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It is understood by the parties that the benefits granted by this Article shall not be interpreted or applied as requiring the employer to count as time worked, any hours or fractions of hours spent outside the employee’s work shift in pursuit of benefits provided by this Article. The employer shall count as time worked any hours or fractions of hours spent within the employee’s regular work shift in pursuit of benefits provided by this Article.
The City will continue to undertake all reasonable efforts to provide for employee health and safety in accordance with the State’s Occupational Safety and Health law.
A Unit employee may file, without fear of discipline, retaliation or discrimination, a grievance when in his best judgment; the City has failed to comply with specific safety and health standards promulgated by local, state and federal regulations. The City will continue its practice of providing personal protective safety equipment to employees to protect them from recognized safety and health hazards.
In order to facilitate this policy, a joint committee entitled, “Health and Safety Committee” shall be established. This Committee shall be composed of two (2) unit members appointed by the Union and two (2) City representatives as designated by the City Manager. The chairpersons shall rotate among the members.
The Committee shall meet quarterly at mutually scheduled times to consider on-the-job safety matters referred to it by the existing departmental safety committees and safety officers, or otherwise coming to its attention, and shall advise Department Heads and the City Manager concerning on-the-job safety and health matters.
All written recommendations of the Committee shall be submitted to the Department Head concerned and to the City Manager.
In the discharge of its function, the Committee shall be guided by the applicable regulations of the State’s OSHA agency, and the City’s existing practices and rules relating to safety and health, and formulate suggested changes.
The Union may review and suggest improvements to existing City building evacuation plans and the City Safety Program.
Employee members of the Committee shall not lose pay or benefits for meetings mutually scheduled during their duty time up to a maximum of four (4) hours per employee per meeting.