[ v27 p785 ]
27:0785(85)CA
The decision of the Authority follows:
27 FLRA No. 85 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, NEW LONDON (NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT) Respondent and NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, LOCAL R1-100 Charging Party Case No. 1-CA-60304 DECISION AND ORDER The Administrative Law Judge issued the attached Decision in the above-entitled proceeding finding that the Respondent had engaged in the unfair labor practices alleged in the complaint and recommending that it be ordered to cease and desist from the unfair labor practices and take appropriate remedial action. Thereafter, the Respondent and the General Counsel each filed exceptions to the Judge's Decision and Order, and the General Counsel filed a statement in response to the Respondent's exceptions. Pursuant to section 2423.29 of the Authority's Rules and Section 7118 of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (the Statute), we have reviewed the findings and conclusions of the Judge and find that no prejudicial error was committed. The findings are hereby affirmed. Upon consideration of the Judge's Decision, the exceptions, and the entire record, we adopt the Judge's findings, conclusions and recommended Order. /*/ ORDER Pursuant to section 2423.29 of the Authority's Rules and Regulations, and section 7118 of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, the Department of the Navy, Naval Submarine Base New London, New London, Connecticut, shall: 1. Cease and desist from: (a) Refusing to furnish, upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of its employees, the names and the home addresses of all employees in the bargaining unit it represents. (b) In any like or related manner interfering with, restraining, or coercing its employees in the exercise of the rights assured them by the Statute. 2. Take the following affirmative action in order to effectuate the purposes and policies of the Statute: (a) Upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of its employees, furnish it with the names and home addresses of employees in the bargaining unit it represents. (b) Post at its facilities at the Naval Submarine Base New London, copies of the attached Notice on forms to be furnished by the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Upon receipt of such forms, they shall be signed by the Commanding Officer and shall be posted and maintained for 60 consecutive days thereafter, in conspicuous places, including all bulletin boards and other places where notices to employees are customarily posted. Reasonable steps shall be taken to ensure that such Notices are not altered, defaced, or covered by any other material. (c) Pursuant to section 2423.30 of the Authority's Rules and Regulations, notify the Regional Director, Region I, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Boston, Massachusetts, in writing, within 30 days from the date of this Order, as to what steps have been taken to comply herewith. Issued, Washington, D.C., June 26, 1987. Jerry L. Calhoun, Chairman Henry B. Frazier III, Member Jean McKee, Member FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES AS ORDERED BY THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY AND TO EFFECTUATE THE POLICIES OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE WE NOTIFY OUR EMPLOYEES THAT: WE WILL NOT refuse to furnish, upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of our employees, the names and home addresses of all employees in the bargaining unit it represents. WE WILL NOT in any like or related manner interfere with, restrain or coerce our employees in the exercise of the rights assured them by the Statute. WE WILL, upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of our employees, furnish it with the names and home addresses of employees in the bargaining unit it represents. . . . (Activity) Dated: . . . By: . . . (Signature) (Title) This Notice must remain posted for 60 consecutive days from the date of posting, and must not be altered, defaced, or covered by any other material. If employees have any questions concerning this Notice or compliance with its provisions, they may communicate directly with the Regional Director, Region I, Federal Labor Relations Authority, whose address is: 10 Causeway Street, Room 1017, Boston, MA 02222-1046 and whose telephone number is: (617) 565-7280. -------------------- ALJ$ DECISION FOLLOWS -------------------- Case No. 1-CA-60304 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE NEW LONDON (NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT) /1/ Respondent and NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, LOCAL R1-100 Charging Party Richard H. Greenberg, Esquire For the Respondent Danny R. Veilleaux, Esquire For the Charging Party Marilyn H. Zuckerman, Esquire For the General Counsel Before: WILLIAM B. DEVANEY Administrative Law Judge DECISION Statement of the Case This proceeding, under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, Chapter 71 of Title 5 of the United States Code, 5 U.S.C. Section 7101, et seq., /2/ and the Final Rules and Regulations issued thereunder, 5 C.F.R. Section 2423.1, et seq., concerns a request for the names and home addresses of bargaining unit employees. It was initiated by a charge, filed on June 23, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 1 A), which alleged violations of Sections 16(a)(1) and (5) of the Statute; and a first Amended charge, filed on July 9, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 1 C), which alleged violations of Sections 16(a)(1), (5) and (8) of the Statute. The Complaint and Notice of Hearing issued on August 22, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 