The General Counsel periodically issues guidance and policies to the Regional Directors about how to address unfair labor practice and representation cases. The following are the policies and guidance issued by General Counsel Joseph Swerdzewski since he was sworn in as General Counsel in 1993: 

Guidance in Seeking Remedies for Unfair Labor Practices Under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (May 2000) Executive Summary, Introduction, Table of Contents

Executive Summary of General Counsel Joseph Swerdzewski's Memorandum to Regional Directors on Guidance on Developing a Labor Relations Strategic Plan,  (Sept. 1999) 

SLIDE SHOW -- Rights and Obligations under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute and Equal Employment Opportunity Matters (Submitted Sept. 1999) 

Questions and Answers about ULP Appeals to the Office of the General Counsel (Jan. 1999) 

General Counsel Guidance on the Relationship Between the FSLMR Statute and EEO Matters (Jan. 1999) 

Litigation Manual, Internet Version of the Office of the General Counsel provides comprehensive guidance to regional Trial Attorneys in prosecuting unfair labor practice cases. (Nov. 1998) 

Executive Summary of the General Counsel's Guidance Memorandum to the Regional Directors discusses whether union bargaining proposals are within the scope of bargaining under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. (Sept. 1998) 

Executive Summary of the General Counsel's Guidance Memorandum to the Regional Directors discusses pre-decisional involvement as a team-based approach utilizing interest-based problem solving principles. (July 1997) 

General Counsel's policy governing Facilitation, Intervention, Training and Education (FITE) services provided to parties. (June 1997) See also the related Press Release (No. 112-97). 

Executive Summary of the General Counsel's Guidance Memorandum to the Regional Directors discusses the impact of collective bargaining agreements on the duty to bargain and the exercise of other statutory rights. (March 1997) 

Quality in Processing Representation Petitions and Time Goals. (February 1997) 

Executive Summary of the General Counsel's Guidance Memorandum to the Regional Directors discusses the General Counsel's views on legal issues arising from the duty of fair representation. (January 1997) 

Checklist and Guidance on Unit Certification includes a unit certification checklist for customers to use to help ensure that their bargaining relationship remains stable, and guidance to the Regional Directors about how to identify and correct certification issues. (December 1996) 

Injunction Policy and Guidance explains when and how the FLRA's Regional Directors will seek injunctive relief, highlighting the types of factors that will be considered, the process the region will follow and how the relief is available only in extraordinary circumstances. (October 1996) 

Customer Information Packet about Union Representation Issues discusses the FLRA's revamped Representation regulations and the representation process in an easy-to-read question and answer format. (March 1996) 

Guidance on Investigating, Deciding and Resolving Information Disputes discusses how unions and agencies can follow new approaches to information requests set forth in recent Authority cases, providing guidance on how Regional Directors can help unions and agencies and how unions and agencies can help themselves in narrowing and resolve disputes over information requests. (January 1996) 

The Intervention Policy establishes uniform criteria for determining when certain unfair labor practice charges can be addressed through an alternative case processing technique without initially investigating the particular facts and merits of the charge. (October 1995) 

The Scope of Investigations Policy establishes uniform criteria for determining the extent of an unfair labor practice charge investigation, setting forth what will be looked at in reaching a proper determination on the merits of a particular charge. (October 1995) 

The Quality in Unfair Labor Practice Investigations Policy establishes uniform standards for achieving quality in an unfair labor practice investigation. (October 1995) 

Guidance Memorandum to Regional Directors on the Duty to Bargain Over Programs Establishing Employee Involvement and Statutory Obligations When Selecting Employees for Work Groups discusses the creation and operation of employee-management work groups in the federal government. (August 1995) 

The Prosecutorial Discretion Policy established criteria to apply to decide whether to dismiss an unfair labor practice charge when litigation is not warranted. (May 1994) 

The Settlement Policy sets forth criteria to be used in achieving settlements that enhance the parties' relationships and resolve the specific issues in a dispute. (May 1994)