
of this supplemental letter agreement to the undersigned.
Very truly
yours,
Vice
President/General Manager
Revised
July 1, 1991
Mr. Don Kummer
Administrative
Officer
Newspaper Guild
of Detroit, Local 22
RE: Recognition and Coverage Clause
Dear Mr. Kummer:
This
supplemental letter agreement supplements the collective bargaining agreement
between Observer & Eccentric Newspaper Division and your Union.
Article I,
Recognition and Coverage, provides that supervisory employees and confidential
employees as defined in the National Labor Relations Act shall be excluded from
the bargaining unit covered by the collective bargaining agreement.
(2) of that
Article, further provides that such employees may perform the same kinds of
work as that performed by bargaining unit employees in accordance with past
practice.
This letter
further defines who are excluded supervisory and confidential employees within
the Editorial Department.
Excluded
supervisory employees include the executive editor, the administrative
assistant to the executive editor, the editorial page director, the community
editors, the assistant community editor of the Birmingham/Bloomfield edition,
the suburban life-photographic supervisor, the copy desk supervisor, and the
assistant copy desk supervisors.
Excluded
confidential employees are the secretary to the executive editor.
The Company
agrees that it will not without good business or editorial reason, either
create additional assistant community editor situations beyond those presently
existing or create additional assistant copy desk supervisors beyond those
presently existing.
The Company has
the right to create additional managerial or supervisory positions for good
business or editorial reasons. In the
event a dispute occurs between the Company and the Guild as to whether such
established position is in fact a managerial or supervisory position that
dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the bargaining unit clarification
procedure of the National Labor Relations Board.
In the event any
dispute occurs between the Company and the Guild with regard to whether or not
good business or editorial reason exists for creation of additional positions
by the Company as set forth in this letter such dispute shall be subject to the
grievance procedure and arbitration provisions of the underlying collective
bargaining agreement.
Kindly indicate
concurrence with this agreement by executing the enclosed copy and returning it
to the undersigned.
Very truly
yours,
Richard Isham
Vice
President/General Manager
LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING
RE: A revised letter of understanding originally
dated 10/03/80
Coverage Area
It is understood
between the parties that the coverage map signed off by the Company and Union
in incorporated by reference as part of Article 9.08, 20.03, 8.01(a) of the
Company-Union Agreement effective July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007.
NEWSPAPER GUILD
OF DETROIT, LOCAL 34022
Louis J. Mleczko
LeAnne Rogers
Tom Hoffmeyer
Ken Abramczyk
Jim Toth
OBSERVER &
ECCENTRIC NEWSPAPERS
David Karapetian
Hugh Gallagher
Joe Bauman
LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING
Part-time
Full-time Seniority For Layoff Purposes
July 1, 2004
NEWSPAPER GUILD
OF DETROIT, LOCAL 22
Louis J. Mleczko
LeAnne Rogers
Tom Hoffmeyer
Ken Abramczyk
Jim Toth
OBSERVER &
ECCENTRIC NEWSPAPERS
David Karapetian
Hugh Gallagher
Joe Bauman
OBSERVER & ECCENTRIC NEWSPAPERS
Policy for Substance Abuse Prevention
& Testing
Memorandum of Understanding
This Memorandum
of Understanding is entered into by the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers
(hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) and the Detroit Newspaper Guild
Local 22 (hereinafter referred to as the “Union”).
I. Policy
A. The
company and the Union are committed to protecting the health and safety of
individual employees, their co-workers, and the public at large from hazards
caused by the misuse of drugs and alcohol on the job. The safety of the public,
as well as the safety of fellow employees, dictates that employees not be
permitted to perform their duties while under the influence of drugs or
alcohol.
B. The
Company and the Union recognize that such substance abuse is a treatable
illness, and that a compassionate and consistent approach to substance abuse
including education, treatment, and rehabilitation as well as attention to the
health and safety of all employees are integral components of this policy.
Confidentiality,
consistent with legal, safety and security considerations is also fundamental.
II. Education and Training
A. This
policy will be communicated to employees. Further information will be provided
covering various aspects of the policy including (1) the dangers of alcohol and
drug abuse in the workplace; (2) the availability of treatment and counseling for employees who voluntarily
seek such assistance; and (3)
the sanctions the Company will impose for violations of its drug and alcohol
policy.