1 E), alleged violations of Sections 16(a)(1), (5) and (8) and set the hearing for October 10, 1986, at a place to be designated later; and by Notice dated September 26, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 1 G), the place of hearing was designated, pursuant to which a hearing was duly held on October 10, 1986, in New London, Connecticut, before the undersigned. All parties were represented at the hearing, were afforded full opportunity to be heard, to introduce evidence bearing on the issues presented, to examine and cross-examine witnesses, and were afforded the opportunity to present oral argument. At the conclusion of the hearing, November 10, 1986, was fixed as the date for mailing post-hearing briefs. General Counsel by timely motion, joined in by counsel for the Charging Party and to which counsel for Respondent did not object, for good cause shown, requested an extension of time to December 12, 1986, within which to mail briefs. By Order dated November 4, 1986, General Counsel's motion was granted, in part; attention of all parties was directed to: Farmers Home Administration Finance Office, St. Louis, Missouri and American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Local 3354, 23 FLRA No. 101, which had been decided by the Authority on October 31, 1986; and the time for filing post-hearing briefs was extended to December 1, 1986. Respondent and General Counsel each timely mailed a brief, received on, or before, December 2, 1986, which have been carefully considered. Upon the basis of the entire record, I make the following findings and conclusions: Findings 1. At all times material, National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100 (hereinafter referred to as the "Union") has been the exclusive representative of all employees at Naval Submarine Base New London, the Branch Commissary Store, New London, Naval Submarine School, Personnel Support Activity New London and Naval Submarine Support Facility New London, with certain exceptions more fully set forth in Paragraph 5 of the Complaint (G.C. Exh. 1 E) and in Article I of the Agreement of the parties (G.C. Exh. 2, Art. I, p. 2). 2. By letter dated April 24, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 3), Mr. Kevin J. McGill, President of the Union, pursuant to "AFGE Local 1760 v. FLRA USCA 2nd, No. 85-4144" formally requested the names and home addresses, "of all bargaining unit employees" (G.C. Exh. 3, Tr. 13-15). There are approximately 550 employees in the bargaining unit, of whom about 150 are members of the Union (Tr. 13). 3. By letter dated April 30, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 4), Respondent requested information as to the Union's purpose in seeking the names and addresses. Although Respondent stated it was "advised to refrain from furnishing such information . . . ," Respondent further stated, " . . . you should also be aware that the addresses maintained in our computer are probably out of date and/or incomplete as employees are not required to furnish and/or provide updated information to this office." (G.C. Exh. 4). Respondent never offered the home addresses it had available (Tr. 69), nor was the Union interested in obtaining any but current home addresses. 4. Mr. McGill met with Mr. Robert S. Knowles, then Head, Labor/Employee Relations, subsequently acting Civilian Personnel Officer (Tr. 46), and discussed the Union's request. Although Mr. McGill asserted that Mr. Knowles told him that the Base Comptroller had the home addresses (Tr. 23, 43) which Mr. Knowles denied (Tr. 56), it is unnecessary to resolve the conflict, if there were a conflict, since Mr. Knowles, in his subsequent letter of May 7, 1986, specifically informed Mr. McGill, "2. You are further advised that the base Comptroller does not maintain a listing of addresses. All such information is maintained by the servicing disbursing center." (G.C. Exh. 6). As Mr. Knowles testified, Respondent does have in its personnel data system computer the addresses of employees as of January, 1985, and addresses of new employees at date of hire (Tr. 56) but does not maintain current home addresses (Tr. 55). Current home addresses are maintained only by the Fleet Accounting Office in Norfolk, Virginia, for payroll purposes, for all employees except the commissary store. Commissary store employees are paid out of the Navy Finance Office in Great Lakes, Illinois, which maintains home addresses, for payroll purposes, for commissary store employees (Tr. 56-57). 5. By letter dated May 1, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 5), the Union set forth its purpose in seeking the names and home addresses and Respondent, by letter dated May 7, 1986 (G.C. Exh. 6), refused to provide the requested names and home addresses, asserting that the employee's right to privacy of their home addresses outweighed the Union's right to have the information and further stated that the names and home addresses were not maintained locally. /3/ 6. Respondent did provide the Union with a list of bargaining unit employees by work address and by organization (Tr. 35-36) and the record shows, as General Counsel states, " . . . detailed testimony at trial as to alternative access . . . ," including use of the internal mail system. Conclusions After the hearing in this case, the Authority, on October 31, 1986, issued its decision in Farmers Home Administration Finance Office, St. Louis, Missouri, 23 FLRA No. 101, 23 FLRA 788 (1986) (hereinafter referred to as "Farmers Home Administration"), to which the parties were specifically directed by the Order granting an extension of time within which to file post-hearing briefs. Farmers Home Administration, supra, and numerous subsequent like