OFFICIAL TIME

OFFICIAL TIME

Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center, Columbia, Missouri and Local 903, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 01 FSIP 7, February 9, 2001 (Release No. 438).

The UNION proposed that the "president of Local 903 receive 28 hours of official time per week," 12 hours more than the current allotment.

The AGENCY proposed that the "Union president be allocated 20 hours of official time per week," four hours more than the current allotment.

The PANEL ordered the parties to adopt the AGENCY's proposal.

OFFICIAL TIME . . . RIGHT TO ASSIGN TO OTHERS

Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center, Columbia, Missouri and Local 903, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 01 FSIP 7, February 9, 2001 (Release No. 438).

The UNION proposed that "the president be permitted 'to assign his official time to other individuals when he is unavailable.'"

The AGENCY proposed that the parties maintain their current practice, under which the president is not permitted to assign unused official time to others.

The PANEL ordered the parties to adopt the following:

The President may assign his official time to other duly-designated Union officials with 48 hours of advance notice to management.

OFFICIAL TIME

Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh Engineer District, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Local 2187, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 01 FSIP 1, February 21, 2001 (Release No. 438).

The AGENCY proposed that:

1. Sixteen hours of official time be authorized for the Union president to staff the Union office two days a week (Mondays and Tuesdays) unless the parties mutually agree to other times, and one day of official time per month for the secretary-treasurer.
2. Additional requests for official time made under a previously agreed to contract article would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
3. Official time usage would be documented and a monthly synopsis provided by the Union president to his/her immediate supervisor.
4. Staffing of the Union office would be evaluated annually and could be renegotiated mid-term, at the request of either party.

The UNION proposed that--

1. The Union president remain on 100 percent official time to staff the Union office full-time and the secretary-treasurer continue to receive one day of official time per month.
2. Another Union representative be authorized official time to staff the Union office when, due to representational duties in the field, etc., the "Union president or designee" leaves the Union office vacant for more than a hour.

The PANEL ordered the parties to adopt the following:

Article 2, Union rights and Responsibilities, Section 8:

1. The Union President shall be permitted [eight] hours of official time each day to staff the Union office [three] days per week. The elected Union President shall be scheduled on the first shift, Monday through Friday, in order to affect his/her staffing responsibilities (unless the parties mutually agree otherwise.) When Federal holidays fall on days when the Union president is scheduled to be on official time in the Union office, [eight] hours of official time for staffing the Union office will be granted to the Union president on the next scheduled workday.
2. The Union shall be authorized a bank of official time, not to exceed 800 hours annually, for the purpose of staffing the Union office during the other [two] days each week. Requests to use official time from the bank of hours shall be approved unless management can demonstrate that due to work exigencies the representative cannot be released as requested. In those circumstances, the Employer shall indicate a specific justification in writing and specify the time and date when release could be accommodated. Bank hours may not be carried forward from [one] contract year to another.
3. The Secretary-Treasurer of the Union shall be afforded official time not to exceed [one] day per month, if requested, to assist the Union President in the District Office with the administration of the contract.
4. Requests for additional official time by the President or Secretary-Treasurer will be considered on a case-by-case basis and shall be made to the facility supervisor in accordance with Article **, "Officers and Stewards of the Union." If the additional requests for official time would entail the President or Secretary-Treasurer leaving their duty station, those requests will be made through the facility (immediate) supervisor to the Operations Manager (second level supervisor) or his/her designee.
5. Expenses incurred by Union representatives, including those of the Union President for parking and mileage associated with his/her staffing of the Union office in the District Office building, shall be paid by the Employer in accordance with Article **, "Use of Official Time by Officers and Stewards of the Union," Section 2c.
6. Unless otherwise determined by the Employer, while serving in the Union office, the President shall report to the Deputy District Engineer who shall approve leave and give general directions.
7. All official time usage, including District Office staffing by Union representatives, will be documented in accordance with Article **, "Officers and Stewards of the Union," Section 3.

OFFICIAL TIME

Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division, Portland, Oregon and United Power Trades Organization, Case No. 01 FSIP 48, May 24, 2001 (Release No. 440).

The AGENCY proposed:

1. To establish a bank of 600 hours of official time annually for the Union President and 600 hours for other union representatives, e.g., project representatives, vice presidents, and other union officers.
2. To establish a separate bank of 600 hours for union-sponsored training.
3. To grant "on-duty travel" to the district Union Vice President or another union representative.
4. To limit official time to travel for training purposes for the President, Vice President, and other union representatives to "'incidental same day travel.'"

The UNION proposed:

1. To establish a bank of 1,000 hours of official time annually for the Union President; 450 hours for project representatives and four vice presidents; and 600 hours each for training.
2. To grant "'on duty travel'" to the district Union Vice President or a "'designee.'"
3. That travel for training purposes for the President, Vice President would not be limited to "'incidental same day travel.'"

The PANEL ordered the parties to adopt the UNION's proposal.