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2016TentativeCBA

A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association

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2016 CBA Tentati ve Agreement Page 61 of 217 ARTICLE 32 WATCH SCHEDULES AND SHIFT ASSIGNMENTS Section 1. T he basic watch schedule (BWS) is defined as days of the week, hours of the day, rotation of shifts, and regular days off. The schedule shall be posted one (1) year in advance. Prior to developing the BWS, the Agency will meet with the Union at the local le vel to discuss respective scheduling concerns; this discussion shall include but is not limited to: current and projected facility staffing levels and coverage requirements. For the purpose of this Article, coverage requirements are defined as the distrib ution of available resources to be assigned to the BWS. Section 2. The Parties at the local level shall collaborate on the development of shift guidelines, including any modifications thereto, that are to be utilized for the posted watch schedule. For the purpose of this Article, shift guidelines are defined as the number of employees to meet the forecasted workload requirements for the core and ancillary shifts. These shift guidelines will be incorporated in the annual BWS agreement(s). The Agency sha ll communicate the reason(s) to the Union when the number of employees assigned to any core or ancillary shift is posted below guidelines. Prior to posting a watch schedule that deviates from the corresponding shift guidelines for the Day, Evening, and Mi dnight shifts, the Parties will meet to engage in a collaborative discussion regarding alternatives and associated scheduling concerns. Section 3. The Agency shall establish three (3) core shifts: Day, Evening, and Midnight shifts and no more than three (3) ancillary shifts attached to each core shift. Absent mutual agreement at the facility level, there will be no more than three (3) ancillary shifts attached to each core shift. Any additional ancillary shifts are to be negotiated at the local level. Al l core and ancillary shifts will be incorporated in the annual BWS agreement(s). Section 4. Once annually, prior to bidding for annual leave, the Parties at the local level shall negotiate the BWS as follows: employee rotation through shifts; permanent/r otating shifts; permanent/rotating regular days off; the procedures for CPCs to bid the BWS; procedures for CPC - ITs/developmentals to bid the BWS independently of the CPCs unless otherwise agreed to by the Parties at the local level; and at the request of the Union, Alternate Work Schedule(s) in accordance with Article 34 of this Agreement. Bidding for assignments to the BWS shall be done according to seniority. Any change to the BWS shall be handled in accordance with Article 7 of this Agreement. Section 5. The posted watch schedule is defined as the assignment of employees to specific shifts. The posted watch schedule shall be published at least twenty - eight (28) days in advance. Assignments of individual employees to the posted watch schedule are not co nsidered changes to the BWS. Section 6. The Parties recognize that changing an employee's posted watch schedule is undesirable. The Agency will normally give no less than seven (7) days notice of its intention to modify a posted watch schedule. In such ca se, it shall attempt to avoid the change by soliciting qualified volunteers for forty - eight (48) hours. If the Agency determines it is necessary to modify a posted watch schedule with less than seven (7) days notice, it will make reasonable efforts to secu re qualified volunteers. Changes with less than seven (7) days notice shall not be made for the purpose of avoiding payment of overtime, holiday or other premium pay. If an employee's shift is involuntarily changed with less than seven (7) days notice, the affected employee shall be paid any night time differentials to which he/she would otherwise have been

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