Super Seniority

We are a union shop with a grievanceperson on each shift. Our contract states that they will "remain on their shift for their full term of office." In the past this has always meant that they could not be "bumped" off of the shift by a senior employee. Our contract also states, "It is understood that in all cases including promotions or demotions and increasing or decreasing the workforce, the following factors will apply, unless mandated by Federal Law: (a) Seniority; (b) Ability."

We are currently cutting back the workforce with a temporary lay-off. Our union is asserting "super-seniority" for a grievanceperson who was about to be laid-off in this cutback and insisting that we lay-off more senior employees instead.

Has anyone else run into this situation of "super-seniority?" We have, as past practice, laid-off grievencepersons in the past. The contract makes no mention of "super-seniority" or any special provisions for grievancepersons other than that which I stated above.
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