B. The
Company shall develop a program of
training to assist Company representatives and Union representatives in
identifying factors which constitute reasonable cause for drug testing, as well
as a detailed explanation and emphasis on the terms and conditions of the drug
and alcohol policy. The training will be offered on an annual basis to
personnel not previously trained and will also include training on methods of
referring employees who might be suffering from personal problems that could
signal possible substance abuse problems to an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP).
III. Employee Assistance Plan
A. 1.
For employees enrolled in a health care plan offered by the Company, the
Company will offer referral to an Employee Assistance Plan which offers
appropriate services and rehabilitation programs which emphasize education,
prevention, counseling, and treatment to employees and their eligible
dependents when personal concerns arise which affect employees’ own work
performance, or safe working conditions.
2.
Employees not enrolled in a health care plan offered by the Company will be
encouraged to seek advice and care from another provider.
B. An
employee who engages in drug/alcohol abuse is encouraged to participate in an
Employee Assistance Plan. Employees who seek voluntary assistance for alcohol
and/or substance abuse may not be discipline for seeking such assistance.
Request by employees for such assistance shall remain confidential and shall
not be revealed to other employees or management personnel without the
employee’s written consent. An EAP
counselor shall not disclose information on drug/alcohol is received from an
employee for any purpose or under any circumstances, unless specifically
authorized in writing by the employee.
C. In
order for an employee’s decision to enter an EAP to be considered voluntary,
the employee must seek to enter the EAP prior to a referral to the collection
site for purposes of obtaining a substance test which subsequently tests
positive.
IV. Testing
A. New
Employees Applicants offered employment may be required to submit to drug and
alcohol testing for prohibited substances within two business days of receiving
a job offer. Offers of employment will be conditional upon successful
completion of the test. Applicants who do not consent to a test will be
ineligible for employment.
B.
Reasonable
Cause Testing for Prohibited Substances
The Company may
give or require any employee to submit to a test for prohibited substances as a
condition of continued employment only with reasonable cause. “Reasonable
cause” shall exist only when two job site representatives trained in detection
of drug and alcohol us can articulate and substantiate in writing specific
behavioral, performance or contemporaneous physical indications of being under
the influence of drugs or alcohol on the job. If available, a representative of
the Union shall be asked to witness the observed behavior. The objective
indicators shall be recognized as accepted symptoms of intoxication or
impairment caused by drugs or alcohol, and shall be indicators not reasonably
explained as resulting from causes other than the use of such controlled
substances (such as but not limited to by way of limitation, fatigue, lack of
sleep, side effects of prescription or over the counter medication, reaction to
noxious fumes or smoke, etc.). Cause is not reasonable, and thus not a bases
for testing, if it is based solely on the observations and reports of third
parties. The grounds for reasonable cause must be documented by the use of an
Incident Report Form (the form to be agreed upon by the Company and the Union).
The following constitutes some of the
reasonable causes to believe that an employee is under the influence of drugs
or alcohol:
a.
Incoherent, slurred speech:
b.
Odor of alcohol on the breath;
c.
Staggering gait, disorientation, or loss of balance;
d.
Red and watery eyes, if not explained by environmental causes;
e.
Paranoid or bizarre behavior;
f.
Unexplained drowsiness.
C. First -Time Offenses
A trained
Company representative can treat a first-time offense by sending the employee home from work with
a warning provided:
1. that a supervisor one level above
has been consulted on the decision, and
2. that the conduct of the employee did not result in an incident which caused accident or injury to another person or property or interfered with the operation of his/her department.
D. Identification and Consent
Procedures
1. An employee may be required to
submit to urine testing for drugs or alcohol by a physician or laboratory only
if the Company has “reasonable cause” that the employee is under the influence
of drugs or alcohol in violation of this policy . The Company may order urine
testing only.
2. If a Company representative makes
observation of an employee which the representative believes may constitute
reasonable cause for drug or alcohol testing, the representative shall
immediately inform the employee that he/she may have a Union witness present. If the employee wishes not
to have a Union witness, then that desire should be put in writing and signed
off by the employee on the Incident Report Form. A witness can acknowledge an
employee’s refusal to sign the Form.
3. The employee will be offered an
opportunity to give an explanation of
his/her condition, such as reaction to a prescribed drug, fatigue, lack of
sleep, exposure to noxious fumes, reaction to over the counter medication or
illness. A Union representative may be present, if available, during such
explanation.
