ARTICLE 26

RELEASE TIME for UC-AFT BUSINESS

 

A.             Release Time for Bargaining

 

1.             The University shall provide paid release time for one (1) NSF per campus to attend University-wide negotiating sessions. The UC-AFT may designate up to one NSF per campus to attend University-wide negotiations as a ³release-time² member of the UC-AFT bargaining team.  The UC-AFT shall provide the University with its roster of bargaining team members for whom it is requesting release time at least 45 days prior to the end of the academic term immediately preceding the term in which bargaining is scheduled to commence.

 

2.             In the event a team member receiving paid release time gives up her/his seat on the team and is replaced during a semester/quarter, the University is under no obligation to modify the replacementıs work schedule for the remainder of that semester/quarter, although the University shall make a reasonable effort to do so.  

 

3.             Alternates and replacements for any of the UC-AFT bargaining team members receiving paid release time shall not be eligible for paid release time unless the UC-AFT designates them permanent, and the University has received written notice of such designation at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance of the first scheduled bargaining session to be attended by the permanent replacement.  The University shall make reasonable efforts to provide preferential scheduling to Alternates and Substitutes.

 

4.             The UC‑AFT bargaining team representatives on paid release time shall be in a without-loss-of-salary and benefits-status only for the time spent at scheduled negotiating sessions, including reasonable travel time to and from scheduled negotiating sessions.  Payment to the team member for such status shall be included as wages in the team member's regular paycheck for the pay period during which the scheduled negotiating session occurred.  These wages shall be subject to the same taxes and other deductions normally associated with payment of salary for hours worked. 

 

5.             The Chief Negotiator for the UC‑AFT will be granted course relief of a maximum of one (1) regularly scheduled University course per quarter/semester during negotiations, provided that the Chief Negotiator has at least a 67% time appointment in an NSF title.  For a Chief Negotiator whose primary responsibilities do not involve course instruction, the University shall provide the equivalent of one (1) IWC release time per quarter/semester from their NSF responsibilities.  Should the period of negotiations not encompass an entire quarter/semester for which course relief has been provided, the department chair may assign other duties for the remainder of the quarter/semester.

 

6.             If the designated UC-AFT Chief Negotiator is an NSF appointed from the same campus as an NSF who is a designated ³release-time² member of the UC-AFT bargaining team, the Chief Negotiator shall become the team member receiving release-time and the campusı other team memberıs release time shall not be paid.

 

 

a.             The UC will provide, where practicable, a work schedule that accommodates the bargaining schedule of the team member who was displaced by the UC-AFT Chief Negotiator.

 

b.             In the event the University modifies the bargaining team memberıs work schedule and such modification affects the assignment of another NSF, the NSF whose schedule was modified to accommodate the bargaining team memberıs participation in negotiations has no right to grieve the modification.

 

B.             Release Time for Stewards

 

1.             The UC-AFT may designate an NSF Union steward for each UC campus.

 

2.             The University will provide no less than the relief equivalent of one course for each academic year to designated stewards. 

 

3.             The UC-AFT shall reimburse the University for the costs of providing such course relief.   When practicable, the UC-AFT shall provide the University with at least a one semester/quarter advance written notice of the NSF who it will designate as a campus steward. 

 

C.             release time for the union president

 

In the event that Unit 18 members elect an NSF to be statewide President of the UC-AFT, the University will provide no less than the course relief equivalent of one course per academic year, provided that, when practicable, the President requests such relief at least one semester/quarter in advance of the anticipated relief.  All costs (salary and benefits) shall be reimbursed by the UC-AFT during the period the University provides relief.

 

D.             Miscellaneous

 

1.             The parties agree that it is their intent that the purposes of this provision be fulfilled in such a way so as not to interfere with the effectiveness of the instructional program or the progress of the students which it serves.

 

2.             In the event the UC-AFT steward or President does not provide the University with at least one quarter/semester notice of her/his need for course relief, the University may deny course relief for that quarter/semester.

 

3.             Any release time for UC-AFT business granted under the provisions of this Article will result in a commensurate release from assigned work expectations.