Headquarters, U.S. Army Communications Command, Et Al., Fort Huachuca, Arizona (Activity) and American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1662 (Union) 

 3 FLRA No. 113
 
 HEADQUARTERS, U.S. ARMY
 COMMUNICATIONS COMMAND,
 ET AL., FORT HUACHUCA,
 ARIZONA
 Activity
 
 and
 
 AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
 GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES,
 LOCAL 1662
 Union
 
                                            Case no.0-AR-27
 
                                 DECISION
 
    THIS MATTER IS BEFORE THE AUTHORITY ON A PETITION FOR REVIEW OF THE
 AWARD OF ARBITRATOR JULIUS N. DRAZNIN FILED BY THE UNION UNDER SECTION
 7122(A) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (5
 U.S.C. 7122(A)).
 
    ACCORDING TO THE ARBITRATOR, THE DISPUTE IN THIS MATTER AROSE WHEN
 THE ACTIVITY ISSUED A NOTICE CHANGING THE "QUALIFICATION FOR PERSONS
 RECEIVING ENVIRONMENTAL DIFFERENTIAL PAY WHILE ENGAGED IN THE WATER AND
 SEWAGE PLANT OPERATIONS." THE NOTICE APPARENTLY RESULTED IN A REDUCTION
 IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WHO QUALIFIED FOR DIFFERENTIAL PAY AND THE
 CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH SUCH PAY WOULD BE GIVEN.  THE UNION,
 DISAGREEING WITH THIS REDUCTION, FILED A GRIEVANCE.  THE PARTIES WERE
 UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE QUESTION AND IT WAS SUBMITTED TO ARBITRATION.
 
    ALTHOUGH A SUBMISSION STATEMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE ARBITRATOR, THE
 PARTIES WERE IN DISAGREEMENT AS TO THE LANGUAGE FRAMING THE ISSUE.
 THEREFORE, THE PARTIES AGREED TO ALLOW THE ARBITRATOR TO FORMULATE IT.
 THE ARBITRATOR FOUND THAT THERE WERE TWO ISSUES.  THE FIRST WAS THE ONE
 SUBMITTED BY THE PARTIES:
 
    HAVE THE SAFETY HAZARDS PERTAINING TO POISONS (TOXIC CHEMICALS) IN
 THE SEWER AND WATER
 
    TREATMENT PLANTS BEEN 'PRACTICALLY ELIMINATED BY SAFETY DEVICES AND
 PROCEDURES' AS PROVIDED IN
 
    ARTICLE 21 OF THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT SO AS TO ELIMINATE
 ENVIRONMENTAL DIFFERENTIAL PAY
 
    EXCEPT IN THOSE INSTANCES SET FORTH IN (THE AGENCY NOTICE), ATTACHED
 HERETO.
 
    THE SECOND ISSUE WAS WHETHER THE TERM "POISONS (TOXIC CHEMICALS)"
 USED IN THE FIRST ISSUE "INCLUDE