4. If the trained representative
believes that there is reasonable cause for a drug or alcohol urine test, then
the Incident Report Form shall be filled out, including a statement of the
specific objective facts constituting reasonable cause for the test, and the
name of the persons making
those observations, before the employee is tested.
5. A completed copy of the Incident
Report Form shall be given to the bargaining unit employee before he/she is
required to be tested, and one copy made available to the Union representative,
if present. If circumstances do not allow for a complete Report to be prepared
at once, then the employee shall be given a concise written statement of why
he/she is being referred to testing and a complete written Incident Report Form
shall be provided to the employee and the Union no later than 24 hours after
the incident.
6. Prior to the actual drug testing for
reasonable cause, the employee will be examined by a trained medical
professional at the designated hospital, laboratory or clinic. This examination
will be conducted to determine if the Company representative’s observations
were caused by a reason other than being under the influence of drugs and/or
alcohol. If the opinion of the trained medical professional is that the Company
representative’s observations are for a reason other than possible influence of
drugs and/or alcohol no test will be given and the employee will be returned to
the workplace without loss of pay. If the trained medical representative
releases the employee to return to work, such release must be in writing.
7. Failure to follow any of these
procedures shall result in the elimination of the test results as if no test
had been administered, the test results shall be destroyed, and no discipline
shall be imposed against the bargaining unit employee.
8. Unless thee is an objective reason
to believe that the employee has previously altered a sample, or unless the employee
agrees in writing, individuals shall be allowed to provide the required
specimen in the privacy of a stall or otherwise partitioned area.
9. If the Company has reasonable cause
to believe an employee is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, as set forth
in this policy, and the employee refuses to submit to a drug test, this
constitutes insubordination and subjects the employee to possible discipline up
to and including discharge.
E. Drug
Testing Procedures
1. Testing shall be done at a NIDA
certified laboratory located in Michigan. The parties retain the right to
inspect the laboratory to determine conformity with the standards subscribed in
this policy. The laboratory will only test for the substances listed under “Prohibited Substances”, as defined
in this policy. The specific required procedure is as follows:
2. Urine shall be obtained directly in
a tamper-resistant urine bottle. Alternatively, the urine specimen may be
collected at the Company’s 0ption in a wide-mouthed clinic specimen container
which shall remain in full view of the employee until transferred to, sealed
and initialed, in separate tamper-resistant urine bottles.
3. Immediately after the specimen is
collected, it will be divided into two urine bottles which, in the presence of
the employee, will be labeled and then initialed by the employee and a clinic
staffer with evidence tape. If the sample must be collected at site other than
the drug and/or alcohol testing laboratory, the specimens shall then be placed
in a transportation container. The container shall be sealed in the employee’s
presence and the employee shall be asked to initial or sign the container.
4. The container shall be sent to the
designated testing laboratory on that day of the earliest business day by the
fastest available method.
5. A chain of possession form shall be
completed by the hospital, laboratory and/ clinic personnel during the specimen
collection and attached to and mailed with the specimens.
6. The initial test of all urine
specimens shall utilize immunoassay techniques. All specimens identified as
positive in the initial screen shall
be confirmed utilizing Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) technique
which identifies at least three (3) ions. In order to be considered positive
for reporting by the laboratory to the employer, both samples shall be tested
separately in separate batches and must also show positive results on the GC/MS
confirmatory test. The standards listed in the definitions section of this
policy shall be used to determine what levels of detected substances shall be
considered as positive.
7. If the testing procedures confirm a
positive result, as described above, the tested employee shall be notified of
the results in writing, including the specific quantities. If requested by the
employee or the Union, the laboratory will provide copies of all laboratory
reports, forensic opinions, laboratory work sheets, procedures sheets,
acceptance criteria, and laboratory procedures.
8. All specimens confirmed positive
shall be retained and placed in properly secured long term frozen storage for a
minimum of one (1) year, and be made available for retest as part of any
administrative proceedings.
9. All information from a tested
employee’s drug and alcohol test is confidential for purposes other than
determining whether the Company policy has been violated. Disclosure of test
results to any other person, agency, or organization is prohibited unless written
authorization is obtained from the employee or applicant. The results of a
positive drug test shall not be released until the results are confirmed.
