[ v03 p253 ]
03:0253(38)AR
The decision of the Authority follows:
3 FLRA No. 38 DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE Activity and LOCAL 1778, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES Union Case No. 0-AR-3 DECISION THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE AUTHORITY ON A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF THE AWARD OF ARBITRATOR JOHN M. MALKIN FILED BY THE UNION AFTER JANUARY 11, 1979, AND HENCE UNDER SECTION 7122(A) OF THE FEDERAL LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (5 U.S.C. 7122(A)). ACCORDING TO THE ARBITRATOR'S AWARD, THE ISSUES IN DISPUTE BEFORE THE ARBITRATOR WERE AS FOLLOWS: 1. IS THE 4.5 HOURS ON AUGUST 13, 1977, AND THE 3.5 HOURS ON AUGUST 14, 1977, STANDBY TIME FOR WHICH GRIEVANT . . . IS ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION UNDER ARTICLE 11, SECTION 3, OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN LOCAL 1778 AND MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE? /1/ 2. IS THE MATTER ARBITRABLE? THE ARBITRATOR FIRST CONSIDERED THE QUESTION OF ARBITRABILITY AND OBSERVED THAT THE ACTIVITY'S POSITION ESSENTIALLY WAS THAT THE DENIAL OF OVERTIME PAY IN A CLAIM PAYABLE UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT IS NOT ARBITRABLE BECAUSE IT IS A MATTER FOR WHICH A STATUTORY APPEAL PROCEDURE EXISTS. THIS MATTER AROSE AND WAS BEFORE THE ARBITRATOR UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 11491, AS AMENDED. WITH RESPECT TO GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION PROCEDURES, SECTION 13(A) OF THE ORDER PROVIDES IN PART: THE COVERAGE AND SCOPE OF THE PROCEDURE SHALL BE NEGOTIATED BY THE PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT IT MAY NOT COVER MATTERS FOR WHICH A STATUTORY APPEAL PROCEDURE EXISTS . . . IN THIS RESPECT THE ARBITRATOR, CITING FEDERAL PERSONNEL MANUAL (FPM) LETTER 551-9, MARCH 30, 1976, /2/ AND A DECISION OF THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS COUNCIL, /3/ NOTED THAT CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION UNDER THE FAIR LABOR RELATIONS ACT, SUCH AS THE ONE BEFORE HIM, WERE SUBJECT TO A STATUTORY APPEALS PROCEDURE. ACCORDINGLY, THE ARBITRATOR CONCLUDED THAT UNDER SECTION 13(A) OF THE ORDER AND UNDER THE PARTIES' MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, THE GRIEVANCE COULD NOT BE ARBITRATED. THEREFORE, IN PERTINENT PART, HIS AWARD WAS AS FOLLOWS: FOR THE REASONS SET FORTH IN THE OPINION HEREIN, THE ARBITRATOR FINDS NOT ARBITRABLE THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT THE 4.5 HOURS ON AUGUST 13, 1977, AND THE 3.5 HOURS ON AUGUST 14, 1977, ARE STANDBY TIME ENTITLING GRIEVANT TO COMPENSATION UNDER ARTICLE 11, SECTION 3, OF THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE AND AFGE LOCAL 1778. THE GRIEVANCE IS DISMISSED. THE UNION FILED A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF THE ARBITRATOR'S AWARD AND REQUESTS THAT THE AUTHORITY ACCEPT ITS PETITION ON THE BASIS OF ITS EXCEPTION WHICH IS DISCUSSED BELOW. THE AGENCY DID NOT FILE AN OPPOSITION. THIS APPEAL MUST BE RESOLVED UNDER THE RULES OF PROCEDURE SET FORTH IN 5 C.F.R.PART 2411(1978), TO THE EXTENT CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 7122(A) OF THE STATUTE AND AS AMENDED BY SECTION 2400.5 OF THE TRANSITION RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY, 44 F.R. 44741, BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE RULES OF PROCEDURE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME THIS APPEAL WAS FILED. PURSUANT TO SECTION 2411.32 OF THOSE RULES AS AMENDED BY THE TRANSITION RULES, AND PURSUANT TO SECTION 7122(A) OF THE STATUTE, THE AUTHORITY WILL GRANT A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF AN ARBITRATOR'S AWARD WHERE IT APPEARS, BASED UPON THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE PETITION, THAT THE AWARD IS DEFICIENT BECAUSE IT IS CONTRARY TO LAW OR REGULATION, OR ON OTHER GROUNDS SIMILAR TO THOSE APPLIED BY FEDERAL COURTS IN PRIVATE SECTOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS CASES. IN ITS EXCEPTION, THE UNION ASSERTS THAT THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY BY RULING ON A QUESTION OF ARBITRABILITY CONCERNING THE EXISTENCE OF A STATUTORY APPEAL PROCEDURE. IN SUPPORT OF ITS EXCEPTION, THE UNION ARGUES THAT THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED HIS AUTHORITY IN THIS CASE BECAUSE THE PARTIES' MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT, SECTION 13(A) OF THE ORDER, AND FEDERAL REGULATIONS /4/ ALL PRECLUDED THE