[ v08 p273 ]
08:0273(64)CU
The decision of the Authority follows:
8 FLRA No. 64 DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY DEFENSE COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE, SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, ILLINOIS Activity and NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, LOCAL R7-23 Labor Orgnization/Petitioner Case No. 5-CU-23 DECISION AND ORDER CLARIFYING UNIT UPON A PETITION DULY FILED UNDER SECTION 7111(B)(1) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (THE STATUTE), A HEARING WAS HELD BEFORE A HEARING OFFICER OF THE AUTHORITY. THE HEARING OFFICER'S RULINGS MADE AT THE HEARING ARE FREE FROM PREJUDICIAL ERROR AND ARE HEREBY AFFIRMED. UPON THE ENTIRE RECORD IN THIS CASE, INCLUDING THE ACTIVITY'S BRIEF, THE AUTHORITY FINDS: THE LABOR ORGANIZATION FILED THE INSTANT PETITION SEEKING A CLARIFICATION OF STATUS OF NON-SUPERVISORY GS-13, 14 AND 15 EMPLOYEES OF THE ACTIVITY. /1/ THE ACTIVITY'S POSITION IS THAT ALL SUCH EMPLOYEES ARE MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND ARE THUS EXCLUDED FROM THE EXISTING EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZED UNIT UNDER SECTION 7103(A)(11). /2/ THE ACTIVITY, THE DEFENSE COMMERCIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE (DECCO), IS A FIELD ACTIVITY OF THE DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY. THE BASIC MISSION OF DECCO IS TO PROCURE, PAY AND ACCOUNT FOR LONG-LINE CIRCUITS, COMMUNICATION CIRCUITS AND THE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO SUCH CIRCUITS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE ARMY, THE NAVY, THE AIR FORCE, THE MARINES, AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS SOME SMALLER AGENCIES WHEN SO DESIGNATED BY THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INCUMBENTS OF THE THREE POSITIONS AT ISSUE ARE THOSE OF MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 7103(A)(11) OF THE STATUTE. THE AUTHORITY HAS HELD THAT MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO: (1) CREATE, ESTABLISH OR PRESCRIBE GENERAL PRINCIPLES, PLANS OR COURSES OF ACTION FOR AN AGENCY; (2) DECIDE UPON OR SETTLE UPON GENERAL PRINCIPLES, PLANS OR COURSES OF ACTION FOR AN AGENCY; OR (3) BRING ABOUT OR OBTAIN A RESULT AS TO THE ADOPTION OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES, PLANS OR COURSES OF ACTION FOR AN AGENCY. DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING SELECTION OFFICE, 7 FLRA NO. 24 (1981). SENIOR CIVILIAN ADVISOR, PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICER, GS-15-1130 THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT THE SENIOR CIVILIAN ADVISOR, PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICER, GS-15-1139, IS A MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 7103(A)(11) OF THE STATUTE, IN THAT HE BRINGS ABOUT OR OBTAINS A RESULT AS TO THE ADOPTION OF PLANS OR COURSES OF ACTION FOR THE ACTIVITY WITH RESPECT TO OVERALL OPERATIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS, AND PERSONNEL MATTERS. IN THIS REGARD, HIS ROLE EXTENDS BEYOND THAT OF AN EXPERT OR PROFESSIONAL RENDERING RESOURCE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO POLICIES, TO THE POINT OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE ULTIMATE DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT THE ACTIVITY'S POLICIES IN FACT WILL BE REGARDING ITS OVERALL OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION, AMONG OTHER MATTERS. ACCORDINGLY, THE SENIOR CIVILIAN ADVISOR, PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICER, GS-15-1130, MUST BE EXCLUDED FROM THE EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZED UNIT. COMPUTER SPECIALIST (DATA BASE ADMINISTRATOR), GS-13-0334 THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT THE COMPUTER SPECIALIST (DATA BASE