DISPUTES AND GRIEVANCES Section 1. This Agreement is intended to provide close cooperation between management and labor. Each of the Unions will assign a representative to this project for the purpose of completing the construction of the project economically, efficiently, continuously, and without interruptions, delays, or work stoppages.
Section 2. The Port of Seattle, Contractors, Unions, and the employees, collectively and individually, realize the importance to all parties to maintain continuous and uninterrupted performance of the work of the project, and agree to resolve disputes in accordance with the grievance-arbitration provisions set forth in this Article.
Section 3. Any question or dispute arising out of and during the term of this Project Agreement (other than trade jurisdictional disputes) shall be considered a grievance and subject to resolution under the following procedures:
(a) When any employee subject to the provisions of this Agreement feels he/she is aggrieved by a violation of this Agreement, he/she, through his/her local union business representative or designated Union Representative, shall, within five (5) working days after the occurrence, or had knowledge of or should have known of the alleged violation, give notice to the work-site representative of the involved Contractor stating the provision(s) alleged to have been violated. The business representative of the local union or the designated Union Representative and the work-site representative of the involved Contractor and the Owners Representative shall meet and endeavor to adjust the matter within three (3) working days after timely notice has been given. The representative of the Contractor shall keep the meeting minutes and shall respond to the Union representative in writing and the Owners Representatives at the conclusion of the meeting but not later than twenty-four (24) hours thereafter. If they fail to resolve the matter within the prescribed period, the grieving party may, within forty-eight (48) hours thereafter, pursue Step 2 of the Grievance Procedure, provided the grievance is reduced to writing, setting forth the relevant information concerning the alleged grievance, including a short description thereof, the date on which the grievance occurred, and the provision(s) of the Agreement alleged to have been violated.
(b) Should the Local Union(s) or the Project Contractor or any Sub-Contractor of whatever tier have a dispute with the other party and, if after conferring, a settlement is not reached within three (3) working days, the dispute may be reduced to writing and proceed to Step 2 in the same manner as outlined herein for the adjustment of an employee complaint.
Step 2. The International Union Representative and the involved Contractor shall meet within seven (7) working days of the referral of a dispute to this second step to arrive at a satisfactory settlement thereof. Meeting minutes shall be kept by the Contractor. If the parties fail to reach an agreement, the dispute may be appealed in writing in accordance with the provisions of Step 3 within seven (7) calendar days thereafter.
Labor and Employment Matters (a) No Group Company is a party to or bound by any collective bargaining agreement, trade union, works council or other labor union Contract applicable to persons employed by it, and there are no organizational campaigns, petitions or other unionization activities seeking recognition of a collective bargaining unit relating to any employee of any Group Company. Except those that would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, there are no unfair labor practice complaints pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Group Company before any Governmental Authority and there is no organized strike, slowdown, work stoppage or lockout, or similar activity or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or involving any Group Company.
(b) Except as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, each Group Company (i) is in compliance with all applicable Laws relating to employment and employment practices, including those related to wages, work hours, shifts, overtime, Social Security Benefits, holidays and leave, collective bargaining terms and conditions of employment and the payment and withholding of Taxes and other sums as required by the appropriate Governmental Authority, and (ii) is not liable for any arrears of wages, Taxes, penalties or other sums for failure to comply with any of the foregoing. Except as would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, (A) there is no claim with respect to payment of wages, salary or overtime pay that has been asserted or is now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened before any Governmental Authority with respect to any persons currently or formerly employed by any Group Company, (B) there is no charge or proceeding with respect to a violation of any occupational safety or health standards that has been asserted or is now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any Group Company, and (C) there is no charge of discrimination in employment or employment practices, for any reason, including, age, gender, race, religion or other legally protected category, which has been asserted or is now pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Group Company before any Governmental Authority in any jurisdiction in which any Group Company has employed or currently employs any person.
(c) The Company has made available to Parent true and complete copies of each Company Employee Plan and each Company Employee Agreement including all material amendments thereto (provided, that for Company Employee Agreements that are standard form agreements, the form, rather than each individual agreement, has been made available to Parent, with the exception that any Company Employee Agreement that deviates materially from the form have been separately made available to Parent).
(d) Each Company Employee Plan is and has at all times been operated and administered in compliance with the provisions thereof and all applicable legal requirements in all material respects. There are no material claims (other than for benefits incurred in the ordinary course) or legal proceedings pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Company Employee Plan or against the assets of any Company Employee Plan.
(e) Except as contemplated otherwise under this Agreement or the Original Merger Agreement, no Company Employee Plan or Company Employee Agreement exists that, as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the Original Merger Agreement, shareholder approval of this Agreement, or the consummation of the Transactions (whether alone or in connection with any subsequent event(s), such as a termination of employment), will entitle any current or former director, officer, employee or consultant of any Group Company to (i) material compensation or benefits (including any severance payment or benefit) or any material increase in compensation or benefits upon any termination of employment on or after the Original Execution Date, or (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or result in any payment or funding of compensation or benefits under, increase the amount payable or result in any other obligation pursuant to, any of the Company Employee Plans or Company Employee Agreements.
(f) No Group Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has at any time since December 31, 2014 sponsored or been obligated to contribute to, or had any liability in respect of, (i) an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA, Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA (including any “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section (3)(37) of ERISA), (ii) a “multiple employer plan” as defined in Section 413(c) of the Code, or (iii) a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” within the meaning of Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(g) The Group Companies maintain no obligations to gross-up or reimburse any individual for any Tax or related interest or penalties incurred by such individual, including under Sections 409A or 4999 of the Code or otherwise.