FACILITIES . . . LOCATION OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL

Department of the Navy, Naval Aviation Depot, Jacksonville, Florida and Local 1943, National Federation of Federal Employees, Federal District No. 1, IAM&AW, AFL-CIO, Case No. 99 FSIP 160, March 16, 2000 (Release No. 430).

Essentially, the UNION proposed that "contractor personnel not be stationed within Government leased and/or controlled space in Buildings 338, 832, and 1821 at Cecil Field."

The AGENCY proposed that the Panel order the Union to withdraw its proposal because it is outside the duty to bargain. Alternatively, in the event the Panel took jurisdiction, the AGENCY proposed that, where practicable, it would segregate Government employees from contract personnel and take other specified steps "to reduce the likelihood of conflicts of interest."

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

FACILITIES . . . TELEPHONE LINE IN UNION OFFICE

Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Brooklyn District Office, Brooklyn, New York and Chapter 53, National Treasury Employees Union, Case No. 00 FSIP 8, March 16, 2000 (Release No. 430).

The AGENCY proposed that--

1. The Union be permitted to install, at its own expense, "a telephone, an answering machine, and a 'splitter' device for the analog line currently used for the facsimile machine."

2. The Agency would provide a dialing code to permit call forwarding and a speed dialing option that would enable the Union to access VMS more quickly. (VMS is a subscriber-only messaging system which allows agency officials and employees to send, retrieve, save, and forward messages, or transmit messages to several individuals at the same time.)

The UNION essentially proposed that the Agency "install an additional analog line in the Union office and reprogram the VMS line so incoming VMS calls would be routed to the analog line and answering machine."

The PANEL ordered the parties to adopt the following wording:

The Employer shall provide an additional analog telephone line to the Chapter 53 office in the Garden City POD and reprogram the VMS line so incoming calls will be routed to that analog line.

FACILITIES . . . SEAT ASSIGNMENTS

Department of the Treasury, Bureau of the Public Debt, Parkersburg, West Virginia and Chapter 190, National Treasury Employees Union, Case No. 00 FSIP 48, July 14, 2000 (Release No. 433).

The UNION proposed that when bargaining unit employees of the Accounting Services Division are moved to a different work space, they should be allocated seating assignments based on seniority in service, i.e., service computation date.

The AGENCY proposed that for this and all future moves affecting bargaining unit employees of the Accounting Services Division, "accountants would be seated around the exterior of the work area," and "[a]ccounting technicians would choose from pods located in the interior of the work space." The order of selecting workstations within each group of employees would be based on service computation date.

The PANEL ordered the parties to adopt the following:

The following procedures shall apply to this and all future relocations affecting bargaining-unit employees in the Administrative Services Division: 1. The Employer shall determine the appropriate functional groupings of employees. 2. After the Employer determines the appropriate functional groupings, all bargaining-unit workstations within each grouping shall be allocated on the basis of highest grade level, and Service Computation Date (SCD) within each grade level. 3. The first bargaining-unit workstation which becomes vacant after initial assignments have been made shall be allocated using highest grade level and SCD within grade level; the use of these procedures shall alternate in the allocation of all subsequent vacant bargaining-unit workstations. 4. The Employer shall notify the Union in writing when bargaining-unit workstations become vacant, and specify the particular allocation pursuant to Section 3.

FACILITIES . . . OFFICE SPACE

Social Security Administration, Boston Region, Boston, Massachusetts and Local 1164, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Case No. 00 FSIP 112, August 11, 2000 (Release No. 434).

