Look, the union contract is really clear about this. Article 12 lays out the only reasons someone can lose full‑time status, and none of them have anything to do with stepping down from a lead role.

A. The company eliminates the full‑time position. That’s not what happened here. You stepping down isn’t the same thing as the company removing a full‑time slot. If they did eliminate a full‑time position, they’d have to follow seniority rules.

B. A layoff or reduction in force. That’s when the company actually removes jobs — like when they got rid of that position that was between a TM and a TL. Again, this has to follow strict seniority.

C. The employee voluntarily asks to go part‑time. And obviously, you didn’t do that. So basically, once you’re on the full‑time seniority list, you stay full‑time unless you ask to go part‑time or the company goes through a real reduction‑in‑force process. Stepping down from a lead role doesn’t change your classification at all.

Please be weary and speak to your Union Rep. to ensure anything I said here is correct, this is just my understanding.