COURSE DESCRIPTION

Basic Labor Relations introduces the student to the fundamentals of collective bargaining through both position-based (traditional) and interest-based negotiations. The course also explains the rights and responsibilities of employees, management, and unions in the Federal collective bargaining process.

COURSE CONTENTS

LESSON 1: Overview

• History of Unionism in the United States
• Legal Status of Unions
• Federal Sector Unions
• Bilateralism
• Negotiated Grievance Procedure
• Third Party Mechanisms
• Federal Labor Relations Authority
• Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
• Federal Service Impasses Panel
• Office of Personnel Management

LESSON 2: Exclusive Recognition

• The Bargaining Unit
• Bargaining Unit Structure
• Employees Who May Not Be Included
• Acquiring Exclusive Recognition
• Petition for Recognition
• Union Organizing Campaign
• Notice of Petition for Election
• Election Agreement
• Representation Elections
• Election Guidelines
• Election Results
• Certification
• Decertification Petition
• The Union

LESSON 3: Collective Bargaining (or Negotiations)

• Collective Bargaining
• Scope of Bargaining
• Concepts Affecting Negotiability
• Preparation for Bargaining
• Position-Based Bargaining
• Interest-Based Bargaining
• Select Negotiating Teams
• Set Ground Rules
• Negotiation Impasses
• Negotiate Collective Bargaining Agreement Contract

LESSON 4: Living With the Agreement

• Contract Administration
• Responsibility for Contract Administration
• Training Supervisors and Managers
• Contract Interpretation
• Language Ambiguities in the Contract
• Conflicts Between Contract Clauses
• Conflicts With Law
• Conflicts With Governmentwide Rules/Regulations
• Conflicts With Agency Rules/Regulations
• The Union Steward
• The Supervisor-Steward Relationship
• The Steward's Role in Processing a Grievance
• Exclusive Representative's Right To Be Present at Meetings
• Labor-Management Cooperation

LESSON 5: Grievances and Unfair Labor Practices

• Grievances
• The Negotiated Grievance Procedure
• Alternative Dispute Resolution of Grievances
• Unfair Labor Practices
• Management Unfair Labor Practices
• Labor Organization Unfair Labor Practices
• The Unfair Labor Practices Complaint Process
• Filing a Charge
• Respondent's Investigation
• FLRA Regional Director's Investigation
• FLRA Action