10. Every effort will be made to insure
that all employee substance abuse problems will be discussed in private and
actions taken will not be made known to anyone other than those directly
involved in taking the action, or who are required to be involved in the
disciplinary procedure.
11. No
laboratory or medical test results will appear in the employee’s personnel file. Information of this
nature will be kept in a separate, confidential
medical file.
12. All necessary measures shall be
taken to keep the fact and the results of the test confidential.
F. Safety
Critical Jobs
Testing and to
the procedures for safety critical jobs covered by the Department of
Transportation will follow the guidelines and procedures of the Department of
Transportation. where applicable, this policy will apply.
V. Confirmed Positive Results
A. Temporary
or probationary employees who are determined to be under the influence of
prohibited substances will be terminated.
B. Permanent
part-time and full-time employees who are determined to be under the influence
of prohibited substances will be referred to a rehabilitation program or and
EAP available to the employee.
When
and if it becomes necessary to impose discipline for on the job infractions
that stem from substance abuse induced impairment, discipline will be
progressive and proportional, up to and including termination.
VI. Treatment Procedure
A. The
following treatment procedure shall be completed:
1. The employee must submit to
assessment by an EAP or other treatment
center which is provided according to the employee’s health care benefits or by
another licensed provider if the employee is not enrolled in a health care plan
offered by the Company; and,
must
release limited information from the EAP, treatment center or doctor to the
Company.
For example:
* progress of treatment
* attendance at treatment sessions
* ability to return to work and/or work restrictions
* approximate time when employee will be able to return
to work if
treatment involves absence from work
* other work-related information; and,
3. must provide documentation from the
treatment center, as requested, to verify that the treatment program is being
followed by the employee; and
4. must agree to submit, at any time
during the treatment period, to examination
by professionals selected by the Company; and,
5. time off for treatment will be under
the Company’s normal sickness and accident leave policy for
eligible employees; and
6. after completion of treatment, the
employee will return to regular duties, (subject to paragraph 8,
below), without loss of seniority.
7. Failure to follow or complete
treatment will result in review in accordance
with the provisions of section V, B, of this policy.
8. The
employee’s return to work will be subject to the conditions prescribed by the treating doctor or
treating center-- for example, attending weekly counseling sessions.
9. Employees
will not be allowed to return to work until seen, evaluated and released to return to work by a Company
approved treatment center.
B. Disputes
of Prescribed Treatments
When
an employee has been referred to an EAP program and disagrees with the
prescribed treatment, the employee may request a second opinion. Upon review of
the second opinion, the employee will be required to undergo treatment of the
lesser treatment plan, which could include
being returned to work.
VII. Pay
A. Employees
who are required to submit for substance abuse testing will be paid at their
straight time rate up to and during the actual collection of the sample
required for testing.
B. An
employee will then be suspended without pay until results and confirmation of
the test are received by the Company. (Test results will be available within 72
hours)
C. Any
employee with negative test results (indicating that the employee is free from any
prohibited substance), will be immediately notified to return to work. These
employees will receive full pay at straight time for any time off during the
suspension. Any such time off will be regarded as “time worked” for purposes of
overtime, holiday pay, vacation, personal time, and the work record.
D. Any
employee with a positive test for prohibited substances will not receive pay
for the suspended time off; such time will not be regarded as “time worked” for
purposes of overtime, holiday pay or for any other purpose.
VIII. Definitions
A. “Prescription
Drugs” means a drug lawfully available for purchase only with a prescription or
other lawful over-the-counter medications.
B. “Prohibited
substance” means drugs and alcohol as listed in the table below, when the use
of which has not been specifically approved by management
for use by an employee.
Substance Screening GC/MS
Confirmation
Amphetamines 1000
mg/liter 500 ng/ml
Barbiturates 300
ng/liter 300 ng/ml
Benzodiazepines 300 ng/liter 300 ng/ml
Cannabinoids (marijuanas) 100 ng/ml 15
ng/ml
Cocaine
metabolite 300
ng/ml 150 ng/ml
Methadone 300
ng/ml 300 ng/ml
Methaqualone 300 ng/ml 300
ng/ml
Opiates 300 ng/ml 300 ng/ml
Phencyclidine
(PCP) 25 ng/ml 25
ng/ml
Propoxyphene 300 ng/ml 300
ng/ml
Alcohol 0.02
g%
C. “Reasonable
cause” means those circumstances described in section V.B.. of this policy.