ADMINISTRATOR), GS-13-0334, IS NOT A MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL INASMUCH AS HE DOES NOT "FORMULATE, DETERMINE, OR INFLUENCE THE POLICIES OF THE AGENCY" WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 7103(A)(11) OF THE STATUTE. RATHER, THE INDIVIDUAL IN THIS POSITION IS AN EXPERT OR PROFESSIONAL WHOSE ACTIONS ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING, AS OPPOSED TO SHAPING, THE ACTIVITY'S POLICIES IN THE AREAS OF DATA BASE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND CONCEPTS, AS WELL AS, THE SECURITY OF SUCH INFORMATION. IN THIS REGARD, THE ROLE OF THE INCUMBENT IS LIMITED TO DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH DATA BASE INFORMATION AND ITS MANAGEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE ACTIVITY'S PROGRAM EFFORTS, BUT DOES NOT EXTEND BEYOND THAT POINT OF CREATING, SETTLING UPON OR BRINGING ABOUT THE ACTIVITY'S POLICY DETERMINATIONS IN ANY OF THESE AREAS. ACCORDINGLY, THE AUTHORITY CONCLUDES THAT THE POSITION OF COMPUTER SPECIALIST (DATA BASE ADMINISTRATOR), GS-13-0334, SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZED UNIT. PUBLIC UTILITIES RATES AND TARIFFS SPECIALIST, GS-14-1130 THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT THE INCUMBENT OF THIS POSITION IS NOT A MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL INASMUCH AS HE DOES NOT "FORMULATE, DETERMINE, OR INFLUENCE THE POLICIES OF THE AGENCY" WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 7103(A)(11) OF THE STATUTE. RATHER, THE INDIVIDUAL IN THIS POSITION IS AN EXPERT OR PROFESSIONAL WHOSE ACTIONS ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING, AS OPPOSED TO SHAPING, THE ACTIVITY'S POLICIES IN THE AREA OF UTILITY RATES AND TARIFFS. IN THIS REGARD, THE ROLE OF THE INCUMBENT IS LIMITED TO PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AND EXPERTISE AND TO OVERSEEING THE ACTIVITY'S OPERATIONS TO ENSURE THAT IT IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION'S AND DECCO'S POLICIES IN THE RATES AND TARIFFS AREA, BUT DOES NOT EXTEND BEYOND THAT TO A POINT OF CREATING, SETTLING UPON OR BRINGING ABOUT THE ACTIVITY'S POLICY DETERMINATIONS IN THIS AREA. ACCORDINGLY, THE AUTHORITY CONCLUDES THAT THE POSITION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RATES AND TARIFFS SPECIALIST, GS-14-1130, SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZED UNIT. ORDER IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT THE UNIT SOUGHT TO BE CLARIFIED, IN WHICH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, LOCAL R7-23 WAS CERTIFIED AS THE EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE ON JUNE 21, 1974, BE, AND IT HEREBY IS, CLARIFIED BY INCLUDING IN SAID UNIT THE POSITIONS OF COMPUTER SPECIALIST (DATA BASE ADMINISTRATOR), GS-13-0334, AND PUBLIC UTILITIES RATES AND TARIFFS SPECIALISTS, GS-14-1130, AND BY EXCLUDING FROM SAID UNIT THE POSITION OF SENIOR CIVILIAN ADVISOR, PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICER, GS-15-1130. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 26, 1982 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY --------------- FOOTNOTES: --------------- /1/ PRIOR TO THE HEARING, THE PARTIES REACHED AGREEMENT AS TO THE STATUS OF ALL BUT THREE OF THE CONTESTED POSITIONS. THUS, THE ONLY QUESTION BEFORE THE AUTHORITY IS THE STATUS OF THE SENIOR CIVILIAN ADVISOR, PUBLIC UTILITIES OFFICER, GS-15-1130; COMPUTER SPECIALIST (DATA BASE ADMINISTRATOR), GS-13-0334; AND PUBLIC UTILITIES RATES AND TARIFFS SPECIALIST, GS-14-1130. /2/ SECTION 7103(A)(11) OF THE STATUTE PROVIDES: (11) "MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYED BY AN AGENCY IN A POSITION THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF WHICH REQUIRE OR AUTHORIZE THE INDIVIDUAL TO FORMULATE, DETERMINE, OR INFLUENCE THE POLICIES OF THE AGENCY(.)