9.01       A Shop Steward, who shall be a regular employee of the Company, shall be elected by the Union and recognized by the Company.

9.02       In case any grievance arises in any or all departments of the Company operations, an honest effort shall be made to settle the differences in the following manner.

9.03       There shall be a Grievance Committee consisting of up to three employees designated by the Union, who are actually then in the employ of the Company, and who will be afforded such reasonable time off as may be required to attend meetings held at the request of the Management or the Grievance Committee.
The Union agrees to advise the Company of the names of the members of the Grievance Committee and Shop Steward, in writing, and also of any changes from time to time.

9.04      The steps to be taken in the handling of any grievance shall be:

First: Grievances to be commenced within 30 days of incident that causes the grievance or within 30 days of the date that the grievor knew or reasonably ought to have known of the incident causing the grievance. The aggrieved employee shall notify a member of the Grievance Committee who shall immediately request time off from his/her foreman in order to take up the matter if the case is urgent. If the case is not extremely urgent, it shall be taken up at the end of the shift. The member of the Grievance Committee, with or without the aggrieved person, shall take up the matter with the employee’s immediate supervisor who shall give his/her answer within five days.

Second: The grievance report shall be submitted to the Department Head by the Grievance Committee member. The Department Head shall place his/her answer in writing on the form provided and return same to the Grievance Committee member within five days.

Third: The Grievance Committee along with a representative of the Union, and representatives of the Company, along with the Manager, shall attempt to reach a satisfactory settlement. Failing to do so within three days, Step 4 may be invoked. Policy Grievances may be submitted at Step 3. A Policy Grievance is defined as a dispute between the Union and the Company concerning the interpretation, application, operation or alleged violation of the Agreement, including whether or not a matter is arbitrable. Dismissals may also be instituted at Step 3.

Fourth: The grievance shall be submitted to arbitration. The Union shall nominate one arbitrator and the Company shall nominate one arbitrator. Nominations should be made within ten days of this step being invoked. The arbitrators shall then attempt to nominate an impartial arbitrator who shall act as Chairman of the Arbitration Committee.

As an alternative method of arbitration, where both parties agree within ten days of Step 4 being invoked, a single arbitrator may be appointed. Such arbitrator shall have all the powers of an arbitration board under this Article 9.