BAND TOGETHER

SPECIAL COMMUNIQUE

Interim Agreement and Constitution

Available for Your Review;

Ratification Vote Begins October 15

The Union Interim Council voted to recommend both the interim collective bargaining agreement and the union constitution to the bargaining unit for ratification. A summary of key items in both the interim agreement and the constitution is provided below, and both documents are attached to this message. 

An information session will be held on October 7, 2008, from 11:00 am - 12:30 pm ET to provide an overview of the constitution and interim agreement and to address any questions.  The meeting will take place in HQ room 5T63 and staff can also participate by phone by calling 1-866-285-7778 (passcode 9164844). 

Both the draft constitution and the Interim Agreement will be up for a ratification vote October 15-21.  All bargaining unit employees are eligible to vote. Voting instructions will be included in future editions of the Communiqué.

Summary of Interim Agreement Articles

As described in the September 26, 2008 Special Communiqué the Interim agreement addresses certain significant rights for GAO employees and the operations of our union. The interim agreement addresses items the Union and Management felt needed to be addressed before we enter negotiations on a comprehensive contract. A brief description of each article of the agreement is provided below.

Article I. Notice of Union Representation: The Union will notify Workforce Relations of persons who are union officers, council members, and stewards so that Management knows who is representing the Union in an official capacity.  Likewise, Management agrees to inform the Union of persons who represent Management and whose primary responsibility is labor relations.

Article II. Official Time: The Union will have a bank of hours (official time) for officers, Interim Council members, and designees to carry out representational activities.  The article requires that all use of official time be approved by an employee's supervisor.

Article III.  Union Representation at Management Meetings with Unit Employees:

An employee can make a request for union representation at formal discussions and at informal resolution meetings in order to help resolve the issue at hand.

Article IV. Grievance/ Arbitration: Provides for third-party neutral arbitration of grievance decisions. 

Article V. Use of GAO Resources:  Allows the Union to use GAO phone, internet, copier, email, fax, and VTC for representational activities.  It allows the Union to use the GAO travel system.  It provides that the GAO intranet homepage's main screen will include a link to the Union's website.

Article VI. Notice of Proposed Changes in Negotiable Conditions of Employment:

Management agrees to notify the Union in advance of soliciting employee comments on proposed changes to GAO Orders. The article gives timeframes for the Union to exercise the right to initiate negotiations over Management's proposed changes.

Article VII.  Dues Withholding: Allows for Union dues automatic withholding deductions from bargaining unit members who join the Union.

Article VIII.  Precedence of Law: Provides that the Interim Agreement will remain in effect until a master term collective bargaining agreement is reached.  It also includes a clause that the agreement does not waive any other existing rights for the Union or Management.

Summary of Union Constitution

The IC and constitution committee took the feedback from the listening sessions, and used it to construct the final draft. The fundamental composition of the constitution is the same as what was sent out for the listening sessions. A more detailed document with frequently asked questions about the constitution will be coming out before the vote. Here are some other important details.

Basic Structure: The constitution defines the basic structure of our union and defines the positions for our permanent leadership. The final draft includes a deliberative body with members from each unit regardless of membership, chaired by the president. It includes five officers, a 35 member deliberative body broadly representing analysts at GAO, and possibly additional stewards as needed. 

Associate Membership: Associate membership will only be available to retirees and non-managerial staff.

DISCLAIMER - Communications that are not sent directly from the IFPTE or the GAO Union Interim Council, or communications posted anonymously on the Web, do not represent the views of IFPTE or the official position of the collective members of the GAO bargaining unit.