ATU 1338 LOCAL NEWS
Message from ATU International President Larry Hanley
LAST CHANCE AGREEMENTS CLARIFICATION
The union or an employee cannot demand a last chance agreement. However, management officials will have the option of offering last chance agreements as the result of progressive discipline.
In most cases the last chance offer will be made during the grievance process and most likely will be offered in lieu of discharge. The goal is to settle these types of grievances much earlier in the grievance process but due to the long pending back log of discharge cases, some employees have accepted last chance offers in lieu of proceeding to the trial board. A last chance agreement must be specific to the infraction and shall only be binding with the agreed time frame set forth in the agreement. Violation of a last chance agreement will result in discharge in accordance with condition set forth in the agreement letter. Last chance agreement process does not preclude DART from discharging an employee for violation of policies.
Last chance agreements may also be used by hearing officials to solve a disciplinary matter at any step of the grievance appeal process. Furthermore, in matters proceeding to the trial board, you, the members have the right to vote cases up or down. So remember when you vote a case to go forward, it is the obligation of this union to resolve the grievance by way of trial board or settlements. In some instances, recently the members have accepted last chance offers rather than taking the risk of a binding decision from an arbitrator that may not be good. In other words, the saying is sometimes a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush and that will be the choice of the member to decide if he or she is offered a last chance agreement. Remember the union can only request and the company may offer last chance agreements.
I Trust that these clarifications will help with any misunderstandings.
Kenneth Day
President/BA
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Dart Board Meeting Schedule
The following schedule of regular Dart board meeting for 2012
was approved by the Board of Directors.
We would like DART Union Members to please attend the meetings.
January 10 and 24, 2012
February 21, 2012
March 6 and 20, 2012
April 10 and 24, 2012
May 8 and 22, 2012
June 12 and 26, 2012
July 10, 2012
August 14 and 28, 2012
September 11 and 25, 2012
October 9 and 23, 2012
November 6 and 13, 2012
December 11, 2012
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