Extra-help employees who are official representatives or Stewards of the Union shall be given reasonable time off with pay, including reasonable travel time, during attendance for formal contract negotiations on successor MOU’s. The number of extra-help employees excused for such purposes shall not exceed four (4) per Union.
Paid release time for formal negotiations shall not be provided for stewards who are not extra-help to represent extra-help employees, other than (a) a maximum of one regular employee from each Union, and (b) a representative or steward who moves from extra-help to regular status during a given set of negotiations shall continue to be provided paid release time for those negotiations.
If any extra-help employee’s request for excused absence is not approved, such disapproval shall be subject to appeal to the Human Resources Director whose decision shall be final.
The Union shall be allowed up to 35 hours of unpaid release time per calendar year for official representatives and stewards to conduct necessary internal union business. Requests for time shall be made to the extra-help employee’s department head at least fourteen (14) days in advance.
Extra-help shop stewards working P.M. shifts shall be provided with two (2) hours of unpaid release time each month to attend Steward Council Meetings, not to exceed four (4) times per year. It is acknowledged that San Mateo Medical Center Administration will attempt to provide such release time, but that each instance must be considered on a case-by-case basis and the County shall not unreasonably deny requests.
Any denial of requested time off may be appealed to the Director of Human Resources, whose decision shall be final.
All approved release time will be coded appropriately on the employee’s timecard using pay code 010. Paid release time is authorized for the following activities:
- Posting Union Notices in County designated/authorized locations;
- Transmitting communications authorized by the Local Union or its Officers to the County or their representative;
- Attending Labor-Management meetings;
- Meetings with County management concerning the enforcement of any provision of this Agreement or matters within scope of representation;
- Investigating and processing grievances;
- Attending Union meetings.
Paid release time is not authorized to be used for:
- Distributing political information or advocating support for political candidates, ballot initiatives, or other legislation;
- Conducting membership drives or soliciting membership from other County employees or applicants;
- Any activity that is precluded by law or County policy as a conflict of interest, or that may be perceived as a conflict of interest based on the employment of the individual by the County;
- Any political activity, that is prohibited by law or County policy, of public employees during the course and scope of their employment;
- Personal use of County paid release time on non-Union or labor relations matters.