IX. Grievance Procedure
A. All
disputes concerning the interpretation or application of this drug and alcohol
abuse testing policy will be subject to the grievance and arbitration procedure
of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
X. Savings Clause
A. Should
any part of this Memorandum of Understanding be determined contrary to law,
such invalidation of that part or portion of this Memorandum of Understanding
shall not invalidate the remaining portions. In the event of such
determination, the parties agree to immediately bargain in good faith in an attempt
to agree upon a provision for the invalidated portion which complies with the
law.
B. No
waiver of legal rights: the parties agree that this program shall not diminish
the rights of individual employees under state and federal laws relating to
drug and alcohol testing.
INCIDENT REPORT FORM
When requesting
a test for prohibited substances, the Company representative must complete this
form.
9.
Name of
Employee:________________________________________________
9.
Position:__________________________________________________________
9.
Date of
Incident:___________________________________________________
9.
Time of
Incident:___________________________________________________
9.
State objective
evidence supporting reasonable suspicion that employee is using or is under the
influence of a prohibited substance (physical evidence should be retained and
stored).
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(Use reverse side if additional
space is needed to describe evidence supporting reasonable suspicion.)
9.
Employee
Statement:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
9.
Witness
Statement:________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Employee
Signature:____________________________ Date:_________________________
Witness
Signature:_____________________________ Date:_________________________
Company
Representative Signature:___________________________ Date:____________
Original to
Human Resources Department
Copy to Company
representative making the report
Copy to employee
Copy to Union
Indemnity Clause
The Company
shall Indemnify and hold the Union harmless against any and all claims,
demands, suits or liabilities that may arise out of the Company’s application
or enforcement of this Memorandum of Understanding.
Term of Agreement
This Memorandum
of Understanding shall remain in full force and effect from July 1, 2004
through and including June 30, 2007.
Signed this
______1st________ day of ____July________, 2004
The Observer
& Eccentric Newspapers, Inc. Detroit Newspaper Guild Local 34022
By David Karapetian By LeAnne Rogers
By Hugh Gallagher By Louis J
Mleczko
By Joe Bauman By Tom Hoffmeyer
By
Ken Abramczyk
By Jim Toth
JOINT LABOR-MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The parties to this agreement recognize the value of resolving differing interpretations of the agreement as quickly as possible by discussion and decisions in the best interests of all concerned. For this reason, the Company and the Union agree to use a Joint-Management (“Committee”) to resolve as many of their differences as
are referred to Committee in accordance with the procedures of this Article, which are:
2. The procedure for forming a Committee shall be as follows:
9. Within 14 (fourteen) calendar days after the occurrence of a matter to be reviewed, or within 14 (fourteen) calendar days after the occurrence of the matter became known or reasonably could have been known by a party representative, the party desiring formation of a Committee must present the other party with a written statement of the matter, together with its recommendation that a Committee be formed to resolve the matter. Upon receipt of a recommendation to form a Committee, the other party must respond in writing within 7 (seven) calendar days. If the parties do not agree to form a Committee, no Committee shall be formed to review the matter.
9. A Committee shall be comprised of one representative of the Company, one representative of the Union, and a mediator selected jointly by the Company and the Union. A different Committee will be formed to review each, separate matter brought under this Article. Persons serving on a Committee may change with each, separated matter as deemed necessary by either party, but may not be changed once a meeting of a Committee has begun on a particular matter. The mediator may be selected from either inside or outside the Company. If the parties cannot agree upon the selection of a mediator, a Committee will not be formed. The cost for the mediator, if any, will be borne equally by the Company and the Union.
9. Once a Committee has been formed, a neutral site away from the workplace should be selected by the Company and the Union for the Committee session(s), unless the parties agree otherwise. Any costs of using a neutral site shall be shared equally the Company and the Union.
9. Committee meetings may be held during working hours or outside working hours, as the Company and Union shall agree upon from time to time. The Union representative on the Committee shall be allowed time off without loss of pay during his/her scheduled working hours for the purpose of attending Committee meetings at which his/her presence is required.
