Labor-Management Relations

FACILITIES

Social Security Administration, Hanover Branch Office, Hanover, Massachusetts and Local 1164, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 98 FSIP 69, April 28, 1998 (Release No. 408).

The UNION proposed that the reception area should be reduced and the front entrance door relocated so that the seven front-end interviewing ("FEI") stations of customers could be more fully spaced out and provide more privacy.

The AGENCY had no counterproposal.

The ARBITRATOR was not convinced that privacy was sufficiently compromised to warrant the renovation of the reception area and ordered that the size of the reception area and entrance shall remain as completed through the renovations and as reflected on Exhibit identified as Management 3.

The UNION proposed that the employee restrooms should be located at the southwest corner of the facility (where they had formerly been located), which in turn would provide for a more central placement of the clusters of work stations in the center of the office, and consequently more open space and additional aisle apace for all employees.

The AGENCY countered that the restrooms were now centrally located with good access for all employees regardless of their work location in the office.

The ARBITRATOR adopted the AGENCY's proposal, i.e., the location of the restrooms shall remain as completed through the renovations and as reflected on Exhibit identified as Management 3.

The UNION proposed that there should be two handicapped entrances to the facility, one at the front entrance for the general public and one for handicapped employees located toward the northwest corner of the facility.

During the course of the hearing, the AGENCY offered to provide two automatic doors at the front entrance and an automatic door at the northeast corner of the facility rather than at the northwest L-shaped employee entrance.

The ARBITRATOR ordered the following:

The employer shall forthwith, at its cost, install three automatic entrance doors, two at the front entrance and one at the employee exit door toward the northeast corner of the facility (the straight walk-in exit door), that fully comply with applicable ADA standards and any other applicable federal rules and regulations.

The UNION proposed that the Manager's enclosed office located toward the northwest corner of the facility should be torn down and relocated to the northeast corner of the facility. By relocating the Manager closer to employees he supervised, the Union argued the Manager would be better able to appraise and evaluate performance and security would be enhanced because he would be closer to employees performing front-end interviewing duties.

The AGENCY opposed the relocation of the Manager's office.

The ARBITRATOR ordered that the location of the manager's office shall remain as completed through the renovations and as reflected on Exhibit identified as Management 3. The evidence did not support the Union's proposal.