Agreement Between

 

 

 

 

UNITED STEELWORKERS

 

AFL-CIO-CLC

 

On behalf of USW

 

AMALGAMATED LOCAL #4

 

 

 

and

 

 

 

ROCK OF AGES CORPORATION

 

Manufacturing Division

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 25, 2009 - April 29, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGREEMENT

 

by and between

 

Rock of Ages Corporation

 

and

 

United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO-CLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 25, 2009

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

AGREEMENT ................................................................................................................................1

 

ARTICLE 1 Term ...........................................................................................................................1

 

ARTICLE 2 Hours of Work - Overtime ..........................................................................................1

            2.1 Regular Hours ...............................................................................................................1

            2.2 Maintenance Men ..........................................................................................................1

            2.3 Saturday and Sunday Pay..............................................................................................2

            2.4 Extra Shift .....................................................................................................................2

            2.5 Miscellaneous ...............................................................................................................2

 

ARTICLE 3 Layoff Job Opportunity ...............................................................................................3

            3.1 Layoff Job Opportunity.................................................................................................3

 

ARTICLE 4 Wages ..........................................................................................................................3

            4.1 Wage Increases and Minimum Wages ..........................................................................3

            4.2 Employment ..................................................................................................................4

            4.3 Wage Negotiations ........................................................................................................4

            4.4 Wage Adjustment..........................................................................................................5

            4.5 Transfers .......................................................................................................................5

            4.6 Infirm Employees..........................................................................................................5

            4.7 Payment of Wages ........................................................................................................5

            4.8 Workers' Compensation ................................................................................................6

            4.9 Jury Duty .......................................................................................................................6

 

ARTICLE 5 Military Service ...........................................................................................................6

            5.1 Military Service ............................................................................................................6

 

ARTICLE 6 Holiday Pay .................................................................................................................6

            6.1 Paid Holidays ................................................................................................................6

            6.2 Eligibility ......................................................................................................................7

            6.3 Holiday Work ................................................................................................................8

            6.4 Holiday Change ............................................................................................................8

            6.5 Holiday Premium ..........................................................................................................8

 

ARTICLE 7 Vacations......................................................................................................................8

            7.1 Vacation Period ..............................................................................................................8

            7.2 Vacation Payments..........................................................................................................9

            7.3 Requirements ..................................................................................................................9

            7.4 Amount of Vacation .......................................................................................................10

            7.5 Severance of Employment .............................................................................................12

 

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ARTICLE 8 Bereavement/Birth of a Child .....................................................................................12

            8.1 Five (5) Day Bereavement ...........................................................................................12

            8.2 Three (3) Day Bereavement .........................................................................................12

            8.3 Internment ....................................................................................................................12

            8.4 One (1) Day Bereavement ............................................................................................13

            8.5 Birth or Adoption of a Child ..........................................................................................13

            8.6 Bereavement While on Vacation ....................................................................................13

 

ARTICLE 9 Insurance .....................................................................................................................13

            9.1 Insurance .......................................................................................................................13

            9.2 Benefits ..........................................................................................................................13

            9.3 Contributions...................................................................................................................15

            9.4 Disability .........................................................................................................................15

            9.5 Retired Employees ..........................................................................................................15

            9.6 Consultant .......................................................................................................................16

            9.7 Insurance Objectives .......................................................................................................16

            9.8 Delinquency ....................................................................................................................16

 

ARTICLE 10 Pension Plan Agreement ..............................................................................................16

            10.1 Merger of the Pension Plan ..............................................................................................16

            10.2 Incorporated Documents...................................................................................................16

            10.3 Contribution Rate.............................................................................................................17

            10.4 Covered Employees .......................................................................................................17

            10.5 Hours Worked................................................................................................................17

            10.6 Payment of Contribution..................................................................................................17

            10.7 Coverage - Newly Hired Employees Not Previously Covered.........................................17

            10.8 Coverage - Newly Hired Employees Who Were Previously Covered..............................17

            10.9 Contribution Reports and Data.......................................................................................17

            10.10 Delinquent Employers..................................................................................................18

 

ARTICLE 11 401K Plan .................................................................................................................18

            11.1 401K Plan....................................................................................................................18

 

ARTICLE 12 Notices ....................................................................................................................18

            12.1 Bulletin Boards ...........................................................................................................18

            12.2 Holiday Notice ...........................................................................................................18

            12.3 Emergencies ...............................................................................................................18

            12.4 Plant Bidding ..............................................................................................................18

            12.5 Union Postings ............................................................................................................19

 