5. The role of the mediator shall be to serve as facilitator of the review process and to make recommendations to help bring the parties to agreement. The mediator will suggest, and the Company and Union must agree to, ground rules that promote open and productive communications. These may include such things as the order of presentation of facts and summaries, a timetable for reaching a decision, refraining from interruption of each other and from other unacceptable conduct. The Company and the Union will be given an opportunity to present, without interruption, the facts of the situation from their, respective points of view. Witnesses, ncluding Committee members, may be called to lend additional information to aid a Committee’s review.
6. A Committee’s review of the facts should be scheduled to extend no longer than two business days, unless a longer period is agreed to by the Company and Union.
7. If desired by either party, an unsigned draft of a Committee’s decision may be presented for review to advisors outside the Committee prior to signature.
8. A final written “Memorandum of Understanding” by the full Committee must be agreed to and signed by the parties and the mediator within 30 (thirty) calendar days from the date of the Committee’s first discussion of the matter under review and shall be binding on the Company and the Union, otherwise the matter shall be deemed unresolved. If the parties fail to reach agreement, a grievance or arbitration may be filed in accordance with the Article covering Grievance Procedure.
9. If a matter has been taken up for review by a Committee and no agreement is reached under this Article, the Union may choose, if it wishes, to proceed to whatever stage in the Article on grievances and arbitrations which has not yet been reached, provided the Union proceeds within 14 days from the Company’s written notice to the Union that no agreement can be reached in the matter.
Local 34022 Driving Record and Motor
Vehicle Policy
It is the
Company policy that every employee in Local 34022 who drives a motor vehicle in
the course of performing the duties of their position meet the requirements of
this policy when driving either company owned vehicles or employee owned or
leased personal vehicles in the course of company business.
An employee’s
motor vehicle record will be examined prior to the start of employment and at
least one time in a three-year period thereafter.
All operators
must have a valid driver’s license at any time that they operate a motor
vehicle in the course of performing the duties of their position.
The company does
not assume any liability for bodily injuries or property damage the employee
may become personally obligated to pay arising out of an accident occurring in
connection with operation of his/her own car. The reimbursement to the employee
for the operation of his/her car on company business includes the mileage
allowance for the expense of miles driven on company business.
The company’s
insurance carrier requirements specify that, as an employee of the Company,
minimum liability limit requirements of 100/300/50 must be carried on the
vehicle(s) that are driven on all company business. This insurance standard is
defined as: $100,000 for bodily injury, $300,000 per occurrence, and $50,000
for property damage outside of the state. If a vehicle is leased, the state
already requires that this amount of insurance be carried on the vehicle. The
company does not specify and assumes no responsibility for any other coverage employee’s
carry on their own cars since this is a matter of individual status and
preference.
If any employee
drives on company business, they will be asked to provide a copy of their
certificate a insurance or a copy of their insurance policy to the company on
an annual basis (March 1 of each year).
In the event of
an accident-WHAT TO DO & WHAT NOT TO DO:
Forward all
information to the Human Resources Department with in 24 hours. It
is very important that the company receive timely notification of an accident
that occurs on company business.
Fines for
parking or moving violations are the personal responsibility of the assigned
operator. The company will not condone nor excuse lack of knowledge of traffic
citations that result in court summons being directed to itself as owner of the
vehicle.
Please be aware
that all traffic violations incurred business and non-business (personal use)
hours will affect your driving status and are subject to review.
A preventable
accident is defined as any accident involving any vehicle while being used on
company business that results in property damage and/or personal injury, and in
which the driver in question failed to exercise every reasonable precaution
to prevent the accident.
Below are some
examples of preventable accidents:
Researchers at
the University of Toronto found that the risk of having a traffic accident
while using a cell phone is the same as that while driving drunk. Their
findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study shows
that cell phone users were 400 to 500 times more likely to get into traffic
accidents than those who do not use them. “Telephones that allowed the hands to
be free did not appear to be safer than the hand-held telephones,” they said.
Using a cell
phone while driving leads to an increased risk of having an accident through a
lack of attention to driving. Inattention is the #1 cause of vehicle accidents
in America. Cell phone us is a matter of record and juries are awarding huge
settlements to plaintiffs when it is proven that the defendant was using their
cell phone at the time of the crash.
Our policy on
cell phone use while on company business is as follows:
Keep your hands
on the wheel and your eyes and mind on the road while driving.
The company
requires that all employees traveling in motor vehicles on company business
wear safety belts. Documentation verifies that seat belts save lives and
prevent injuries.