09:0175(26)CU - NTEU and IRS, Washington, DC -- 1982 FLRAdec RP
[ v09 p175 ]
09:0175(26)CU
The decision of the Authority follows:
9 FLRA No. 26
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION
Labor Organization/Petitioner
and
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, /1/
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Activity
Case No. 6-CU-19
DECISION AND ORDER CLARIFYING UNIT
UPON A PETITION DULY FILED WITH THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY
UNDER SECTION 7111(B)(2) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT
RELATIONS STATUTE (THE STATUTE), 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 CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE ENTIRE RECORD, INCLUDING THE
PARTIES' CONTENTIONS, THE AUTHORITY FINDS: THE NATIONAL TREASURY
EMPLOYEES UNION (NTEU) /2/ SEEKS CLARIFICATION TO ESTABLISH THAT
INCLUDED WITHIN ITS BARGAINING UNIT IS THE INCUMBENT IN THE POSITION OF
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST/TAXPAYER EDUCATION COORDINATOR GS-301-05
(PAS/TEC) LOCATED IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY DISTRICT. THE ACTIVITY OPPOSES
SUCH INCLUSION ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE INCUMBENT IS A MANAGEMENT
OFFICIAL, CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE AND/OR AN EMPLOYEE ENGAGED IN FEDERAL
PERSONNEL WORK IN OTHER THAN A PURELY CLERICAL CAPACITY. /3/ THE
INCUMBENT ASSISTS THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER IN PERFORMING HIS
RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMUNICATING TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE GENERAL MEDIA
TAX INFORMATION OF ALL TYPES, INCLUDING TAX POLICY AND PUBLIC OFFICE
HOURS, AS WELL AS PUBLISHING AN EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER. SHE ALSO ACTS FOR
THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER IN THE LATTER'S ABSENCE. AS THE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS OFFICER IS INVOLVED IN THE FUNCTION OF IMPLEMENTING, AS OPPOSED
TO SHAPING THE PRESCRIBED GENERAL PRINCIPLES, PLANS, OR COURSES OF
ACTION FOR THE ACTIVITY, THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT, LIKE THE PUBLIC
AFFAIRS OFFICER, THE PAS/TEC WHO ASSISTS HIM AND ON OCCASION ASSUMES HIS
DUTIES IS NOT A MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION
7103(A)(11) OF THE STATUTE AS INTERPRETED BY THE AUTHORITY. /4/
AS THE RECORD DOES NOT ESTABLISH THAT THE INCUMBENT'S SUPERVISOR, THE
PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, IS INVOLVED IN THE FORMULATION OR EFFECTUATION
OF MANAGEMENT POLICIES IN THE FIELD OF LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS, OR
THAT SHE ACTS IN A CONFIDENTIAL CAPACITY WITH REGARD TO ANY OTHER PERSON
EXERCISING SUCH AUTHORITY, THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT THE INCUMBENT IS NOT
A CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEE WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 7103(A)(13) OF THE
STATUTE. /5/ FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE, 5 FLRA NO.
4(1981). FURTHER, AS THE RECORD ESTABLISHES THAT THE INCUMBENT IS NOT
IN A PERSONNEL POSITION AND HAS NOT ENGAGED IN PERSONNEL WORK WITHIN THE
MEANING OF THE STATUTE, /6/ THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT SHE IS NOT AN
EMPLOYEE ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK IN OTHER THAN A PURELY
CLERICAL CAPACITY. /7/
ACCORDINGLY, THE AUTHORITY SHALL ORDER THAT THE ABOVE POSITION BE
INCLUDED WITHIN NTEU'S EXCLUSIVELY RECOGNIZED UNIT.
ORDER
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT THE UNIT SOUGHT TO BE CLARIFIED HEREIN BE,
AND IT HEREBY IS, CLARIFIED BY INCLUDING IN SAID UNIT THE POSITION OF
PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST/TAXPAYER EDUCATION COORDINATOR GS-301-05.
ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 23, 1982
RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN
HEN