Mid-Continent Mapping Center, National Mapping Division, U.S. Geological Survey, Rolla, Missouri (Activity) and National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 1960 (Labor Organization/Petitioner) 

 4 FLRA No. 58
 
 MID-CONTINENT MAPPING CENTER
 NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION
 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
 ROLLA, MISSOURI
 Activity
 
 and
 
 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL
 EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 1960
 Labor Organization/Petitioner
 
                                            Case No. 7-RO-31
 
                            DECISION AND ORDER
 
    UPON A PETITION DULY FILED WITH THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY
 UNDER SECTION 7111(B)(1) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT
 RELATIONS STATUTE, 5 U.S.C.  7101-7135, A HEARING WAS HELD BEFORE A
 HEARING OFFICER OF THE AUTHORITY.  THE HEARING OFFICER'S RULINGS MADE AT
 THE HEARING ARE FREE FROM PREJUDICIAL ERROR AND ARE HEREBY AFFIRMED.
 
    UPON THE ENTIRE RECORD IN THE SUBJECT CASE THE AUTHORITY FINDS:  THE
 NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 1960 (NFFE), FILED A
 PETITION FOR EXCLUSIVE RECOGNITION FOR CERTAIN OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE
 MID-CONTINENT MAPPING CENTER, NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION, U.S. GEOLOGICAL
 SURVEY, ROLLA, MISSOURI.  THE PETITION WAS AMENDED THREE TIMES.  THE
 FIRST AMENDED PETITION WAS FOR THE FOLLOWING UNIT:
 
    INCLUDED:  ALL NON-PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES OF THE UNITED STATES
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WHOSE DUTY
 
    STATION IS ROLLA, MISSOURI.
 
    EXCLUDED:  ALL PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS,
 SUPERVISORS, AND EMPLOYEES
 
    DESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 7112(B)(2), (3), (4), (6) AND (7).
 
    AT THE HEARING NFFE TENDERED A SECOND AMENDMENT DESCRIBING THE
 PROPOSED UNIT AS:
 
    INCLUDED:  ALL NON-PROFESSIONAL GS AND WG EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL
 MAPPING DIVISION,
 
    UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY LOCATED AT ROLLA, MISSOURI.
 
    EXCLUDED:  ALL PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS,
 SUPERVISORS, AND EMPLOYEES
 
    DESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 7112(B)(2), (3), (4), (6) AND (7).
 
    ALSO AT THE HEARING, NFFE PROPOSED A THIRD AMENDMENT AS FOLLOWS:
 
    INCLUDED:  ALL GS AND WG EMPLOYEES OF THE NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION,
 UNITED STATES
 
    GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HEADQUARTERED AT ROLLA, MISSOURI.
 
    EXCLUDED:  ALL PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS,
 SUPERVISORS, AND EMPLOYEES
 
    DESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 7112(B)(2), (3), (4), (6) AND (7).
 
    NFFE HAS INDICATED THAT IT IS WILLING TO PROCEED TO AN ELECTION IN
 ANY OF THE UNITS DESCRIBED IN THE THREE AMENDED PETITIONS.
 
    THE ACTIVITY CONTENDS THAT THE UNITS DESCRIBED IN THE VARIOUS AMENDED
 PETITIONS ARE INAPPROPRIATE AND THAT THE ONLY APPROPRIATE UNIT WOULD BE
 ONE THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SERVICED BY THE MID-CONTINENT
 STATES PERSONNEL OFFICE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE
 CONSERVATION DIVISION, GULF OF MEXICO REGION, METAIRIE, LOUISIAN, WHO
 ARE COVERED BY AN EXISTING RECOGNITION.
 
    THE MID-CONTINENT MAPPING CENTER, NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION, IS AN
 ACTIVITY WITHIN THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WHICH, IN TURN, IS AN
 ACTIVITY WITHIN THE U.S.  DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR.  THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
 IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF PUBLIC LANDS AND THE
 EXAMINATION OF THE GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE, MINERAL RESOURCES, AND PRODUCTS
 OF THE NATIONAL DOMAIN.  ADDITIONALLY, IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GAGING THE
 STREAMS AND DETERMINING THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE UNITED STATES.
 
    WITHIN THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ARE SEVERAL MAJOR DIVISIONS;  FOUR OF
 WHICH ARE INVOLVED IN THE INSTANT CASE-- THE NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION,
 THE WATER RESOURCES DIVISION, THE CONSERVATION DIVISION AND THE
 ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION.  THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CONSISTS OF THREE BASIC
 REGIONS (THE EASTER, CENTRAL AND WESTERN REGIONS);  HOWEVER, NOT ALL
 DIVISIONS FOLLOW THE BASIC REGIONAL STRUCTURE.
 
