12:0511(96)AR - AFGE Local 1923 and SSA, HQ, Bureaus and Offices -- 1983 FLRAdec AR

 12 FLRA No. 96
 
 AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT
 EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 1923
 Union
 
 and
 
 SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION,
 HEADQUARTERS, BUREAUS AND OFFICES
 Activity
 
                                            Case No. O-AR-239
 
                                 DECISION
 
    This matter is before the Authority on exceptions to the award of
 Arbitrator Leroy S. Merrifield filed by the Agency under section 7122(a)
 of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (the Statute)
 and part 2425 of the Authority's Rules and Regulations.
 
    This matter concerns the performance by the grievant, a section
 secretary, GS-4, of the duties of the position of branch secretary,
 GS-5, for a total period of over 80 days in a rotating detail during
 which she never served for more than 30 consecutive calendar days in the
 position.  The grievant filed a grievance claiming that she had been
 detailed to the branch secretary position for a period that exceeded 30
 calendar days and that under Article 17, Section (C)(3) of the parties'
 collective bargaining agreement /1/ she was entitled to have been paid
 at the GS-5 rate for the cumulative period of her detail.  The Activity
 denied the grievance because the grievant had not served more than 30
 consecutive calendar days in the branch secretary position, and the
 grievance was submitted to arbitration on the issue of whether the
 Activity had violated the agreement by denying the grievant a temporary
 promotion and backpay.
 
    The Arbitrator ruled that the collective bargaining agreement did not
 require a detail to a higher grade position for 30 calendar days or more
 to be consecutive days in order for the employee to be entitled to be
 paid at the higher rate.  Accordingly, the Arbitrator awarded as
 follows:
 
          1.  The employer violated the collective agreement by denying a
       temporary promotion and