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ARTICLE
3. Section 1. Recognition (a) The Employer recognizes and acknowledges that the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee and Local Unions affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are the exclusive representatives of all employees in the classifications of work covered by this National Master Freight Agreement, and those Supplements thereto approved by the Joint National Negotiating Committees for the purpose of collective bargaining as provided by the National Labor Relations Act. Subject to Article 2, Section 3 - Non-covered Units, this provision shall apply to all present and subsequently acquired over-the-road and local cartage operations and terminals of the Employer. This provision shall not apply to wholly-owned and wholly independently operated subsidiaries which are not under contract with local IBT unions. “Wholly independently operated” means, among other things, that there shall be no interchange of freight, equipment or personnel, or common use, in whole or in part, of equipment, terminals, property, personnel or rights. Union Shop (b) All present employees who are members of the Local Union on the effective date of this subsection or on the date of execution of this Agreement, whichever is the later, shall remain members of the Local Union as a condition of employment. Union membership for purposes of this Agreement, is required only to the extent that employees must pay either (i) the Union’s initiation fees and periodic dues or (ii) service fees which in the case of a regular service fee payer shall be equal to the Union’s initiation fees and periodic dues, and in the case of an objecting service fee payer shall be the proportion of the initiation fees and dues corresponding to the portion of the Union’s total expenditures that support representational activities. All present employees who are not members of the Local Union and all employees who are hired hereafter shall become and remain members of the Local Union as a condition of employment on and after the thirty-first (31st) calendar day following the beginning of their employment or on and after the thirty-first (31st) calendar day following the effective date of this subsection or the date of this Agreement, whichever is the later. An employee who has failed to acquire, or thereafter maintain, membership in the Union as herein provided, shall be terminated seventy-two (72) hours after his/her Employer has received written notice from an authorized representative of the Local Union, certifying that membership has been, and is continuing to be, offered to such employee on the same basis as all other members and, further, that the employee has had notice and opportunity to make all dues or initiation fee payments. This provision shall be made and become effective as of such time as it may be made and become effective under the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act, but not retroactively. For purposes of this Article, “present employees” and “employees who are hired hereafter” shall include “casual employees” as defined in Article 3, Section 2 of this Agreement. Such “casual employees” will be required to join the Union prior to their employment on or after the thirty-first (31st) calendar day following their first (1st) day of employment for any Employer signatory to this Agreement. Hiring (c) When the Employer needs additional employees, it shall give the Local Union equal opportunity with all other sources to provide suitable applicants, but the Employer shall not be required to hire those referred by the Local Union. Violations of this subsection shall be subject to the Grievance Committee. Any employment examination for applicants must test skills or physical abilities necessary for performance of the work in the job classification in which the applicant will be employed. Violations of this subsection shall be subject to the Grievance Committee. State Law (d) No provision of this Article shall apply in any state to the extent that it may be prohibited by state law. If under applicable state law additional requirements must be met before any such provisions may become effective, such additional requirements shall be first met. Agency Shop (e) If any agency shop clause is permissible in any state where the provisions of this Article relating to the Union Shop cannot apply, the following Agency Clause shall prevail: (1) Membership in the Local Union is not compulsory. Employees have the right to join, not join, maintain, or drop their membership in the Local Union, as they see fit. Neither party shall exert any pressure on, or discriminate against, an employee as regards such matters. (2) Membership in the Local Union is separate, apart and distinct from the assumption by one of his/her equal obligation to the extent that he/she receives equal benefits. The Local Union is required under this Agreement to represent all of the employees in the bargaining unit fairly and equally without regard to whether or not an employee is a member of the Local Union. The terms of this Agreement have been made for all employees in the bargaining unit and not only for members in the Local Union, and this Agreement has been executed by the Employer after it has satisfied itself that the Local Union is the choice of a majority of the employees in the bargaining unit. Accordingly, it is fair that each employee in the bargaining unit pay his/her own way and assume his/her fair share of the obligations along with the grant of equal benefits contained in this Agreement. (3) In accordance with the policy set forth under subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this Section, all employees shall, as a condition of continued employment, pay to the Local Union, the employee’s exclusive collective bargaining representative, an amount of money equal to that paid by other employees in the bargaining unit who are members of the Local Union, which shall be limited to an amount of money equal to the Local Union’s regular and usual initiation fees, and its regular and usual dues. For present employees, such payments shall commence thirty-one (31) days following the effective date or on the date of execution of this Agreement, whichever is the later, and for new employees, the payment shall start thirty-one (31) days following the date of employment. Savings Clause (f) If any provision of this Article is invalid under the law of any state wherein this Agreement is executed, such provision shall be modified to comply with the requirements of state law or shall be renegotiated for the purpose of adequate replacement. If such negotiations shall not result in mutually satisfactory agreement, either party shall be permitted all legal or economic recourse. Employer Recommendation (g) In those instances where subsection (b) hereof may not be validly applied, the Employer agrees to recommend to all employees that they become members of the Local Union and maintain such membership during the life of this Agreement, to refer new employees to the Local Union representative, and to recommend to delinquent members that they pay their dues since they are receiving the benefits of this Agreement. Business agents shall be permitted to attend new employee orientations in right-to-work states. The sole purpose of the business agent’s attendance is to encourage employees to join the Union. Future Law (h) To the extent such amendment may become permissible under applicable federal and state law during the life of this Agreement as a result of legislative, administrative or judicial determination, all of the provisions of this Article shall be automatically amended to embody the greater Union security provisions contained in the 1947-1949 Central States Area Over-The-Road Motor Freight Agreement, or to apply or become effective in situations not now permitted by law. No Violation of Law (i) Nothing contained in this Section shall be construed so as to require the Employer to violate any applicable law. Section 2. Probationary and Casual Employees (a) Probationary Employees (1) A probationary employee shall work under the provisions of this Agreement, but shall be employed on a trial basis as provided for in each Supplement. (2) During the probationary period, the employee may be terminated without further recourse; provided, however, that the Employer may not terminate the employee for the purpose of evading this Agreement or discriminating against Union members. A probationary employee who is terminated by the Employer during the probationary period and is then worked again at any time during the next full twelve (12) months at any of that Employer’s locations within the jurisdiction of the Local Union covering the terminal where he/she first worked, except in those jurisdictions where the Local Union maintains a hiring hall or referral system, shall be added to the regular seniority list with a seniority date as of the date that person is subsequently worked. The rules contained in subsection (a) (2) are subject to provisions in the Supplements to the contrary. (3) Probationary employees shall be paid at the new hire rate of pay during the probationary period; however, if the employee is terminated by the Employer during such period, he/she shall be compensated at the full contract rate of pay for all hours worked retroactive to the first (1st) day worked in such period. (4) The Union and the Employer may agree to extend the probationary period for no more than thirty (30) days, but the probationary employee must agree to such extension in writing. (b) Casual Employees (1) A casual employee is an individual who is not on the regular seniority list and who is not serving a probationary period. A casual may be either a replacement casual or a supplemental casual as hereinafter provided. Casuals shall not have seniority status. Casuals shall not be discriminated against for future employment. (2) a. Replacement casuals may be utilized by an Employer to replace regular employees when such regular employees are off due to illness, vacation or other absence, except when an absence of a regular employee continues beyond three (3) consecutive months, a replacement casual shall not thereafter be used to fill such absence, unless the Employer and the Local Union mutually agree to the continued use of a replacement casual. b. Where the Company is using casuals as vacation replacements for regular employees, and the Area Supplemental Agreement does not provide a method to add regular employees based on the use of casuals to replace vacation absence, the vacation schedules shall be broken into yearly quarters beginning January 1st, and subsequent vacation quarters shall begin on April 1st, July 1st, and October 1st thereafter. Starting with the quarter beginning April, 1991, and continuing each quarter thereafter, the Employer shall add one (1) additional employee to the regular seniority list for each sixty-five (65) vacation replacement days worked by a casual during each vacation quarter. The application of this formula shall not result in pyramiding. New employees shall be placed on the respective seniority lists on the first (1st) day of the following quarter unless there are employees in layoff status, in which case such new employees shall be placed on the respective seniority list at the time the laid-off employees are recalled from layoff status. Employees shall first be added to the regular seniority list from the preferential list, if applicable. Thereafter, employees to be added to the regular seniority list shall be determined by the respective Supplement and shall be subject to the probationary provisions of that Supplement. In the application of this formula, employees specifically designated under an appropriate reporting procedure to replace absence other than vacations shall not be included as vacation replacements. It is the intent of the parties, in the application of this formula, to add regular employees to the seniority list to replace employees on vacation where there is regular work opportunity for such additional employees. The implementation of this provision may raise issues particular to a respective Supplemental Agreement. Failure to resolve the issues, such Supplemental Negotiating Committee may agree to waive this provision, or submit the disputed issues to the National Grievance Committee. (3) Supplemental casuals may be used to supplement the regular work force as provided for in each respective Supplement. Once the number of new employees to be added as required in the Supplement is determined, the Employer must initiate the processing of the new probationary employees