The UNION proposed the following:

The CR work units, file cabinets, printers, photocopiers, bookcases and tables will be located as shown on the attached floor plan. [Article V, Section B2]

There will be two designated employee entrances (Doors #1 & 2 on the floor plan). These doors will be sturdy steel construction or solid wood with steel sheathing. Each shall be equipped with panic hardware, peep hole and push button combination type lock capable of being opened with one hand. [Article V, Section B5]

Management and an ICT unit Union representative designated by the Union will, by mutual agreement, select the paint colors, rug colors, fabric panel colors, wood stain, tile, etc. for the ICT unit. The parties will also decide on the counter top and cabinets for the multipurpose room. Management will convey all samples for the above selections to the ICT unit Union representative as they become available to the Union. [Article V, Section A5]

The Agency intends to complete selection of employees for the ICT unit prior to installation of systems furniture. Prior to the furniture installation week, the panel hung writing surfaces will be installed at the height determined by the individual employee. Employees will be allowed to select a left or right side handed model of the electronically adjustable work surface. [Article V, Section C4]
Within available ranges, ICT unit employees will select panel heights. [Article V, Section C6]

The Agency agrees to obtain a post office box address for return of claims forms and related documents. It is not anticipated that claimants or other members of the public will make business related visits to the ICT unit. Appropriate security and sufficient advance notice to the Union will be provided prior to any such visits. [Article V, Section D7]

The Union, and all bargaining unit members, will have reasonable access to the video conference room for appropriate purposes when not in use for legitimate agency business. Management agrees not to artificially limit access to this area. Employees using this area will be expected to keep it free from litter. [Article VI, Section 7]

Either party may reopen this agreement one year after the effective date of this agreement. In order to exercise the re-opener provision, the chief negotiator for either party, or their designee, must notify the chief negotiator of the other party no earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the one year anniversary of the effective date and no later than seven (7) days after the one year anniversary of the effective date. [Article VII, Section 3]

The AGENCY proposed the following:

Management will obtain samples of the paint, stain, tiles, counter top, cabinet material and rug selections and will provide them to the representative designated by the Union. The Union representative will deliver the selections to management within 10 days from the point that the Union representative is provided the SIN selection list. At that time, the Union representative will deliver to management the standard panel height, panel colors, and number of left and right hand units. [Article V, Section A5]

The Agency will use the following address for return of claims forms and related documents to the ICT unit: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, BOX C98, 10 CAUSEWAY ST., BOSTON, MA 02222. It is not anticipated that claimants or other members of the public will make business-related visits to the ICT unit. Employees will not be required to divulge the physical location of the ICT unit if asked by the public. [Article V, Section D7]

The ICT bargaining unit will have reasonable access to the Boston Training Facility for appropriate purposes (excluding food or drink) when not in use for Agency business. When the Boston Training Facility is not available, the Videoconference Room will be made available on the same basis. Management agrees not to artificially limit access to this area. Employees using the area will be expected to keep it free from litter. [Article VI, Section 7]

ARBITRATOR Ellen J. Kolansky ordered the following:

1. Article V, Section B2 and B5. Floor Plan

The parties shall adopt the Employer's floor plan.

2. Article V, Sections A5, C4, and C6. Furniture-Related Choices

The parties shall adopt the following modified version of the Employer's proposal:

Management will obtain samples of the paint, stain, tiles, counter top, cabinet material and rug selections and will provide them to the representative designated by the Union. The Union representative will deliver the selections to management within 10 days from the point that the Union representative is provided the SIN selection list. At that time, the Union representative will deliver to management the standard panel height, panel colors, and number of left and right hand units.

With respect to left and right handed models, for those among the original 16 ICT unit employees hired through merit promotion, the Employer will obtain a left or right handed model of the electronically adjustable work surface, upon written request by the Union, when such units are not available in the office or already on order.

Prior to the furniture installation week, the panel hung writing surfaces will be installed at the height determined by the individual employee. In the event that those among the original 16 selected through merit promotions are identified after furniture installation week, the same adjustments will be made for them.

3. Article V, Section D4. ICT Business Address

The parties shall adopt the Employer's proposal.

4. Article VI, Section 7. Access to the Video Conference Room

The parties shall adopt the Employer's proposal.

5. Article VII, Section 3. Reopener

The parties shall adopt the Union's proposal.

FACILITIES . . . WORKSTATIONS

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C. and National Treasury Employees Union, Case No. 00 FSIP 121, November 8, 2000 (Release No. 436).

The AGENCY proposed that the workstation for non-supervisory CG-11 employees at headquarters and regional offices should be 80 square feet, the same size as CG-9 workstations.

The UNION proposed that CG-11 employees "should be allocated at least 96 square feet of office space."

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