decisions, including: Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, 24 FLRA No. 4, 24 FLRA 37 (1986); Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center, St. Louis, Missouri, 24 FLRA No. 5, 24 FLRA 43 (1986); Social Security Administration, Northeastern Program Service Center, 24 FLRA No. 13, 24 FLRA 108 (1986); Department of the Air Force, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, 24 FLRA No. FLRA 226 (1986); Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, 24 FLRA No. 60, 24 FLRA 543 (1986); Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration and Social Security Administration Field Operations, New York Region, 24 FLRA No. 62, 24 FLRA 583 (1986), are controlling and are dispositive of all issues raised by Respondent. First, Respondent asserts, "The information requested by the Union is not relevant and necessary as contemplated by 5 U.S.C. 7116(b)(4)" (Respondent's Brief; pages are not numbered, but, excluding the cover sheet, this is the third page) and that, "It is Respondent's position that the General Counsel has failed to sustain its burden of proving that the data was necessary to a legitimate collective bargaining need of the Union." (Respondent's Brief, sixth page). Although it is quite true that the Union in its letter of May 1, 1986, stated that its, " . . . interest in acquiring the home address of bargaining Unit Employees will be confined to mailed information concerning the local and the National Unions activities and for the solicitation of new members" (G.C. Exh. 5), Respondent made no inquiry as to what Mr. McGill meant by "local and the National Union activities" which, as Mr. McGill testified, directly related to collective bargaining and specifically to a survey form which Mr. McGill had prepared (Tr. 30-31). But, in any event, the Authority in Farmers Home Administration, supra, stated in this regard, " . . . we find that the statutory requirement concerning sufficiency of a request under section 7114(b)(4) is satisfied . . . when a general written request for the information is made. A precise explication of the reasons for the request involved here is not necessary . . . In our view, an exclusive representative's need for the names and home addresses of the bargaining unit employees it is required to represent is so apparent and essentially related to the nature of exclusive representation itself, that unlike requests for certain types of other information, an agency's duty to supply names and home addresses information does not depend upon any separate explanation by the union of its reasons for seeking the information." (23 FLRA at 795). Second, Respondent asserts that, "The Union has other adequate means of communicating with employees" (Respondent's Brief, eighth page). With regard to this contention, the Authority has stated, "We will not review the adequacy of alternative methods of communication on a case-by-case base. Consistent with the view of the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit . . . we find that the mere existence of alternative means of communication is insufficient to justify a refusal to release the information. Further, we find that it is not necessary for us to examine the adequacy of alternative means in cases involving requests for names and home addresses because the communication between unit employees and their exclusive representative which would be facilitated by release of names and home address information is fundamentally different from other communication through alternative means which are controlled in whole or in part by the agency . . . we find that the names and home addresses of unit employees are necessary and should be provided whether or not alternative means of communication are available." (23 FLRA at 796-797). Third, Respondent asserts that it, " . . . is prohibited by law from releasing the information requested by the Union" (Respondent's Brief, tenth page). With regard to this contention, the Authority has stated, "On balance, we find that the public interest to be furthered by providing the Union with an efficient method to communicate with unit employees it must represent far outweighs the privacy interests of individual employees in their names and home addresses. Disclosure of the requested information would not constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy and does not fall within the (b)(6) exemption to FOIA. Since the information does not fall within the exemption, its disclosure is required under the FOIA and, under exception (b)(2) to the Privacy Act, its release is not prohibited by law." * * * * " . . . we conclude that the disclosure of the names and home addresses of bargaining unit employees to the Union is necessary within the meaning of section 7114(b)(4) of the Statute for the Union to discharge its statutory obligations. Consistent with that conclusion, we find that disclosure of the information sought here falls within the routine use established by OPM, and its disclosure is therefore a routine use under exception (b)(3) of the Privacy Act. Therefore, even if the disclosure was not authorized under exception (b)(2) of the Privacy Act, relating to the FOIA, it is authorized under exception (b)(3). "Release of the requested information is therefore not prohibited by law. It may be released pursuant to exceptions (b)(2) and (3) of the Privacy Act." (23 FLRA at 793-794). Fourth, Respondent asserts that, " . . . the information is not 'reasonably available' either at the local activity or elsewhere. A new computer program would have to be written in order to extract only the names and addresses of bargaining unit employees. This is different from the facts in FHA (Farmers Home Administration), supra, where the