Transcript GAO Master Contract Overview

GAO Master Contract:
Overview
GAO Employees Organization,
IFPTE, Local 1921
2010 Annual Membership Meeting
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Collective Bargaining Agreement
Between
The Government Accountability Office
And
The GAO Employees Organization, IFPTE, Local 1921
This is an excellent contract for employees!
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Why is the Master
Contract Important?
• Establishes agreement regarding terms and
conditions of work
• Provides guidance and stability
• Articulates employee, union, and agency rights
• Provides framework for labor-management
relationship
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Union’s Goals
for Master Contract
• Preserve flexibilities in workplace
• Maintain local autonomy
• Assure recognition of professional standing and
fair treatment of employees
• Level the ‘playing field’ in due process
• Establish and improve relationship with GAO
management
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A Representational,
Democratic Process
Full Assembly and work groups
• Met through 2009
• Reviewed master contracts, GAO Orders
• Identified, discussed concerns
Assembly elected bargaining committee
• Obtained training in collaborative negotiation approach
• Surveyed employees
• Sought legal review with counsel
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Bargaining
Committee
• Susan Etzel
SI/Boston
• Leo Acosta
NRE/San Francisco
• Steve Robblee
HC
• Jonathan Tumin
HSJ
• Jenny Chanley
ARM
• Dan Meyer,* VP Field
EWIS/Chicago
• Jacqueline Harpp,*
EWIS
• Steve Berke
SI
• Lise Levie,* VP Griev
EWIS
• Ron La Due Lake,* Pres
ARM
* Core Bargaining Team
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Further Preparation
Management and Union teams
• Participated in joint training
• Negotiated ground rules, Oct. 2009
• Agreement on expert facilitator
Bargaining committee identified interests
• Negotiations conducted:
January - October, 2010
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Bargaining Committee’s
Role in Negotiations
Bargaining committee
• Did research, core team FT
• Consulted with internal and external
expertise
• Briefed Assembly, sought input, during
each session
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Nature of
Negotiations
Management and Union:
– Generally met full days, 3-5 day sessions
– Each committed resources
– Were equals at the table
– Respected expert facilitator
– Listened carefully
– Both made compromises
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Ratification
Union members have an opportunity to:
• Review tentative agreement
• Consider big picture
• Check for ‘fatal flaws’
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Contract Topics
• Employee, Union, and Management rights
• Workplace policies
– Hours of work, OT, telework, leave, transfers
• Health and Safety
– Disability and Reasonable Accommodation
• Merit Promotion/Placement
• Performance Management
• Awards
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Contract Topics
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Discipline/Adverse Actions
Dispute Resolution, ADR, Grievance
Arbitration
Reorganizations
Renovations/relocations
Reduction in Force
Framework for Union operating at GAO
Mid-term Bargaining
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Hours of Work
• Standard Business Hours, limited
exceptions
• Core Hours
• Maxiflex
• Credit Hours
• Changes to Schedule
• Termination of Approved Schedule
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Hours of Work
Highlight:
Vary arrival/departure time
• Up to 1 hour without approval
• Up to one additional hour w/notification
With consideration of
• standard business hours
• core hours
• previously scheduled meetings
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Overtime &
Compensatory Time
• Overtime
– Agency initiated
– Employee initiated
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Exempt employees
Non-exempt employees
Compensatory time
Approval process
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Overtime &
Compensatory Time
Highlights:
Revised Form 535
• Includes description of application process
When OT is initiated by Agency:
Management responsible for Form,
authorization, and approval
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Telework
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Employee eligibility
Work appropriate for telework
Types of telework
Application process
Availability while teleworking
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Telework
Highlight:
– Teleworking employees may request approval
for a temporary alternate location to their
usual telework worksite, rather than
submitting a separate application
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Merit Promotion
& Placement
• Application process
• Minimum open period for internal
applications
• Option to include additional information
• Right to copy of application
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Merit Promotion
& Placement
Highlight:
– Union will collaborate with GAO HCO on
developing guidance to correctly answer
required core questions in USAJobs
promotion/placement application
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Grievance,
Arbitration
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Scope of grievance process
Filing process, time frames
Institutional grievances
Alternative dispute resolution
Invoking arbitration
Selecting arbitrator
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Grievance,
Arbitration
Highlights:
– Consequences for the Agency if it misses time
frames
– Vast increase in scope of process
– Union may file grievance on behalf of
employees
– Final decision is outside of GAO
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Reduction in Force
• Union input in advance of RIF decision
• Content of notification of RIF
• Priority placement
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Reduction in Force
Highlights:
– Employees who are terminated in a RIF are
eligible for priority placement Agency wide for
a period of two years
– Agreement that RIFs may not be designed as
narrowly as in current Order (contract notes)
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Duration of Contract
– Contract is for a four year term
– Either party may open up to two articles for
renegotiation at mid-point (two years)
– At end of four year term, either party may
reopen contract for negotiation
– If not reopened, renewed for additional one
year term
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Ratification Activities
• Tentative master contract released before
voting begins
• Voting time period Dec. 10 – Jan. 10
• Informational brown bag sessions before
and after holidays
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Contract Ratified?
• If ratified, master contract undergoes legal
review
• Signed and executed
• Training for managers and employees
conducted jointly and separately
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Ratification
• Bargaining Committee and Assembly
recommend ratification of tentative
agreement
• This is an excellent contract for
employees!
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Questions?
Contact your local delegate, any member of
the bargaining committee, or email
[email protected]
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