Common use of Retrogression System Clause in Contracts

Retrogression System. The retrogression system is used to provide movement when a reduction of the work force is necessary (see attached chart). The following paragraph from Article XI of the current Agreement with Local 28-O, describes the retrogression system. It forms the basis from which it is understood that for sufficiently qualified employees, seniority will be the governing factor in a retrogression process. After moving through the lines of retrogression and before lay-off, an employee will be assigned by the Company, according to his / her seniority and subject to the first paragraph of this clause, to the lowest classification of any job progression, other than the Manufacturing Serviceperson Job progression (and such assignment may be to that classification occupied by the employee with the least seniority of all the employees in the bottom classifications of the lines of progression) or, if there is no such classification available to the employee, the employee will be assigned to one of the following classifications in the following order, based on his / her seniority: Manufacturing Serviceperson, Serviceperson, Services Trainee, and Janitor. Seniority shall govern in the case of a lay-off from the classifications of Manufacturing Serviceperson, Serviceperson, Services Trainee, Janitor, and Hiree. The general intent is modified by the following statements, the wording of which was negotiated: a. “In the event of a reduction in the work force in any job progression and employee will be retrogressed in the reverse order of his / her progression.” b. “Any Controller-5‟s who are retrogressed out of their assignment due to crew reductions or lay-off, will have the opportunity to move to another Controller-5 assignment subject to the provisions of Article XI, Clause (b).” c. “For the purposes of retrogression the Instrument-Electrical Group will be combined with the Electrician Group when there is a lack of electrical work and with the Instrument Mechanic Group when there is a lack of Instrument Mechanic work.”

Retrogression System. The retrogression system is used to provide movement when a reduction of the work force is necessary (see attached chart). The following paragraph from Article XI of the current Agreement with Local 28-O, describes the retrogression system. It forms the basis from which it is understood that for sufficiently qualified employees, seniority will be the governing factor in a retrogression process. After moving through the lines of retrogression and before lay-off, an employee will be assigned by the Company, according to his / her seniority and subject to the first paragraph of this clause, to the lowest classification of any job progression, other than the Manufacturing Serviceperson Job progression (and such assignment may be to that classification occupied by the employee with the least seniority of all the employees in the bottom classifications of the lines of progression) or, if there is no such classification available to the employee, the employee will be assigned to one of the following classifications in the following order, based on his / her seniority: Manufacturing Serviceperson, Serviceperson, Services Trainee, and Janitor. Seniority shall govern in the case of a lay-off from the classifications of Manufacturing Serviceperson, Serviceperson, Services Trainee, and Janitor, and Hiree. The general intent is modified by the following statements, the wording of which was negotiated: a. “In the event of a reduction in the work force in any job progression and employee will be retrogressed in the reverse order of his / her progression.” b. “Any Controller-5‟s employees classified as Controller 1st Class- who are retrogressed out of their assignment due to crew reductions or lay-off, will have the opportunity to move to another Controller-5 Controller 1st Class assignment subject to the provisions of Article XI, Clause (b).” c. “For the purposes of retrogression the Instrument-Electrical Group will be combined with the Electrician Group when there is a lack of electrical work and with the Instrument Mechanic Group when there is a lack of Instrument Mechanic work.” d. Where an employee has successfully posted into a line of progression and is retrogressed out of that line due to crew reduction or lay off, he / she will have the opportunity to return to their former classification in the progression from which the employee came, for the normal training period in the line to which he / she posted, taking in account his / her seniority, subject to the provisions of Article XI, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ (b). In addition, if an employee successfully posts into a line of progression and is unable to meet the requirements of the training program within nine (9) months, he / she will be returned to the previously held classification and rate in the progression line from which the employee came. e. Employees within the “A” Trades line of progression who, since introduction of the non-complement progression system in 1957, have been classified by the Company as 1st Class Tradesmen in two lines of progression will, in the event of crew reduction or lay-off for the purposes of retrogression, be treated as belonging to the line of progression which gives them the maximum protection from retrogression. f. When an employee is given an assignment within their classification but outside the lines of progression as described in the Job Posting and Lay-off Procedure, the employee will be treated, for the purpose of retrogression, due to crew reduction or lay-off, as if he / she had remained in their line of progression. g. In the event of a lay-off which affects Analyst Controller 1st Class, Controller 1st Class, Power Engineer Controller 2nd Class, or Controller 1st Class in the “A” Trades line, incumbents of the said classification who are assigned by the Company to the lowest classification of any job progression or to the classification of Manufacturing Serviceperson, Services Trainee, or Janitor, will be given the option of being terminated by the Company for lack of work. h. Employees who have been retrogressed shall have the right of first refusal for a posted vacancy that represents a line of progression back to or toward a position they were retrogressed from within the preceding eighteen (18) months. In production, each line of progression in practice shall be a separate “position” for the purpose of this provision.