15:0987(183)CA - Navy, Norfolk Naval Base and AFGE Local 2225 -- 1984 FLRAdec CA

 15 FLRA No. 183
 
 DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
 NORFOLK NAVAL BASE
 Respondent
 
 and
 
 AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT
 EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 2225
 Charging Party
 
                                            Case No. 43-CA-2095
 
                            DECISION AND ORDER
 
    This matter is before the Authority pursuant to the Regional
 Director's "Order Transferring Case to the Federal Labor Relations
 Authority" in accordance with section 2429.1(a) of the Authority's Rules
 and Regulations.
 
    Upon consideration of the entire record, including the stipulation of
 facts, accompanying exhibits, and the parties' contentions, the
 Authority finds:
 
    It is alleged that the Respondent, Norfolk Naval Base, violated
 section 7116(a)(1) of the Statute /1/ when its Security Department
 engaged in the surveillance of employees by taking notes of employees
 while they were engaged in lawful informational picketing on behalf of
 the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Local 2225
 (AFGE).  It is alleged that such acts interfered with, restrained and
 coerced employees in the exercise of rights guaranteed by the Statute.
 
    The employees in question are employed by the Naval Air Station,
 Norfolk, Virginia, a tenant activity of the Respondent.  As a host
 activity, the Respondent provides, inter alia, a broad range of
 customary police services for the entire Norfolk Naval Base and the
 adjacent Naval Air Station.  Included among the routine duties of the
 police is the investigation of reported picketing of the Naval Base.
 /2/ Picketing in support of various causes or in protest of various
 matters such as national defense policies, the presence of nuclear
 warships at the Naval Base, and labor disputes between private
 contractors and contract personnel occurs relatively often at the base.
 
    Investigation by the police of picketing is usually car