ARTICLE 13 Layoff, Recall, Reinstatement After On-the-Job Injury ..................................................19

            13.1 Layoff and Recall ...........................................................................................................19

            13.2 Layoffs...........................................................................................................................20

            13.3 Layoff Job Opportunity...................................................................................................20

            13.4 Seniority.........................................................................................................................21

            13.5 Seniority Roster .............................................................................................................21

 

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ARTICLE 14 Union Security .........................................................................................................21

            14.1 Union Security ...........................................................................................................21

 

ARTICLE 15 Check-off ................................................................................................................21

            15.1 Check-Off .................................................................................................................21

            15.2 Union Copy ...............................................................................................................21

            15.3 Dues Penalty ..............................................................................................................22

            15.4 Journeyman Dues .......................................................................................................22

            15.5 Sign-Ups ....................................................................................................................22

 

ARTICLE 16 Dispute Settlement ...................................................................................................22

            16.1 Dispute Settlement .....................................................................................................22

            16.2 Company Grievances .................................................................................................23

            16.3 Signed Grievances ......................................................................................................23

            16.4 Rules ..........................................................................................................................23

 

ARTICLE 17 Plant Access ............................................................................................................24

            17.1 Plant Access ..............................................................................................................24

 

ARTICLE 18 Nondiscrimination ....................................................................................................24

            18.1 Non Discrimination ....................................................................................................24

 

ARTICLE 19 Public Insurance ......................................................................................................24

            19.1 Reinstatement to Job .................................................................................................24

            19.2 Unemployment/Workers Compensation ....................................................................24

 

ARTICLE 20 Mutual Cooperation ................................................................................................25

            20.1 Mutual Cooperation ..................................................................................................25

 

ARTICLE 21 Labor Management Team .......................................................................................25

            21.1 Labor-Management Team (LMT) .............................................................................25

 

ARTICLE 22 Safety Measures ......................................................................................................26

            22.1 Safety Glasses ...........................................................................................................26

            22.2 Miscellaneous ............................................................................................................26

            22.3 Plant Heat .................................................................................................................27

            22.4 Consultation and Enforcement ....................................................................................27

            22.5 Legal Obligations .......................................................................................................27

 

ARTICLE 23 Probationary Period .................................................................................................28

            23.1 Probationary Period ...................................................................................................28

 

ARTICLE 24 Apprentices .............................................................................................................28

            24.1 Apprentices ...............................................................................................................28

            24.2 Reduction of Work ....................................................................................................28

            24.3 Apprentice Wages .....................................................................................................28

 

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ARTICLE 25 Leaves of Absence ...................................................................................................28

            25.1 General Leave of Absence - Leave .............................................................................28

            25.2 Union Leave................................................................................................................29

            25.3 Presidential - Executive Board Leave...........................................................................29

 

ARTICLE 26 Discipline/Discharge .................................................................................................29

            26.1 Discipline/Discharge ...................................................................................................29

            26.2 Written Warnings .......................................................................................................29

 

ARTICLE 27 Interdivisional Maintenance Work .............................................................................29

            27.1 Interdivisional Maintenance Work ...............................................................................29

 

ARTICLE 28 Subcontracting .........................................................................................................30

            28.1 Subcontracting ...........................................................................................................30

 

ARTICLE 29 Management's Rights ................................................................................................30

            29.1 Management's Rights ..................................................................................................30

 

SIGNATURES...............................................................................................................................31

 

CALENDAR OF HOLIDAYS.......................................................................................................32

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

iv

AGREEMENT

Agreement entered into as of April 25, 2009 by and between the ROCK OF AGES CORPORATION of Graniteville, Vermont (the Company) its successors and assigns and the UNITED STEELWORKERS, AFL‑CIO‑CLC on behalf of USW Amalgamated Local #4 (the Union).  In consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1

Term

This Agreement shall be effective April 25, 2009 and shall continue in full force and effect through April 29, 2011 and from year to year thereafter, unless either party gives notice to the other, not less than sixty (60) days prior to April 29, 2011 or prior to April 29 of any year thereafter, that it desires to alter, amend or terminate any or all of the terms hereof.

ARTICLE 2

Hours of Work ‑ Overtime

2.1 Regular Hours

(a)  Eight (8) hours shall constitute a day's work, five (5) days shall constitute a week's work, Monday to Friday inclusive.  Daily working hours will begin no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and end no later than 3:30 p.m., except as follows:  The hours of operations may be changed by a majority vote of each union and agreed to by the company.

