- 3 -
exercise his or her seniority to bump an employee with less
seniority and take that employee’s position. The employee with
less seniority could then take the layoff or find another
employee with less seniority to bump. This seniority bumping
arrangement was in place across the country, so that an NWA
mechanic looking to keep his or her job at NWA had to look at
several different cities to find a less senior employee to bump.
Most employees exercised their seniority in the way that would
give them positions in cities as close as possible to their
families.
Petitioner received a bump notice in April 2003. Petitioner
chose to exercise his seniority and bump another employee rather
than accept the layoff. Bumping another employee meant
petitioner could stay an NWA employee and could retain his health
benefits. Some of the most senior mechanics were able to bump to
positions in Duluth, Minnesota, but petitioner did not have the
seniority to get a spot in this nearby city. Petitioner was able
to bump to the next closest location, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He
started working in Milwaukee in April 2003.
Petitioner’s position in Milwaukee had no specific end date.
Petitioner expected to return to Minneapolis as soon as there was
an NWA job available in Minneapolis that he had enough seniority
to obtain. The timing of a return to Minneapolis would depend on
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 10, 2007