Official Time Usage. Official time under this Agreement may be used for the following activities: Communicating about matters covered under the Agreement with employee(s), other Union officials and Department officials, including Labor-Management Forums; Preparing and investigating grievances, interviewing witnesses, preparing for arbitration, and meeting with Union representatives in connection with representational activity; Preparing to represent an employee, and representing an employee, in a statutory appeal process, including replies to the courts or administrative agencies such as FMCS, FSIP or FLRA; Preparing to negotiate over mid-term issues; Preparing to participate in a FLRA investigation or hearing as a representative of the Union; Formal discussions; Representing employees at investigations as set forth in Article 36 – Investigations; Grievance meetings; Arbitration hearings; Oral replies to disciplinary and adverse actions and actions based on unacceptable performance; Travel for representational duties or scheduled meetings, consistent with Article 19 – Official Travel; Participation in mid-term negotiations; and, Training on labor-management relations. Although local official time can be used in a regularly scheduled fashion or as needed (bank time), the Parties recognize that the establishment of bank time will best serve to cover representational needs during the year. The Parties recognize that the use of fixed scheduling with no bank time does not address the unplanned or unexpected representational needs. In either event, the Parties will meet any applicable bargaining obligations when triggered in 4C and 4D below. If a union representative has a regular, recurring, ongoing allocation of official time, the union representative will meet with his or her supervisor or designee, prior to using the official time, to work out a regular schedule when the union representative will be on official time. The Parties will document any negotiated arrangements and procedures regarding scheduled official time. Modifications to the schedule must be discussed with the supervisor or designee in advance or negotiated, if appropriate. If a union representative does not have a regular, recurring, ongoing allocation of official time, the union representative must contact his or her supervisor or designee, in advance of each instance, to request to be on official time. When unscheduled (bank) official time is requested, the supervisor or other designated Department official wil...
Official Time Usage. A. If unplanned representational duties arise, the representative may request to use official time in accordance with Article 48 Section 4 of the Master Contract. These requests will not be arbitrarily denied. Requested time will be granted as soon as the work situation allows.
Official Time Usage. The Agency and the Union agree that to determine the exact amount of official time needed by union representatives to meet the terms of this agreement is impossible to define. The percentages listed herein are not to be considered limits, but rather estimates needed to meet the Agency’s mission and representational requirements of the Union. In order to meet the terms of this Article and Agreement, more or less time than what is specified may be needed. The use of official time will be approved per the terms of this Agreement and not arbitrarily approved or denied based on these estimates. Based upon the size, scope and mission of the Agency, the following percentages have been estimated to be reasonable:
Official Time Usage. A. Official time under this Agreement may be used for the following activities.
