(a)    Employees shall notify the Company of their interest in promotion to apprenticeship for Journeyperson 1. Those employees who are interested will notify the Company in writing and will include information as to qualification for the potential openings. The Company will acknowledge their receipt in writing.  This paragraph shall be posted by the Company on the bulletin board.

(b)    Any person with eight (8) years of seniority with the Company will be given twelve (12) months credit when promoted into apprenticeship for Journeyperson 1.  Employees with six (6) years of seniority with their Company will be given nine (9) months credit towards apprenticeship for Journeyperson 1. Furthermore, employees with four (4) years of seniority with the Company will be given six (6) months credit towards apprenticeship for Journeyperson 1.

(c)    Responsibility, if any, for violation of State or Federal law or regulations, rests solely with the company in the areas of promotion to apprenticeship.

(d)    The number of apprentices allowed in the Bindery shall not be greater than one (1) apprentice to each three (3) Journeyperson 1's, provided, however, that an employer with at least two (2) Journeyperson 1's will be entitled to use one (1) apprentice.

(e)    There shall be a probationary period of one (1) year for an apprentice Journeyperson 1 during which period the apprentice may be discharged by the Company without recourse, provided, however, that in those cases where discharge of an apprentice, because of their unsatisfactory performance, is anticipated, the Company will notify the Union and afford them the opportunity to meet with the Company and the Apprentice involved before the action is taken.

Apprentices who hold seniority in another classification shall have the option of returning to their previous status in the event that they cannot satisfactorily complete the one (1) year probationary period. The Company and Union may extend the probationary period by mutual agreement.

(f)    The Employer will see that apprentices are afforded every reasonable opportunity to learn the different trade practices by allowing them to work in all departments of the Bindery.

(g)    Minimum wage rates for apprentices shall be as set forth in Section 4. of this Agreement.

(h)    For layoff or recall purposes only, employees in progression in classifications will be placed on appropriate classification seniority list at the beginning of the last year of progression and will hold that position against later hired employees.

(I)    Each apprentice Journeyperson 1 shall be registered with the Apprenticeship Division of the State of Minnesota.