For the duration of the Agreement, the school employer agrees not to contract out the regular work of those custodial employees in Class I through IV. With respect to Class V, the employer may contract out those services that require a skill that the maintenance employee at a particular school does not possess. Further, the following services may be contracted out at the discretion of the school employer:
 

l. Elementary school snow removal;

2. Lawn preparation;

3. Lawn mowing in the case where maintenance employees are assigned other duties at that time;

4. Services necessitated by emergencies, Acts of God, or fire, or catastrophes where the nature, scope, or special equipment requires the use of independent contractors.

The above contracting out of services will not be used as reason for the layoff of maintenance employees. The school employer may also continue to contract out those services that have been provided by independent contractors during the past agreements.