    THE FIELD STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION IS COMPOSED OF
 FOUR MAPPING CENTERS AND ONE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER.  ONE OF
 THE MAPPING CENTERS IS THE MID-CONTINENT MAPPING CENTER WHICH IS THE
 FOCAL POINT OF THE SECOND AND THIRD AMENDED PETITIONS IN THE INSTANT
 CASE.  HEADQUARTERED IN ROLLA, MISSOURI, ITS FUNCTION IS, ESSENTIALLY,
 MAKING MAPS.  IT IS COMPOSED ORGANIZATIONALLY OF AN INSTRUMENT
 MAINTENANCE UNIT, A CARTOGRAPHER TRAINEE GROUP AND FOUR BRANCHES (EACH
 HEADED BY A BRANCH CHIEF) WITH VARYING NUMBERS OF ORGANIZATIONAL
 SUBELEMENTS.
 
    THE BRANCH CHIEFS REPORT TO THE OFFICE OF THE CENTER CHIEF.  THE
 CHIEF, MID-CONTINENT MAPPING CENTER, WHO IS UNDER THE LINE DIRECTION OF
 THE CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION, HAS OVERALL PROGRAM
 RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CENTER.  THE CHIEF ALSO HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR
 THE BUDGET AND DETERMINING PERSONNEL ALLOCATIONS WITHIN THE CENTER.
 PERSONNEL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY THE MID-CONTINENT STATES PERSONNEL
 OFFICE.
 
    MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE ASSIGNED TO THE VARIOUS BRANCHES LOCATED IN
 ROLLA, MISSOURI;  HOWEVER, ONE GROUP OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO
 THE FIELD DISTRICT SECTION OF THE BRANCH OF FIELD SURVEYS PERFORM FIELD
 WORK IN A 14 STATE AREA OF THE CENTRAL U.S.  THE BULK OF THE ELIGIBLE
 EMPLOYEES OF THE MID-CONTINENT MAPPING CENTER ARE CARTOGRAPHIC
 TECHNICIANS WHO ARE ENGAGED IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE
 MANUFACTURE OF MAPS.  THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FIELD DISTRICT SECTION ARE
 RESPONSIBLE FOR GATHERING MAPPING DATA AND INFORMATION WHICH IS FED BACK
 TO AND USED BY THE BRANCHES HOUSED IN ROLLA.  THE DUTY STATION OF THIS
 CONTINGENT OF FIELD EMPLOYEES IS WHEREVER THEIR ASSIGNMENT IS AT A
 PARTICULAR TIME.  TYPICALLY, THEY WORK IN THE SOUTHERN STATES OF THEIR
 JURISDICTION IN THE WINTER AND THE NORTHERN STATES IN THE SUMMER.  THEY
 ARE SUPERVISED BY FOUR PROJECT CHIEFS WHO ARE LOCATED IN THE FIELD, WHO
 REPORT TO TWO DISTRICT CHIEFS LOCATED IN THE ROLLA OFFICE.  THE FIELD
 DISTRICT SECTION IN TURN REPORTS TO THE CHIEF OF THE BRANCH OF FIELD
 SURVEYS.
 
    THE WATER RESOURCES DIVISION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND
 ANALYSIS OF THE OCCURRENCE, QUANTITY, QUALITY, DISTRIBUTION AND MOVEMENT
 OF SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND WATERS THAT COMPRISE THE NATION'S WATER
 RESOURCES.  ITS FIELD STRUCTURE CONSISTS OF FOUR REGIONS, EACH HEADED BY
 A REGIONAL HYDROLOGIST WHO HAS OVERALL PROGRAM AUTHORITY FOR THE REGION.
  INVOLVED IN THE INSTANT PROCEEDING IS THE CENTRAL REGION WHICH CONSISTS
 OF 15 STATES.  WITHIN THE CENTRAL REGION ARE DISTRICT OFFICES HEADED BY
 DISTRICT CHIEFS.  WITHIN THE DISTRICTS ARE ONE OR MORE SUBDISTRICT
 OFFICES WHICH ARE HEADED BY A SUPERVISORY HYDROLOGIST.  FOUR OF THE
 DISTRICTS (THE ARKANSAS, IOWA, LOUISIANA AND MISSOURI DISTRICTS) ARE
 SERVICED BY THE MID-CONTINENT STATES PERSONNEL OFFICE.  THE MISSOURI
 DISTRICT IS HEADQUARTERED IN ROLLA BUT ALSO HAS SUBOFFICES AND EMPLOYEES
 LOCATED IN CREVE COEUR AND INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI.  THE MAJORITY OF
 ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES ARE HYDROLOGIC TECHNICIANS WHOSE DUTIES GENERALLY
 INVOLVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF FIELD WORK AND A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF
 OFFICE WORK DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES THEY ARE INVOLVED IN.
 
