[ v07 p301 ]
07:0301(46)NG
The decision of the Authority follows:
7 FLRA No. 46 AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 3407 Union and DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY HYDROGRAPHIC/TOPOGRAPHIC CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C. Activity Case No. O-NG-247 ORDER DISMISSING NEGOTIABILITY APPEAL THE PETITION FOR REVIEW IN 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 (THE STATUTE) (5 U.S.C. 7101-7135). PURSUANT TO OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) CIRCULAR A-118 AND A DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) DIRECTIVE IMPLEMENTING THE OMB CIRCULAR, DATED OCTOBER 11, 1979, THE DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY (DMA) ESTABLISHED A PAID PARKING PROGRAM FOR EMPLOYEES AT THE DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY HYDROGRAPHIC/TOPOGRAPHIC CENTER (DMAHTC). THE UNION REQUESTED LOCAL NEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING THE IMPACT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PROGRAM AND SUBMITTED SEVERAL PROPOSALS TO DMAHTC. IN PARTICULAR, THE UNION SUBMITTED THREE PROPOSALS CONCERNING EXEMPTIONS FROM PARKING FEES FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF EMPLOYEES AND VEHICLES AND ONE PROPOSAL CONCERNING DMAHTC'S LIABILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PAID PARKING PROGRAM. THE DMAHTC RESPONDED THAT THE UNION'S PROPOSALS WERE OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN. THE UNION THEN FILED THE INSTANT NEGOTIABILITY APPEAL WITH THE AUTHORITY. SUBSEQUENTLY, DMAHTC IN ITS STATEMENT TO THE AUTHORITY WITHDREW ITS ALLEGATION OF NONNEGOTIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO ONE OF THE PROPOSALS BUT CONTINUED TO ALLEGE THAT THE OTHER THREE PROPOSALS INCLUDED IN THE UNION'S APPEAL WERE OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN. WHILE THIS APPEAL WAS PENDING BEFORE THE AUTHORITY, DMA INFORMED THE AUTHORITY THAT PAID PARKING AT DMAHTC WOULD BE DISCONTINUED EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 1980. FURTHER, DMA REQUESTED THAT THE AUTHORITY DISMISS THE UNION'S NEGOTIABILITY APPEAL SINCE THE MATTERS PREVIOUSLY IN DISPUTE RELATE TO THE DISCONTINUED PAID PARKING PROGRAM AND, THEREFORE, THE UNION'S APPEAL HAD BECOME MOOT. THE UNION TOOK THE POSITION THAT THE APPEAL IS NOT MOOT, CONTENDING THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT DMA RESCINDED THE PAID PARKING PROGRAM AT DMAHTC, THE OBLIGATION TO BARGAIN WITH THE UNION STILL EXISTS WITH RESPECT TO THIS MATTER. THE UNION REQUESTED PERMISSION TO FILE AN ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION TO THIS EFFECT, WHICH WAS GRANTED BY THE AUTHORITY. HOWEVER, THE UNION DID NOT FILE WITH THE AUTHORITY ANY RESPONSE IN SUPPORT OF ITS CONTENTION WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT ALLOWED FOR SUCH A SUBMISSION. BASED ON THE RECORD, THE FACTS IN THE PRESENT CASE ARE NOT MATERIALLY DISTINGUISHABLE FROM THOSE IN AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 2, AND DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, HARRY DIAMOND LABORATORIES, ADELPHI, MARYLAND, 5 FLRA NO. 13(1981). IN THAT CASE, THE AUTHORITY FOUND THAT THE NEGOTIABILITY ISSUES RAISED BY THE UNION'S PROPOSALS, WHICH CONCERNED THE PAID PARKING PROGRAM, WERE RENDERED MOOT BY THE DISCONTINUANCE OF THE PROGRAM. THEREFORE, FOR THE REASONS SET FORTH IN HARRY DIAMOND LABORATORIES, AND APART FROM OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE NEGOTIABILITY ISSUES RAISED WITH RESPECT TO THE DISPUTED PROPOSALS INVOLVED IN THE INSTANT APPEAL WERE RENDERED MOOT BY THE DISCONTINUANCE OF THE PAID PARKING PROGRAM AT DMAHTC. /1/ FURTHERMORE, ISSUES AS TO WHETHER, IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS CASE, THE ACTIVITY WOULD HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BARGAIN ON OTHER MATTERS CONCERNING THE GENERAL SUBJECT OF PARKING, APART FROM THE PARTICULAR PAID PARKING PROGRAM WHICH IS THE SUBJECT OF THE PROPOSALS DISPUTED IN THE INSTANT APPEAL, MAY PROPERLY BE RAISED IN THE UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE PROCEDURES UNDER SECTION 7118 OF THE STATUTE. SEE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 2782 AND DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, WASHINGTON, D.C., 4 FLRA NO. 93(1980). ACCORDINGLY, WITHOUT PASSING ON THE MERITS OF THE DISPUTE, IT IS ORDERED THAT THE UNION'S APPEAL BE DISMISSED. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 8, 1981 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY --------------- FOOTNOTES: --------------- /1/ SEE ALSO NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 1461 AND U.S. NAVAL OBSERVATORY, WASHINGTON, D.C., 6 FLRA NO. 119(1981) IN WHICH THE AUTHORITY FOUND THAT, SINCE THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DECIDED THAT PAID PARKING PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO OMB CIRCULAR A-118 WERE INVALID AND THE COLLECTION OF PARKING FEES PURSUANT TO THOSE PROGRAMS WAS ILLEGAL, THE NEGOTIABILITY ISSUES RAISED BY THE PROPOSAL, WHICH CONCERNED EXEMPTIONS FROM PARKING FEES FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES, WERE RENDERED MOOT AND DISMISSED THE APPEAL.