ARBITRATOR FROM RULING ON THE ARBITRABILITY OF A MATTER FOR WHICH A STATUTORY APPEAL PROCEDURE ASSERTEDLY EXISTS. THE AUTHORITY WILL GRANT A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF AN ARBITRATION AWARD WHERE IT APPEARS, BASED ON THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE PETITION, THAT AN EXCEPTION PRESENTS A GROUND FOR REVIEW SIMILAR TO THOSE APPLIED BY FEDERAL COURTS IN PRIVATE SECTOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS CASES. FEDERAL COURTS IN PRIVATE SECTOR CASES WILL FIND AN ARBITRATION AWARD DEFICIENT ON THE GROUND THAT THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED HIS OR HER AUTHORITY. /5/ FOR EXAMPLE, FEDERAL COURTS IN PRIVATE SECTOR CASES WILL FIND AN ARBITRATOR'S AWARD DEFICIENT WHEN IT IS DEMONSTRATED THAT THE ARBITRATOR RENDERED THE AWARD IN DISREGARD OF A PLAIN AND SPECIFIC LIMITATION ON HIS OR HER AUTHORITY. /6/ THEREFORE, THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY WILL GRANT A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF AN ARBITRATOR'S AWARD WHERE IT APPEARS, BASED ON THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE PETITION FOR REVIEW, THAT THE EXCEPTION PRESENTS THE GROUND THAT THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED HIS OR HER AUTHORITY BY RENDERING AN AWARD IN DISREGARD OF A PLAIN AND SPECIFIC LIMITATION ON THAT AUTHORITY. IN THIS CASE, HOWEVER, ALTHOUGH THE UNION'S EXCEPTION STATES A GROUND ON WHICH REVIEW IS GRANTED, THE UNION'S PETITION FAILS TO DESCRIBE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ITS EXCEPTION THAT IN RENDERING THE AWARD THAT HE DID, THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED A LIMITATION ON HIS AUTHORITY. THE ARBITRATOR DETERMINED THAT THE PROVISION OF THE PARTIES' AGREEMENT RESTATING SECTION 13(A) OF THE ORDER, AS WELL AS SECTION 13(A) OF THE ORDER ITSELF, THE PROVISIONS OF FPM LETTER 551-9, AND THE CITED DECISION OF THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS COUNCIL PRECLUDED ARBITRATION OF A GRIEVANCE CLAIM WHICH, AT THE ARBITRATION HEARING, THE UNION MAINTAINED WAS PAYABLE UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT. IN LIGHT OF THE UNION'S CONTENTION BEFORE THE ARBITRATOR THAT THE ACTIVITY'S REFUSAL TO PAY THE STANDBY TIME WAS A VIOLATION OF THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT, THE ARBITRATOR CORRECTLY NOTED THAT FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT QUESTIONS ARE SUBJECT TO STATUTORY APPEAL PROCEDURES, AND (AT THE TIME THE MATTER WAS BEFORE THE ARBITRATOR) THUS NOT SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION, AND HE DISMISSED THE GRIEVANCE. THE UNION HAS FAILED TO PRESENT FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES TO DEMONSTRATE IN WHAT MANNER THE ARBITRATOR EXCEEDED ANY LIMITATION ON HIS AUTHORITY WHEN IN OBSERVANCE OF THE CLEAR LIMITATIONS OF THE LAW IN EXISTENCE AT THE TIME INVOLVED HEREIN, HE DISMISSED A GRIEVANCE WHICH HE HAD NO AUTHORITY TO ARBITRATE. THEREFORE, THE UNION'S EXCEPTION PROVIDES NO BASIS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF ITS PETITION UNDER SECTION 2411.32 OF THE AMENDED RULES. ACCORDINGLY, THE UNION'S PETITION FOR REVIEW OF THE ARBITRATOR'S AWARD IS DENIED BECAUSE IT FAILS TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 2411.32 OF THE AMENDED RULES FOR ACCEPTANCE BY THE AUTHORITY OF A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF AN ARBITRATOR'S AWARD. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY 23, 1980 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY /1/ ACCORDING TO THE ARBITRATOR, ARTICLE 11, SECTION 3 PERTINENTLY PROVIDES: "EMPLOYEES WILL NOT BE OBLIGATED TO A STANDBY STATUS UNLESS PLACED IN A PAY STATUS." /2/ CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION SYSTEM FOR ADMINISTERING THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) COMPLIANCE AND COMPLAINT SYSTEM. /3/ U.S. MARINE CORPS SUPPLY CENTER, ALBANY, GEORGIA AND AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO (KING, ARBITRATOR), 5 FLRC 181 (FLRC NO. 75A-98 (MAR. 8, 1977), REPORT NO. 122). /4/ THE "FEDERAL REGULATIONS" CITED BY THE UNION ARE THOSE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR FOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS IMPLEMENTING SECTION 13(D) OF THE ORDER. /5/ E.G., LOCAL 791, INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ELECTRICAL, RADIO & MACHINE WORKERS, AFL-CIO V. MAGNAVOX COMPANY, 286 F.2D 465 (6TH CIR. 1961). /6/ TRUCK DRIVERS & HELPERS UNION LOCAL 784 V. ULRY-TALBERT COMPANY, 330 F.2D 562 (8TH CIR. 1964).