Seniority
Lists
October
1st, 2006
Brothers and Sisters,
Just a reminder that the seniority lists on CPRail should have
come out on Friday and been posted.
Seniority is one of the most important factors in maintaining
your ability to bid for promotion or preferred positions/locations.
Do not assume that the company got it right or that your seniority
standing is protected. The seniority lists often have mistakes
in them and though the collective agreement places the responsibility
on the company to print and post them, it also puts the responsibility
on you to check and insure that they have your standing correct.
Article 9.7 reads;
"
9.7 Seniority lists shall be open for correction for a period
of one hundred and twenty calendar days on presentation in writing
of proof of error by the employee or his Representative to the
issuing officer. Except by mutual agreement, between the TCRC
MWED President or his authorized Representative and the appropriate
officer of the Railway, seniority standing shall not be changed
after becoming established by being posted for one hundred and
twenty calendar days following date of issue, without written
protest. "
This means that if there is a mistake that has been printed and
was not objected to within 120 days, then it will stand and that
will become your new seniority standing unless the Union and the
Company agree to change it. We have a number of seniority list
problems that go back as far as 12 years that we are trying to
research and rectify now and it is not easy. Most of these cases
result from the employees not bringing the mistake to anyone's
attention until long after the lists were posted.
Now, thanks to "Senior may/ Junior must" many of you
hold seniority on more lists than ever before. So here's what
you have to do to insure that your seniority is protected.
-
Make
sure that the lists in your seniority territory have been posted.
If they have not been, contact your Local Chair or Director.
-
Check the lists for every classification and territory where
you hold seniority and insure that your standing is correct.
Remember, you recieve seniority only for classifications that
you have recieved by bid.
-
If there are any discrepancies with your seniority, put together
the proof (past seniority lists, awards, etc.), and contact
either the issuing officer of the lists (they will be named
on the list) or your local chair or director. Outline the mistake
and provide the proof.
-
Keep copies of all documentation and also request that the corrected
lists be posted and that you recieve a letter from the issuing
officer confirming that the lists have been corrected and why,
as the next regular lists do not come out until on or before
March 31 of next year.
Remember,
your seniority standing is extremely important to you and mistakes
are very difficult to correct after the 120 day mark. Its not
impossible, but it is a lot harder than the steps outlined above.
Take care and remember, your seniority (like your safety) is too
important to leave in the hands of management.
Fraternally,
Bill Brehl
President
TCRC MWED
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