COVID Mandate Update-January 18, 2022 Deadline
After lengthy discussions with the Company we have come to the best agreement possible with regards to the RTX COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
This agreement will prevent the company from dismissing people who are in the middle of the vaccine process. It will provide unemployment benefits and a “last chance” opportunity for members who have chosen not to get vaccinated. And it will provide a plan for people who have received an exemption to safely remain on the job through work site testing.
The following is a copy of the agreement we have signed with the RTX company for our vaccine protocol:
“Due to the effects of the RTX mandate to require vaccination of all employees, the parties have had lengthy discussions on the impact to the members of IBEW Local 1505. In an effort to address those members who choose not to get the COVID-19 vaccination, the parties have agreed to the following:
After January 18, 2022, any member who has not started the vaccination process will be dismissed and put on a 90-calendar day special recall list. If at any time during this 90-day period they start the vaccination process, they must notify the Union, and once fully vaccinated will be considered, as any other recall, for the next available position that they are qualified for. They may additionally restrict their recall to only the job they left if they so choose. The company has agreed not to protest any member in this category who applies for unemployment benefits. However, these employees will not be entitled to any salary continuance. If at the conclusion of the 90-day period they have not initiated the COVID-19 vaccination process, they will be converted to a resignation status.
Any member who has started the vaccination process by January 18, 2022, will be placed in the weekly testing protocol until full vaccination is complete. If a second vaccine is required and is not completed within 30 days, the employee will be classified under the 90-day special recall status as described above.
Any member who has filed an accommodation request under religious or medical reasons, prior to December 17, 2021, and has not received a response by January 18, 2022, will be placed on a paid leave status until the accommodation process is complete. Those members who have received acceptance of exemptions for religious or medical reasons will be placed in the weekly testing protocol.”
Your Leadership has worked hard to best mitigate the impact of this mandate on the entire membership. However, it is important to understand that the company has the right, by law, to make work conditions and rules. And they have decided to institute this vaccine mandate for ALL employees. Even though the Supreme Court has recently ruled the Federal mandate on businesses over 100 employees unconstitutional, the company still has the right to make it’s own rules in cases like this one.
NEW PAYROLL SYSTEM
We are all experiencing frustration with the new payroll system implemented by RTX. Members who received Automatic Wage Progressions (AWPs) in December were shorted 75 cents when the new $2 AWPs were activated for January 2022. Meaning some got only $1.25. This is being corrected and members will see the fix and retro pay in their January 27 paychecks.
Labor Relations also screwed up the new $2.00 AWP due on January 1 when they applied it on January 8. This has been corrected and you should see this reflected in the January 27 paycheck. This will include retroactive pay to January 1.
Some people got no check at all. This appears to be limited to folks who use Service Credit Union (SCU). SCU changed their direct deposit policy. So if you use SCU, contact the bank directly and they will give you a new routing number. You must then call payroll or go online to correct the system to use the new routing number. This process will fix your checks going forward. In the interim you will receive a paper check mailed to the home address on file with the company. The paper checks are averaging 4 days to get delivered.
Some members were paid only 8 hours for the holiday. Our best information now is this is limited to a small group who we suspect have the same misguided cell leader.
Obviously, your pay is very important to you and we have been doing our best to sort through and correct these many problems. Thank you very much for being patient while we work to get these many issues solved.
Yours in Solidarity,
Michael Zagami
IBEW Local 1505
Business Manager