names and addresses were readily available." (Respondent's Brief, seventh page). Section 14(b)(4) imposes on an agency the duty to furnish data to the exclusive representative, "(B) which is reasonably available and necessary . . . ." (Emphasis supplied). Even though such data is "normally maintained" in the regular Respondent does maintain home addresses in the regular course of business for payroll purposes, and even though such data is necessary within the meaning of Section 14(b)(4)(B), nevertheless, such data must also be "reasonably available." While the evidence and testimony at the hearing suggested a question as to whether the Union's request for current names and home addresses constituted data" which is reasonably available," pursuant to Section 14(b)(4)(B), Respondent largely skirted the issue at the hearing, /4/ and the only testimony or evidence offered was: a) everyone's home address is maintained regardless of the method of payment (Tr. 61-62); b) that to furnish current home addresses the computer programs would have to be re-programmed (Tr. 57, 61); and c) that there is a two to three month backlog on programming (Tr. 57). Although Mr. Knowles stated, " . . . the office that does their programming for them was behind and they had a significant problem with the payroll as a result" (Tr. 57-58), the only conclusion, or inference, that can be drawn is that a significant problem resulted because programming had not been done -- not because of re-programming. Indeed, Mr. Knowles perceived no problem in providing names and home addresses, but only that "It would require a program and to write a program to specifically extract that information." (Tr. 61). There is no evidence or testimony as to the cost of the necessary re-programming and no evidence or testimony of any problem or difficulty in furnishing the names and addresses for bargaining unit employees, beyond having to " . . . write a program to specifically extract that information." As Counsel for General Counsel stated in her closing remarks, " . . . He (Mr. Knowles) said that they could, if they wished, that they could distinguish bargaining unit from non-bargaining unit . . . So that it is maintained and it is reasonably available. Now, how much time it would take and exactly what it would require, there is no testimony and they didn't go so far as to find out." (Tr. 94). It is true that in Farmers Home Administration, supra, that home addresses " . . . retained by the Respondent in official personnel files, in a card index system, and in a computer file" (19 FLRA No. 21, 19 FLRA 195, 202 n. 2; 23 FLRA at 795, were found in the Authority's decision on remand to be "reasonably available . . . ." (23 FLRA at 795); but it is not true, as Respondent asserts, that the facts in Farmers Home Administration were essentially different. In Farmers Home Administration, as here, it was necessary to extract the data from records maintained by the agency -- there, from official personnel files (OPFs), a card index, or a computer -- and here from a computer file. Although preparation of the data requested was not explored in Farmers Home Administration, it has been specifically considered in Defense Mapping Agency Aerospace Center, St. Louis, Missouri (hereinafter referred to as "Defense Mapping," supra; and in Social Security Administration, Northeastern Program Service Center, hereinafter referred to as "Northeastern Program"), supra. In Defense Mapping, supra, the cost of preparing names and addresses, "taking into consideration labor costs and the time of the computer and the keypunching" was estimated to be $736 and the cost of each run thereafter was estimated to be $21, for 1500 employees. (19 FLRA No. 85, 19 FLRA 675, 688-689). In its decision on remand, in response to the agency's assertion that to retreive the information from either its personnel records or its computerized payroll system would be unnecessarily costly and time consuming (24 FLRA at 44), the Authority held, " . . . Based on our decision on remand in the FHAFO case, we find that the Respondent in this case was required to furnish the Union with the names and home addresses of the employees in the bargaining unit. Further in that regard, we find that the names and home addresses of the unit employees are reasonably available to the Respondent and that it would not place an undue burden on the Respondent to provide the Union with the information requested." (24 FLRA at 46) (Emphasis supplied). In Northeastern Program, supra, the cost was less explicitly estimated but it was asserted, inter alia, " . . . the addresses must be extracted manually from each personnel locator card, and it would take about 40 man hours to accomplish . . . Since the Personnel Branch was short staffed, the burden so thrust upon Respondent . . . would be onerous." (19 FLRA No. 108, 19 FLRA 913, 925). In its decision on remand, in response to the agency's assertion, inter alia, that the information was not readily available because it would require the compilation of addresses from many sources (24 FLRA at 109), the Authority, again, held that, " . . . we find that the home addresses of the unit employees are reasonably available to the Respondent and that it would not place an undue burden on the Respondent to provide the Union with the information requested." (24 FLRA at 112). Here, employees names and addresses, maintained in computerized payroll systems, are reasonably available to Respondent by writing a program to extract the names and addresses of bargaining unit employees and, as Respondent has offered no evidence or testimony whatever that re-programming would be unnecessarily costly, time consuming, or difficult, I conclude that it would not place