Article 26 - 33

Within the requirements of applicable laws, Ohio University will continue its policy of providing meals to Culinary Services' employees regularly assigned to the department. Current work rules pertaining to meals are unchanged. 

Should any change be required in the present policy by operation of law, the University will, prior to instituting such change, discuss with the union the terms of a mutually acceptable meal policy.

A five minute clean-up before lunch (or any other on-shift meal according to shift worked), and another five-minute clean-up time before the end of the shift will be provided in each department covered by this Contract.

The Bargaining Unit/Management Safety Committee will be continued for the purpose of developing and disseminating safety information, reporting, and discussing unsafe conditions or activities that committee members may observe or have reported to them, recommending remedial measures to alleviate unsafe conditions or practices and any other safety related topic as deemed appropriate by the Safety Committee. All safety standards must meet or exceed applicable law and regulations.

It shall not be the function of the Safety Committee to initiate grievances concerning safety or any other matters. 

Membership on the Safety Committee will include:

1. Director of Safety.
2. The Safety Committee wilt include a Chair and Vice- chair rather than co-chairs. The Chair and Vice Chair positions will rotate yearly on January 1. The Chair beginning January 1, 2023, will be from the Bargaining Unit. The parties agree that with 30 days' notice, either party can void this and revert to having co- chairs, one from the Bargaining Unit and the other from Environmental Health and Safety.
3. A number of employees, as mutually agreed by both parties, to be appointed by the Chief Human Resource Officer or designee; and
4. A number of Bargaining Unit Employees, as mutually agreed by both parties, to be appointed by the Union.
5. Ohio University and AFSCME Local 1699, Ohio Council 8, can agree, as needed, to change the numbers on the Safety Committee as long as there is equal representation from both Management and the Union.

The Safety Committee can, on an as needed basis, invite resource people to provide information to the Safety Committee. Meetings will be held once each month at a time and location mutually agreed upon by the parties. Each committee member shall be responsible for informing the Chair at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting of any agenda item the member wishes to have discussed. In the event no agenda item Is received by the Chair, the regular meeting for the month may be canceled. Special meetings may be scheduled by mutual agreement.

Ohio University has implemented parking fees for all employees. For the contract period of March 1, 2023 through March 1, 2026, Bargaining Unit Employees will be required to pay for a parking permit at a cost not to exceed $175.00 per fiscal year. 

Bargaining Unit Employees will be responsible for paying the designated rate for employee parking permits as determined by the University. The parties agree that if the University implements a base parking fee during the term of this Contract that exceeds one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175.00) per year, the parties agree to re-open the terms of Article 29 for the sole purpose of re-negotiating the parking fee. Negotiations will be strictly limited to this Article and the fee imposed upon Bargaining Unit Employees for employee parking permits. 

A parking pass with all area access for the Local 1699 Union President will be provided pursuant to the conditions as above.

The Union shall have reasonable space to post official Union notices on bulletin boards in all Bargaining Unit departments. Bulletin Boards will be placed in a conspicuous place by University time clocks.

In the interest of providing up-to-date information to deal with emergencies, overtime assignments, administration of benefits, etc., employees shall immediately notify their department or segment supervisor, in writing, of any changes in contact information (name, address, and telephone number). Employees shall also immediately notify University Human Resources, in writing, of any changes in the contact information as well as changes in the employee's marital status and record of immediate family. University Human Resources shall then notify the Local Union President of such changes.

The department head or designee shall schedule a fifteen (15) minute rest period for each employee in the Bargaining Unit during the first four (4) hours of the shift and the second four (4) hours of the shift for each shop, or area, within the department. To the extent practicable, such rest periods shall be scheduled during the middle hours of the shift and must be taken at the job site. The department head or designee may, as a result of mitigating circumstances, change the scheduled rest time on a given day.

1. The continued employment of all employees shall be during good behavior and efficient service except as provided in Article 12 . No employee shall be suspended or terminated except for incompetency, inefficiency, dishonesty, intoxication, under the influence of drugs of abuse, immoral conduct, insubordination, and discourteous treatment of the public, neglect of duty, violation of University rules or any other failure of good behavior. Discipline shall be for just cause.
2. Written reprimands and written warnings will be removed from employees' personnel files, both in the department and UHR, twelve (12) months after the effective date of the document providing there is no intervening written notice of disciplinary action during the twelve (12) month period. Written reprimands will not be subject to the grievance procedure. A rebuttal to the reprimand may be submitted and attached to the written reprimand on file. The rebuttal .shall be removed at the same time as the reprimand.
3. Suspensions will be removed from an employee's personnel files, both in the department and UHR, eighteen (18) months following the date of the suspension providing there is no intervening written notice of disciplinary action during the eighteen (18) month period. Suspensions will remain on file for employees whose employment is terminated during the eighteen (18) month period or who are involved in litigation or review in a court or governmental agency during the eighteen (18) month period. Leave of absence or layoff periods will not count as part of the eighteen (18) months.
4. In imposing discipline on a current charge, the University shall not take into account any written reprimands or suspensions which would have been removed by the procedure of Band C herein, or any other discipline which occurred more than three (3) years previously.
5. An employee shall be given a copy of any written warning, reprimand, or other disciplinary action entered on his/her personnel record. A Union Representative may be present when such discipline is given. Employees who are called into meetings for the purpose of discipline shall be informed of their right to have a Union Representative present. The Local Union President shall receive a copy of any disciplinary action against any Bargaining Unit employee.
6. Any employee who has been disciplined by suspension or discharge will be given a written statement describing the reason or reasons for which the employee has been suspended or discharged. In the case of suspension, the employee will be advised of the duration of the suspension. In the case of suspension or discharge, the District Steward, or Vice-President or President may be present and the affected employee shall be informed of his/her right to Union representation.
7. Any suspension shall be for a specific number of consecutive days on which the employee would be regularly scheduled to work. Holidays occurring during a period of suspension shall be counted as work days for the purpose of suspension only.
8. Disciplinary actions may be subject to the Grievance Procedure. Grievances involving disciplinary suspensions or terminations may be initially filed at Step 2 of the Grievance Procedure.