immediately, and complete such processing as provided for in the Supplements. (4) Unless waived in writing by any Joint Supplemental Negotiating Committee, all Supplements shall provide for a preferential casual hiring list and shall provide the qualifications for placement on such list. Casuals on the preferential hiring list shall be offered available extra work and future regular employment in seniority order by classification as among themselves. A preferential casual employee’s seniority date shall be the date he/she becomes a regular employee; and such employee shall not be subject to any probationary period. Casual employees on the preferential hiring list shall have full access to the grievance procedure. The provisions of Article 3, Section 3, shall apply to casual employees on the preferential hiring list who are paid on the regular payroll. Local Unions employing an exclusive hiring hall under the terms of the Supplemental Agreement may petition the respective Joint Area Supplemental Negotiating Committee for approval to waive this subparagraph (4). (5) Casual road employees, where permitted by Supplemental Agreement, may only be used within the jurisdiction of their respective Regional Area and shall gain preferential status and/or regular seniority status as provided in the respective Supplement, except on approved two-man operations when the extra boards are exhausted. (6) Any casual employee who declines regular employment shall be terminated without recourse and will not be used by the Employer for any further work. (7) a. Casual Employment The Employer agrees to give first opportunity for work as a casual employee to those employees on layoff or whose employer has gone out of business if said employees regularly performed work of the kind, nature or type performed by carriers covered by the NMFA. This obligation shall apply only at terminals located within the jurisdiction of the employee’s Local Union. The Local Union will furnish Employer with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of those laid off employees interested in casual work opportunity and the job each employee is qualified to perform. Where applicable, casual employment may not be offered to laid off employees under this provision ahead of preferential casuals, nor shall this provision supersede an established order of call in a supplemental agreement. b. Regular Employment The Employer agrees to offer regular employment to those employees on letter of layoff from an Employer member of the TMI multi-employer unit at other terminals located within the jurisdiction of the employee’s Local Union who have made application for regular employment at the terminal offering regular employment. Employment shall be offered in accordance with the following order, unless the Supplemental Agreement or an agreed to practice provides a different order of call, in which case such other order of call shall prevail: 1. Preferential casuals, where applicable. 2. Employees of the Employer, on a seniority basis. 3. Employees of other TMI Employer members based on the date such employees made application. Employees hired into regular employment shall be paid in accordance with the new hire rate set forth in Article 36, herein and shall establish seniority in accordance with the applicable Supplemental Agreement. Employees who accrue seniority under this provision who are on layoff from another Employer shall retain seniority rights at the terminal they are laid off from until such time as they are recalled to that terminal. Employees who accrue seniority under this provision who are on layoff from another terminal of the same Employer shall retain their seniority at the terminal they are laid off from until such time as recalled to that terminal. At that time, the employee must either accept recall and forfeit seniority at the new terminal or refuse recall and forfeit seniority at the terminal he/she is being recalled to. In order to be eligible for either casual or regular employment opportunity under this provision, the laid off employee must meet the minimum hiring standards established by the Employer and be otherwise qualified to perform the work available and must be able to report for work in compliance with the Employer’s established call-time procedures. The Employer’s hiring standards and examinations shall be applied uniformly to all applicants for employment. The Employer shall provide the hiring standards and examinations upon written request of the Local Union. Employees who are offered work opportunity under this provision must be able to furnish proof of their qualification to perform the work available. Any employment examination for applicants must test skills or physical abilities necessary for performance of the work in the job classification in which the applicant will be employed. Violation of this subsection shall be subject to the grievance procedure. (8) Fringe benefits will be paid on casuals in accordance with the terms of the Supplemental Agreement. Minimum daily guarantees will be governed by the respective Supplemental Agreement. (9) A monthly list of all casual and/or probationary employees used during that month shall be submitted to the Local Unions by the tenth (10th) day of the following month. Such list shall show: a. the employee’s name, address, and social security number; b. the date worked; c. the classification of work performed each date, and the hours worked; and, d. the name, if applicable, of the employee replaced. This list shall be compiled on a daily basis and shall be available for inspection by a Union representative and/or job shop steward. (c) Employment Agency Fees If employees are hired through an employment agency, the Employer is to pay the employment agency fee. However, if the Local Union was given equal opportunity to furnish employees under Article 3, Section ( 1) (c), and if the employee is retained through the probationary period, the fee need not be paid until the thirty-first (31st) day of employment. Section 3. Checkoff The Employer agrees to deduct from the pay of all employees covered by this Agreement the dues, initiation fees and/or uniform assessments of the Local Union having jurisdiction over such employees and agrees to remit to said Local Union all such deductions. Where laws require written authorization by the