ee on ss v Auto Workers and Caterpillar Tractor Company: “If a dispute arises: “(1) Regarding the addition of machines to an operation which have been added after the date of this agreement and which do not con- form to past practices for the classification in- volved, or “(2) Regarding increased production stan- dards which have been increased after the date of this agreement, the complaint shall be re- ferred to the grievance procedure, beginning with the first step thereof, but such dispute shall not be subject to arbitration. “After negotiations on said dispute have been continued for at least five days at the fourth step of the grievance procedure with- out settlement of the dispute, the provisions of Section 11:8 (No Strike) shall be inoperative insofar as it refers to strikes, insofar as, but only insofar as, such negotiations are concerned for sixty days commencing with the last day of the above referred to five days and upon the expiration of such 60 days all provisions of 11:8 shall be automatically effective if no such strike action has as yet been taken.” Clothing Workers and Clothing Manufac- turers’ Association: “The union has long cooperated with em- ployers in the introduction of new machinery, changes in manufacturing techniques, and technological improvements in clothing plants. This policy has been established by mutual agreement, generally on market level, between the employer and the union. Underlying such agreement has been the recognition of these basic conditions: grades as provided in Article 5(c) of the agreement, wages of the affected workers were not to be reduced, and workers were not to be thrown out of employment. Such policy is reaffirmed and shall continue to be dependent, preferably by mutual agree- ment on a market level, except that should a particular change have substantial repercus- sions in the clothing industry generally, the assent of the general executive board shall be required. “Subject to the foregoing conditions, the scope of the general arbitration clause shall remain in full force and effect and applicable to all covered by this agreement.” TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS Bakery Workers and Hershey Chocolate Corporation: “The parties recognize and acknowledge that the increases in wages and other benefits herein granted to the employees depend to a great extent, upon technological progress, bet- ter tools, methods, process and equipment and cooperative attitude on the part of the employ- er and the union. The union agrees that it will encourage, rather than resist, such progress, and that it will not assert any demand for in- creased wages for a particular job by reason of changes in the job, unless such changes re- sult in a substantial, material and significant increase in the skill or labour required for the job. ‘Where such is the result, or where the in- stallation of new machinery or the inaugura- tion of new processes results in the creation of a new job, a qualified representative of the plant manager, accompanied by an authorized representative of the union, shall study the job and assemble data for presentation to the conference committee, which shall then fix a rate for such job in proper relationship to the other jobs in the existing wage structure of the employer. The determination of the rate shall be preceded by a minimum experience of thirty work days on the job.” IBEW and Union Electric Company: “Tf an employee accepts a promotion or transfer to a job classification having a single rate of pay he shall, when necessary, be given a reasonable training period, the length of which is to be agreed to between the company and the local union steward, such training to cover all the duties of the job so as to _ establish his fitness for the new job. During THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER BARGAINING & AUTOMATION Pe RF NS Rap ee 5 seb Lip 3 a ERS = Sree SPORE Rul oR EN Pes One man seated at master console can control all operations of this copper-concentrating plant of the Anaconda Company at Butte, Montana — from cru.hing copper ore to storage of the final concentrate before it is shipped to a smelter. this training period he shall receive his old rate of pay and on establishment of his fitness he shall receive the rate of the new job.” Electrical Workers, IUE, and the Interna- tional Resistance Company: “A qualified machinist may apply for up- grading to the job of die-maker. When the up- grading request has been recognized, the ap- plicant shall serve a training period of 2,000 hours of work; however, the first 90 work days shall be a probationary period for the deter- mination of his aptitude for die-making. There- after, his training shall be discontinued only if his performance is not satisfactory, or if he is affected by a reduction in the work force.” Communication Equipment Workers and Western Electric Company: “An employee selected as surplus or an employee who becomes surplus by displace- ment shall be considered for placement ... on job vacancies in his same grade for which he is qualified through previous experience to perform efficiently within a reasonable train- ing period.” Meat Cutters and General Foods Corpora- tion: “Any curtailment within a department or reduction of personnel withia a specific job will be handled on a bargaining unit seniority basis with specific regard to the various levels of the rate structure, provided the downgraded individuals meet the job qualifications. By qualifications, it is meant that the individual must meet the requirements as listed in the job description through previously having qualified for the job or a job similar in nature. A brief training period may be utilized to re- acquaint the individual with the aspects of the job. Machinists and Sperry-Rand Corporation: “After layoff, no new employee shall be hired in any classification until all employees laid off in that classification have been given an opportunity to return to work.” IWA AGREEMENT IWA and Masonite Corporation: “The employer will post notices at least four weeks before a new unit, or units, is scheduled to go into operation. Employees desiring trans- fer to such new unit or units will make ap- plication to the manager of Industrial Rela- tions for transfer within one week after notices are posted. Applications will be honoured ac- cording to the seniority provisions in the agree- ment. The remaining three weeks of the four mentioned above will be used by the Employer to train employees, if such is necessary, for oe job that will be vacated because of trans- ers. A labour economist has said that there is “no performance is heavily dependent upon past practices. Seniority is usually the basis for layoffs and. re-hiring but is not the sole factor governing promotions. Unions regard recognition of length of service as a very important form of employ- ment security, for it means that it will be con- sidered in layoffs, re-hiring, promotions, and other employee benefits. Two major problems are now evident in at- tempts made to rephrase seniority clauses when facing technological change. One problem is the extent to which seniority will be considered as compared to the weight given to other factors. This causes difficulties when there: is occasion to change job classifications or wage rates or reduce the normal work force as the result of technological change. SENIORITY UNIT Another problem concerns the size of the seniority unit. As specialization increases, the seniority unit usually becomes smaller and smaller. Automation results in highly special- ized mechanical and electrical skills, thus narrow- ing the scope of the seniority unit. As the scope of the seniority unit is narrowed, those with the lowest seniority are usually the first victims of displacement. Many reason that it is a widening of the seniority unit, rather than a narrowing, which offers protection to displaced employees. In this study we simply present the written word in a number of agreements. — United Auto Workers and American Brass Co: ; “In the event that an employee is involun- tarily transferred from one department to an- other, for reasons of lack of work or overation- al shutdown or for any other reason, he shall not lose departmental senioritv. In the case of permanent transfer, his seniority status in the new department shall be dated in accor- dance with his previous record in the old de- partment.” The above clause is considered to be a reason- able approach to handling problems in a narrow- ed seniority unit although length of service is confined to an employvee’s department. If he should be involuntarily transferred, his full sen- jority credits are portable to any other depart- ment. United Textile Workers of America and American Enka Corporation: “When a department or operation is dis- continued by reason of technological change, and employees are displaced thereby, the cor- poration shall endeavour to find work for which they are qualified and that they are able to do, in their own or in another department consistent with existing arrangements con. cerning seniority and rotating work.” The above clause is merely a statement of policy. field where the gap between the words of the agreement and the performance under the agree- ment is wider than seniority.” An examination of seniority clauses in a wide range of contracts indicates that such clauses have sharply differing backgrounds and that the Glass Bottle Blowers Association and the Glass Container Manufacturers’ Institute: : “An employee with one year or more senior- ity who is terminated because of a permanent reduction in the working force shall, within