REALIGNMENT OF WORK FORCE

The Agency shall notify the Union at the national level as soon as possible, but not less than twelve (12) months, in advance of a facility closure, or relocation and/or severance of existing facility functions and/or services or inter-facility realignment requiring the reassignment of employees. The notification period may be reduced by mutual agreement of the Parties at the national level.

In the event of a facility closure, or relocation and/or severance of existing facility functions and/or services, or inter-facility reorganization, the procedures outlined in Article 47 of this Agreement shall apply when a reduction-in-force is necessary.

The Agency shall notify the Union representative as soon as possible, but not less than six (6) months, prior to intra-facility reorganizations (e.g. areas of specialization are realigned and/or established) involving bargaining unit employees.

The Agency shall notify the Union representative as soon as possible, but not less than three (3) months in advance, when a staffing imbalance exists within a facility that requires retraining of individuals to solve the imbalance.

These notification periods may be reduced by mutual agreement of the Parties at the local level.

In exercising the provisions of Section 3, the Agency shall determine the number of employees to be selected. Solicitations for volunteers shall be facility-wide unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the Parties at the local level. If after this initial change has been completed another imbalance was created that requires further action, the Agency shall designate the area from which volunteers will be sought and the number of employees to be selected from each area.

In facilities where staffing imbalances exist, volunteers shall be solicited from all qualified employees where no individual retraining is necessary to complete the change. If after this initial change has been completed another imbalance was created that requires further action, the Agency shall designate the teams from which volunteers will be sought and the number of employees to be selected from each team.

In exercising and complying with Sections 4 or 5, each vacancy shall be filled by the reassignment of the most senior qualified volunteer. If there are no volunteers, selections shall be made using inverse seniority from among the qualified employees within the designated area(s)/team(s) which were identified in the solicitation. The transfer of employees shall be accomplished within three (3) months of the close of the solicitation. If the transfer is not accomplished within three (3) months of the close of the solicitation, the selection list shall be considered void.

A CPC who has volunteered for an intra-facility reassignment shall receive an incentive bonus equal to one percent (1%) of the employee's Base Pay and an additional one percent (1%) once he/she has fully certified in the new area. When a CPC who is involved in an intra- facility transfer in accordance with this Article is unsuccessful in achieving certification in his/her new area, the employee shall be retained within his/her existing facility. The first priority shall be a reassignment back to the area that he/she was previously certified. Nothing in this Section precludes the Agency from offering multiple areas based on organizational needs. If more than one (1) position is offered, the employee shall be given the opportunity to select the area to which he/she will be assigned.

In the event that an administrative/directed reassignment becomes necessary as a result of one of the actions stated in this Article, the Agency shall expedite existing selections awaiting release to/from affected facility(s) prior to making a decision as to the number of employees to be affected as well as the locations involved. Should it be determined that there are still employees subject to directed reassignments, the Agency agrees to set qualifications and solicit volunteers. The Agency will then assign the most senior volunteer(s). If there are insufficient volunteers, inverse seniority shall apply from among qualified employees.

Employees adversely affected by the conditions set forth in this Article shall be entitled to receive permanent change of station (PCS) expenses in accordance with Article 58 of this Agreement.

Nothing in this Article is intended as a waiver of any bargaining obligation with respect to remaining substantive issues and/or the impact and implementation arising from any change as a result of the implementation of any provision of this Article.

The express terms of this Article apply separately and distinctly to each of the following bargaining units: Air Traffic Controllers, Traffic Management Coordinators/Specialists, FSS, and NOTAM Specialists.