[ v03 p504 ]
03:0504(80)NG
The decision of the Authority follows:
3 FLRA No. 80 AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EEOC LOCALS NO. 216, AFL-CIO (Union) and EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, D.C. (Agency) Case No. 0-NG-197 DECISION ON NEGOTIABILITY ISSUE THIS CASE COMES BEFORE THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY (THE AUTHORITY) PURSUANT TO SECTION 7105(A)(2)(E) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (5 U.S.C. 7101 ET SEQ.). UNION PROPOSAL ARTICLE 5 SECTION D. AT LEAST ANNUALLY, EMPLOYEES SHALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS IN WRITING THE PERFORMANCE OF SUPERVISORS. ASSESSMENT FORMS SHALL BE DEVELOPED JOINTLY BY THE EMPLOYER AND THE UNION. SECTION H. NO EMPLOYEE SHALL BE DISCIPLINED BY A SUPERVISOR WHO HAS NOT RECEIVED TRAINING AS REQUIRED BY THE FPM AND OPM REGULATIONS. QUESTION HERE BEFORE THE AUTHORITY THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE UNION'S PROPOSAL IS OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN UNDER SECTION 7117 OF THE STATUTE, /1/ AS ALLEGED BY THE AGENCY. OPINION CONCLUSION: THE PROPOSAL IS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF BARGAINING UNDER SECTION 7117 OF THE STATUTE. ACCORDINGLY, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2424.10 OF THE AUTHORITY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS, 45 FED.REQ. 3513(1980), THE AGENCY'S ALLEGATION THAT THE DISPUTED PROPOSAL IS NOT WITHIN THE DUTY TO BARGAIN IS SUSTAINED. REASONS: THE AGENCY CONTENDS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT BOTH SECTIONS OF THE PROPOSAL ARE OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN BECAUSE THE ASSESSMENT OF SUPERVISORY PERFORMANCE AND THE TRAINING OF SUPERVISORS AS A PRECONDITION TO THE EXERCISE OF MANAGEMENT'S RIGHT TO DISCIPLINE DO NOT INVOLVE THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES. WE AGREE WITH THE AGENCY'S CONTENTION. IN A RECENT DECISION, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF FIELD LABOR LOCALS, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, WASHINGTON, D.C., CASE NO. O-NG-79, 3 FLRA NO. 44 (MAY 29, 1980), THE AUTHORITY FOUND NONNEGOTIABLE A PROPOSAL WHICH PERTAINED TO THE FILLING OF SUPERVISORY AND MANAGEMENT POSITIONS WITH BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES. IN ITS DECISION, THE AUTHORITY STATED THAT: AN EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE'S OBLIGATION AND CORRELATIVE RIGHTS . . . EXTEND ONLY TO EMPLOYEES IN THE UNIT, UNDER SECTION 7114(A)(1). FURTHERMORE, THE DEFINITION OF "COLLECTIVE BARGAINING" FOUND IN SECTION 7103(A)(12) . . . RESTRICTS THE SCOPE OF THE OBLIGATION TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH TO MATTERS AFFECTING THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF EMPLOYEES IN AN APPROPRIATE UNIT. CONSEQUENTLY, THE AGENCY HAS NO OBLIGATION TO BARGAIN OVER MATTERS RELATING TO THE NON-BARGAINING UNIT POSITIONS REFERRED TO IN THE PROPOSAL. THUS, AS THE PROPOSAL GOES BEYOND THE REPRESENTATION RIGHTS OF THE EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE AND DOES NOT DIRECTLY RELATE TO CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF UNIT EMPLOYEES, IT IS OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN UNDER THE STATUTE. THE PROPOSAL IN THE INSTANT CASE SIMILARLY DOES NOT DIRECTLY RELATE TO CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT OF UNIT EMPLOYEES. RATHER, IT RELATES TO THE ASSESSMENT AND TRAINING OF SUPERVISORS. CONSEQUENTLY, FOR THE REASONS STATED IN MORE DETAIL IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CASE CITED ABOVE, THE UNION'S PROPOSAL IS OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN UNDER THE STATUTE. ACCORDINGLY, THE AGENCY'S ALLEGATION THAT THE DISPUTED PROPOSAL IS NOT WITHIN THE DUTY TO BARGAIN MUST BE SUSTAINED. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 27, 1980 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY /1/ SECTION 7117(A)(1) OF THE STATUE PROVIDES: SECTION 7117. DUTY TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH; COMPELLING NEED; DUTY TO CONSULT (A)(1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE DUTY TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH SHALL, TO THE EXTENT NOT INCONSISTENT WITH ANY FEDERAL LAW OR ANY GOVERNMENT-WIDE RULE OR REGULATION, EXTEND TO MATTERS WHICH ARE THE SUBJECT OF ANY RULE OR REGULATION ONLY IF THE RULE OR REGULATION IS NOT A GOVERNMENT-WIDE RULE OR REGULATION. THE TERM "MATTERS" AS USED IN SECTION 7117(A)(1) IS EXPLAINED BY REFERENCE TO THE DEFINITION OF "COLLECTIVE BARGAINING" IN SECTION 7103(A)(12)AND "CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT" IN SECTION 7103(A)(14) OF THE STATUTE: SECTION 7103. DEFINITIONS; APPLICATION (A) FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CHAPTER-- . . . . (12) "COLLECTIVE BARGAINING" MEANS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE MUTUAL OBLIGATION OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF AN AGENCY AND THE EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE OF EMPLOYEES IN AN APPROPRIATE UNIT IN THE AGENCY TO MEET AT REASONABLE TIMES AND TO CONSULT AND BARGAIN IN A GOOD-FAITH EFFORT TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT AFFECTING SUCH EMPLOYEES . . . . . . . . (14) "CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT" MEANS PERSONNEL POLICIES, PRACTICES AND MATTERS, WHETHER ESTABLISHED BY RULE, REGULATION, OR OTHERWISE, AFFECTING WORKING CONDITIONS . . . .