(a)     Employees who on May 1, have at least twenty-five (25) years of experience working in classifications covered by Contracts for Employers who are signatories to Agreements in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and seven (7) years with the Employer shall receive five (5) weeks vacation at their regular rate of pay.  Vacations shall be based on one (1) day for each eight (8) shifts worked or paid for from May 1st to May 1st, but no more than five (5) weeks.

(b)   Employees who on May 1, have at least ten (10) years of experience working in classifications covered by Contracts for Employers who are signatories to Agreements in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, shall receive four (4) weeks vacation at their regular rate of pay.  Vacations shall be based on one (1) day for each ten (10) shifts worked or paid for from May 1st to May 1st, but no more than four (4) weeks.

(c)   Employees who on May 1st, have at least five (5) years of experience working in classifications covered by Contracts for Employers who are signatories to Agreements in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, shall receive three (3) weeks vacation at their regular rate of pay.  Vacations shall be based on one (1) day for each fourteen (14) shifts worked or paid for from May 1st to May 1st, but no more than three (3) weeks.

(d)   Employees qualified for a third, fourth or fifth week of vacation shall take the same at a time mutually satisfactory and agreeable to the employee and the Employer.  While the Employer may deny vacation scheduling during busy periods of the year, the employee shall have the option to take the third, fourth or fifth week of vacation at other times available to them.

(e)   Employees who on May 1, have at least two (2) years of experience working in classifications covered by Contracts for Employers who are signatories to Agreements in Minneapolis-St. Paul area shall receive two (2) weeks vacation at their regular rate of pay.  Vacations shall be based on one (1) day for each twenty-one (21) shifts worked or paid for from May 1st to May 1st, but no more than two (2) weeks.

(f)     Employees having more than one year of service but less than two (2) years of service with an Employer on May 1st shall receive a vacation on the basis of one (1) day for each forty-two (42) shifts worked for the first year of service plus one day vacation for each twenty-one (21) shifts worked after one (1) year, but no more than two (2) weeks.

(g)    Employees having one year of service with an Employer on May 1st shall receive one (1) week of vacation at their regular rate of pay.

(h)    Employees having less than one (1) year but more than two (2) months of service with an Employer on May 1st shall receive a vacation on the basis of one (1) day for each forty-two (42) shifts worked, but no more than one (1) week.  Effective May 1, 2008, new employees having worked 210 shifts or more from their date of hire to May 1st shall be credited with one year of service for the purpose of future vacation accrual. (See also vacation grid attached).

(i)    As each employee reports for work, the Employer will provide an application on which the employee will insert all previous employment experience for which the employee claims credit should be given.  No credit may be given for any experience not noted upon the application.  The Employer will have the right to verify the experience.  However, the burden of proving experience will be on the employee in the event the Employer questions the information supplied after attempting verification.

(j)    All vacations shall be taken between May 1st and April 30th.  Vacations must be taken within the above named period and the days of such vacation shall be consecutive except where the third (3rd), fourth (4th) or fifth (5th) week may be dealt with as outlined in paragraph (d) above.  Vacations shall not be cumulative from year to year except that an employee may carry over up to seven (7) days of vacation time from the preceding year. The days which are carried over must be used by October 31st the next vacation year or they shall be forfeited.  The vacation schedules, except for the vacation credits in excess of ten (10) days, shall be established by Management and the Shop Steward.  Where two or more employees have requested conflicting days, seniority shall prevail.

(k)    The employer shall post a vacation scheduling calendar by December 1st. Vacation shall be selected annually on the basis of seniority until January 15th of each vacation year for the first request (of one or two weeks only). The employer will post approved vacation requests by January 20th. After January 15th vacation requests are on a first come, first served basis and a senior employee shall not supersede vacation requests by a junior employee.

(l)    Employees who are qualified for vacation who sever employment prior to regular vacation period shall receive the amount of vacation earned according to applicable paragraph (a), (b), (d), (e) (f), (g) or (h) and shall be paid for at the employee's regular rate of pay.

(m)    Shifts worked or paid for shall be counted in computing vacation credits.

(n)    An employee who has qualified for vacation credits under the foregoing schedule but who terminates their employment prior to the regular vacation period shall receive the vacation money due them by the end of the next pay period following the final check for hours worked.

(o)    In the event of the death of an employee, earned vacation credits shall be paid their estate/spouse.

(p)    When an employee leaves on their vacation, pay will be paid at the next regular pay period or at the employee's request through direct deposit.

(q)    Vacation pay shall be computed on the basis of the prevailing day or night shift rate at the time the employees take their vacation.  The shift will be determined by whichever shift the employee has worked the majority of, from May 1st to May 1st of each year.  However, any dispute as to the majority of an employee's shifts worked, the Employer shall be required to produce the individual's time cards upon request of the Union.

(r)    Five days retirement pay at straight time will be given to a retiring employee at any time during the twelve (12) months prior to retirement provided the employee has been with the Employer at least five (5) years and is otherwise eligible for the Section 23. Graphic Arts Industry Joint Pension Benefits.

(s)    A week of vacation pay will be based upon the average straight time hours worked and/or paid for in the fifty-two (52) work weeks of the previous year. Employees whose average work week exceeds thirty-five (35) hours will be paid out for the differential on the first payroll period after May 31 of each year. Vacation use will be debited in full hourly increments. Time worked and vacation hours are not to exceed 8 hours per day.

(t)    If the regularly scheduled work week is other than Monday through Friday, the vacation pay average wages will be based upon the first five work days of the week, Monday through Saturday, with a maximum of eight (8) hours per day but in no case less than seven (7) hours.