    ANOTHER OFFICE WHICH IS LOCATED IN ROLLA AND SERVICED BY THE
 MID-CONTINENT STATES PERSONNEL OFFICE IS THE ROLLA DISTRICT OFFICE OF
 THE AREA MINING SUPERVISOR, CENTRAL REGION, CONSERVATION DIVISION.  IT
 IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING EXPERTISE TO OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE
 OFFICES ON MINERAL LEASING MATTERS AND THE FIELD REGULATION OF
 OPERATIONS FOR THE EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF LEASABLE
 MINERALS ON FEDERAL AND INDIAN LANDS IN THE DISTRICT.  THERE ARE THREE
 EMPLOYEES ASSIGNED TO THAT OFFICE-- TWO MINING ENGINEERS AND ONE
 SECRETARY.  THE OFFICE IS HEADED BY A DISTRICT MINING ENGINEER WHO
 REPORTS TO THE ASSISTANT CONSERVATION MANAGER FOR MINING AT THE REGIONAL
 LEVEL (THE REGION IS HEADQUARTERED IN LAKEWOOD, COLORADO).
 
    THE RECORD ALSO CONTAINS REFERENCE TO THE GEOGRAPHY PROGRAM OF THE
 LAND INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS OFFICE WHICH IS LOCATED IN ROLLA.
 HOWEVER, THE RECORD INDICATES THAT THE FUNCTIONS OF THIS OFFICE WERE
 TRANSFERRED TO THE NATIONAL MAPPING DIVISION EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 1980.
 
    THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION GENERALLY FOLLOWS THE BASIS THREE REGION
 FIELD STRUCTURE OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY;  HOWEVER, EXCEPTIONS EXIST
 WITH RESPECT TO THE PERSONNEL OFFICE AND THE GENERAL SERVICES OFFICE
 BOTH OF WHICH, IN ADDITION TO HAVING OFFICES IN THE THREE REGIONS, HAVE
 OFFICES IN ROLLA.  THESE TWO OFFICES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING
 SERVICES TO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UNITS IN THE MID-CONTINENT STATES (DEFINED
 AS ARKANSAS, IOWA, LOUISIANA AND MISSOURI).
 
    THE MID-CONTINENT STATES PERSONNEL OFFICE HAS PRIMARY STAFF AND
 OPERATING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN ITS
 JURISDICTION.  LOCATED IN ROLLA, IT HAS A SATELLITE OFFICE IN METAIRIE,
 LOUISIANA, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING PERSONNEL FUNCTIONS FOR
 THE CONSERVATION DIVISION, GULF OF MEXICO REGION, METAIRIE, LOUISIANA
 (THE EMPLOYEES OF THAT ORGANIZATION ARE COVERED BY AN EXISTING EXCLUSIVE
 RECOGNITION).  THE MID-CONTINENT STATES PERSONNEL OFFICE REPORTS TO THE
 BRANCH OF PERSONNEL LOCATED IN RESTON, VIRGINIA, WHICH IN TURN REPORTS
 TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION ALSO LOCATED IN RESTON.  THE EMPLOYEES
 ASSIGNED TO THE ROLLA AND METAIRIE OFFICES ARE CLERICAL SUPPORT,
 PERSONNEL ASSISTANTS AND CATEGORIES INVOLVED IN THE VARIOUS PERSONNEL
 SPECIALTIES.
 
    THE GENERAL SERVICES OFFICE IN ROLLA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING
 SUPPORT IN THE AREAS OF SPACE, SAFETY AND SUPPLY MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS
 OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ACTIVITIES IN THE
 MID-CONTINENT STATES AREA.  IT REPORTS TO THE BRANCH OF GENERAL SERVICES
 IN RESTON, VIRGINIA, WHICH REPORTS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION IN
 RESTON.  THE EMPLOYEES OF THE ROLLA OFFICE FALL INTO SEVERAL CLERICAL
 CATEGORIES AND THAT OF GENERAL SUPPLY SPECIALIST.
 
    RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERSONNEL AND LABOR RELATIONS FUNCTIONS FOR THE
 EMPLOYEES IN THE OFFICES DISCUSSED HEREIN RESTS WITH THE MID-CONTINENT
 STATES PERSONNEL OFFICE.  IN THIS REGARD, THE VARIOUS OPERATING
 OFFICIALS INITIATE PERSONNEL ACTIONS AND THE PERSONNEL OFFICE REVIEWS
 THEM FOR CONFORMANCE WITH PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS, APPROVES AND
 EFFECTUATES THE ACTION.  THE PERSONNEL OFFICE SHARES JOINT
 RESPONSIBILITY FOR TRAINING WITH THE OPER