an undue burden on Respondent to provide the Union with the information requested. Respondent's refusal to furnish the requested information in this case constituted a violation of Sections 16(a)(1), (5) and (8) of the Statute. Accordingly, it is recommended that the Authority adopt the following: ORDER Pursuant to Section 2423.29 of the Authority's Rules and Regulations, 5 C.F.R. Section 2423.29, and Section 18 of the Statute, 5 U.S.C. Section 7118, the Authority hereby orders that the Department of the Navy, Naval Submarine Base New London, New London, Connecticut, shall: 1. Cease and desist from: (a) Refusing to furnish, upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of its employees, the home addresses of all employees in the bargaining unit it represents. (b) In any like or related manner interfering with, restraining, or coercing its employees in the exercise of the rights assured them by the Statute. 2. Take the following affirmative active in order to effectuate the purposes and policies of the Statute: (a) Upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of its employees, furnish it with the home addresses of employees in the bargaining unit it represents. (b) Post at its facilities at the Naval Submarine Base New London copies of the attached Notice on forms to be furnished by the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Upon receipt of such forms, they shall be signed by the Commanding Office and shall be posted and maintained for 60 consecutive days thereafter, in conspicuous places, including all bulletin boards and other places where notices to employees are customarily posted. Reasonable steps shall be taken to insure that such Notices are not altered, defaced, or covered by any other material. (c) Pursuant to Section 2423.30 of the Authority's Rules and Regulations, 5 C.F.R., Section 2423.30, notify the Regional Director, Region I, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Room 1017, 10 Causeway Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02222-1046, in writing, within 30 days from the date of this Order, as to what steps have been taken to comply herewith. WILLIAM B. DEVANEY Administrative Law Judge Dated: March 30, 1987 Washington, D.C. --------------- FOOTNOTES$ --------------- (*) The Judge's reference in his recommended Order and Notice to home addresses is amended to read "names and home addresses." (1) Although designated "Naval Submarine Base New London", the address, presumably, should be Groton, Conneticut (see, G.C. Exhs. 4, 6; Caption, Respondent's Brief); however the address as shown on the complaint and the formal documents, including Respondent's Answer (G.C. Exh. 1 F), is New London and that address, in the absence of a request by any party to change it, has been retained. (2) For convenience of reference, sections of the Statute hereinafter are, also, referred to without inclusion of the initial "71" of the statutory reference, e.g., Section 7116(a)(5) will be referred to, simply, as "Section 16(a)(5)." (3) It is undisputed that to furnish current home addresses, the Norfolk Fleet Accounting Office and Great Lakes Finance Office computer programs would have to be re-programmed (Tr. 57). It is also not disputed that there is a two to three month backlog on programming (Tr. 57). Beyond showing that production of current home addresses would require re-programming, on which there was a backlog, Respondent offered no evidence or testimony as to the cost of re-programming. (4) In its Answer to Paragraph 7(a) of the Complaint which, inter alia, alleged that "The data . . . is reasonably available . . . . " (G.C. Exh. 1 E), Respondent, after denying Paragraph 7(a), stated, in material part, "Respondent is without knowledge as to whether it possesses the names and current home addresses of all employees employed in the bargaining unit described in paragraph 5 of the Complaint . . . ." (G.C. Exh. 1 F). In his opening statement, Counsel for Respondent stated, in relevant part, ". . . General Counsel has not supported his burden of proof in even showing and proving that respondent maintains such a list as per the union request." (Tr. 45). See Counsel for Respondent's essentially identical statement in his closing statement (Tr. 74). APPENDIX NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES PURSUANT TO A DECISION AND ORDER OF THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY AND IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE THE POLICIES OF CHAPTER 71 OF TITLE 5 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE WE HEREBY NOTIFY OUR EMPLOYEES THAT: WE WILL NOT refuse to furnish, upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of our employees, the home addresses of all employees in the bargaining unit it represents. WE WILL NOT in any like or related manner interfere with, restrain, or coerce our employees in the exercise of the rights assured them by the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. WE WILL, upon request by the National Association of Government Employees, Local R1-100, the exclusive representative of our employees, furnish it with the home addresses of all employees in the bargaining unit it represents. . . . (Agency or Activity) Dated: . . . By: . . . (Signature) This Notice must remain posted for 60 consecutive days from the date of posting and must not be alatered, defaced or covered by any other material. If employees have any questions concerning this Notice or compliance with any of its provisions, they may communicate directly with the regional Director of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, Region I, whose address is: Room 1017, 10 Causeway Street, Boston, MA 02222-1046, and whose telephone number is: (617) 565-7280.