employee, the same is to be furnished in the form required. The Local Union shall certify to the Employer in writing each month a list of its members working for the Employer who have furnished to the Employer the required authorization, together with an itemized statement of dues, initiation fees (full or installment), or uniform assessments owed and to be deducted for such month from the pay of such member. The Employer shall deduct such amount within two (2) weeks following receipt of the statement of certification of the member and remit to the Local Union in one (1) lump sum within three (3) weeks following receipt of the statement of certification. The Employer shall add to the list submitted by the Local Union the names and Social Security numbers of all regular new employees hired since the last list was submitted and delete the names of employees who are no longer employed. Checkoff shall be on a monthly or quarterly basis at the option of the Union. The Local Union and Employer may agree to an alternative option to deduct Union dues bi-monthly. When an Employer actually makes a deduction for dues, initiation fees and assessments, in accordance with the statement of certification received from an appropriate Local Union, the Employer shall remit same no later than three (3) weeks following receipt of the statement of certification and in the event the Employer fails to do so, the Employer shall be assessed ten percent (10%) liquidated damages. All monies required to be checked off shall become the property of the entities for which it was intended at the time that such checkoff is required to be made. All monies required to be checked off and paid over to other entities under this Agreement shall become the property of those entities for which it was intended at the time that such payment or checkoff is required to be made. Where an employee who is on checkoff is not on the payroll during the week in which the deduction is to be made, or has no earnings or insufficient earnings during that week, or is on leave of absence, the employee must make arrangements with the Local Union and/or the Employer to pay such dues in advance. The Employer agrees to deduct from the paycheck of all employees covered by this Agreement voluntary contributions to DRIVE. DRIVE shall notify the Employer of the amounts designated by each contributing employee that are to be deducted from his/her paycheck on a weekly basis for all weeks worked. The phrase “weeks worked” excludes any week other than a week in which the employee earned a wage. The Employer shall transmit to DRIVE National Headquarters on a monthly basis, in one (1) check, the total amount deducted along with the name of each employee on whose behalf a deduction is made, the employee’s social security number and the amount deducted from that employee’s paycheck. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters shall reimburse the Employer annually for the Employer’s actual cost for the expenses incurred in administering the weekly payroll deduction plan. The Employer will recognize authorization for deductions from wages, if in compliance with state law, to be transmitted to Local Union or to such other organizations as the Union may request if mutually agreed to. No such authorization shall be recognized if in violation of state or federal law. No deduction shall be made which is prohibited by applicable law. In the event that an Employer has been determined to be in violation of this Article by the decision of an appropriate grievance committee, and if such Employer subsequently is in violation thereof after receipt of seventy-two (72) hours’ written notice of specific delinquencies, the Local Union may strike to enforce this Article. However, such strike shall be terminated upon the delivery thereof. Errors or inadvertent omissions relating to individual employees shall not constitute a violation. Upon written request of an employee, the Employer shall make payroll deductions for the purchasing of U. S. Savings Bonds. The Employer hereby agrees to participate in the Teamsters National 401(k) Savings Plan (the “Plan”) on behalf of all employees represented for purposes of collective bargaining under this agreement. The Employer is not required to participate in the Teamsters National 401(k) if Teamsters employees were eligible to participate in an Employer sponsored 401(k) as of January 1, 1998. The Employer will make or cause to be made payroll deductions from participating employee’s wages, in accordance with each employee’s salary deferral election subject to compliance with ERISA and the relevant tax code provisions. The Employer will forward withheld sum to State Street Bank or its successor at such time, in such form and manner as required pursuant to the Plan and Declaration of Trust (the “Trust”). The Employer will execute a Participation Agreement with TNFINC and the Trustees of the Plan evidencing Employer participation in the Plan effective prior to any employee deferral being received by the Plan. Section 4. Work Assignments The Employers agree to respect the jurisdictional rules of the Union and shall not direct or require their employees or persons other than the employees in the bargaining units here involved, to perform work which is recognized as the work of the employees in said units. This is not to interfere with bona fide contracts with bona fide unions. Section 5. The term “Local Union” as used herein refers to the IBT Local Union which represents the employees of the particular Employer for the purpose of collective bargaining at the particular place or places of business to which this Agreement and the Supplements thereto are applicable, unless by agreement of the Local Union involved, or a Change of Operations Committee, or a jurisdictional award under Article 30 herein, jurisdiction over such employees, or any number of them, has been transferred to some other Local Union, in which case the term Local Union as used herein shall refer to such other Local Unions. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to alter the multi-employer, multi-union unit or single contract status of this Agreement. Section 6. Electronic Funds Transfer If the Employer institutes an electronic funds transfer (EFT) system, employees may participate.
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