(b)  All work done outside the working hours as prescribed above and work done during the regular lunch period shall be paid at time and one‑half.

(c)  Overtime will be distributed as equitably as is practicable and will be assigned to employees based on such factors as who regularly works in the areas, who regularly performs the work and special circumstances.  Refusal of overtime shall not preclude a man from future overtime.  However, any refused hours will be included when determining equitable distribution.

Whenever possible, weekday overtime requests will be made no later than noon on the preceding day, and weekend requests will be made by noon on Thursday.  If there are not sufficient volunteers, employees are to be assigned on the basis of inverse seniority, subject to demonstrated ability to perform the work on those shifts.

 (d) An employee and an employer may, by mutual agreement, arrange a schedule for the employee which differs from the general schedules set forth in this Article.  The Union will be notified of such arrangement.  No such arrangement shall extend for more than two (2) weeks unless approved by the Union.

2.2 Maintenance Men

            The working day for maintenance men, regularly employed as such, shall be of eight (8) hours' duration to be worked between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and the working week shall be of forty (40) hours' duration to be worked from Monday to Friday, inclusive.  The overtime rate shall be at time and one‑half for all hours worked over any continuous eight (8) hour period, excluding lunch hour.  The lunch hour of thirty (30) minutes is to be taken at the option of the employee.

1

 

2.3 Saturday and Sunday Pay

 

All work done on Saturday shall be paid at time and one‑half.  Work shall be regarded as being performed on Saturday only if an employee's shift begins on Saturday.  Work done on Sunday shall be paid at double time.

 

2.4 Extra Shift

 

(a)  It is agreed that the Company shall have the privilege of operating three (3) shifts.  One (1) shift is to be the established working day and to be paid as per Article 4 of this Agreement.  The second (2nd) and third (3rd) shifts shall be of eight (8) hours' duration including a one‑half (1/2) hour meal period which will be paid.  In addition to payment for work performed in accordance with Article 4 of this Agreement, employees and apprentices working on the second (2nd) or third shift shall receive a shift premium of One Dollar and Seventy-five Cents ($1.75) per hour.

 

(b)  The Company shall not require any employee to work alone unless a telephone is readily available on the premises and a beeper with an automatic safety call‑in every fifteen (15) minutes unless deactivated by the employee.  

 

2.5 Miscellaneous

 

(a)  Saturday Work.  It is mutually agreed that work done on Saturday by grouters, tool grinders and saw helpers shall not include any crane operation, boxing, or mechanical repair work.

 

(b)  Regular Lunch Period.  No work is to be done during the regular lunch period except in a case of emergency where it is necessary.  If the Company desires to change the regular lunch period from one (1) hour to one‑half (1/2) hour, the Company has the option to make such change if a majority of the employees represented by this Union and a majority of the employees represented by any other local Union, voting separately in a vote conducted by the respective Union representatives, approve that change in hours.

 

(c)  Notice of Absence.  Employees are obligated to give notice, as soon as possible, to the Company on the day they are unable to report for work.  This should be done as soon as possible and include the reason for absence or lateness. An absence for three (3) consecutive scheduled workdays without notifying the Company will subject the employee to discipline, up to and including discharge.

 

(d)  Report Pay.  In the absence of a notice not to report to work, should any employee report to work and be discharged before work begins or during the first two (2) hours of the day, he shall be paid no less than two (2) hours' pay.

 

(e)  In assigning employees to work on the second (2nd) and/or third (3rd) shift, the Company shall first seek volunteers with preference being given on the basis of length of service (seniority) with the Company subject to demonstrated ability to perform the work on those shifts.  If there are not sufficient volunteers, employees shall be assigned on the basis of inverse seniority, subject to demonstrated ability to perform the work on those shifts.

 

 

 

 

2

 

ARTICLE 3

 Layoff Job Opportunity

3.1 Layoff Job Opportunity

In the event of a layoff of employees covered by this contract and if the Company has need for additional manpower in any of its other divisions in Barre or Bethel, the Company will offer these positions to the laid‑off employees by seniority subject to ability and physical fitness and a sixty (60) day probationary period.  The employee selected may accept the position offered or elect to take the layoff.  During the probationary period, the successful employee may revert to layoff status at his option.  If the position available is covered by a different contract, the employee shall not be required to change groups unless he is not returned to his former position within twelve (12) months.  The employees shall suffer no loss of seniority for such assignment when he is returned to his former position.  Employees will be returned to their former positions by seniority if and when work becomes available.

It is contemplated that the employees choosing to work in a new division will be assigned entry level positions.  If the employee is assigned to a cl