I work for a company that has been laying off a handfull of people every year since 2007. It started again with 11 people receiving notices. They have however created 7 new positions. Normally the new positions are posted for all bargaining members to apply, including those that just received notices.
My union executive board however states that these people that received notices are now on layoff status and no new positions are posted while people are on lay off status. BTW we do have people who are laid off and collecting unemployment but they have not recalled those people.
I guess my question is how can someone be on layoff status yet come to work every day, collect a pay check every week. Layoff is layoff - at home and collecting unemployment - am I right or wrong to be arguing w/ my executive board over this.

Are these other positions in question... bargaining or non-bargaining positions? If they are both union jobs are they at a lower level?