19:0673(84)NG - VA Local 1151, AFGE and VA -- 1985 FLRAdec NG

 19 FLRA No. 84
 
 VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
 LOCAL 1151, AMERICAN FEDERATION
 OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO
 Union
 
 and
 
 VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
 Agency
 
                                            Case No. O-NG-1067
 
                 DECISION AND ORDER ON NEGOTIABILITY ISSUE
 
    The petition for review in this case comes before the Federal Labor
 Relations Authority (the Authority) pursuant to section 7105(a)(2)(E) of
 the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (the Statute),
 and raises an issue concerning the negotiability of the following Union
 proposal:
 
          The activity should make necessary adjustments in the
       performance standards for veterans claims examiners in the
       affected units (rating specialists assuming unit chiefs' roles
       with little or no technical expertise), including serious
       consideration of even a suspension of the performance standards
       for these employees.
 
    Upon careful consideration of the entire record, /1/ the Authority
 makes the following determination.  It is well established that
 proposals which require negotiations concerning the establishment and
 content of performance standards are inconsistent with management's
 rights to assign, work and direct employees pursuant to section
 7106(a)(2)(A) and (B) of the Statute.  /2/ In this regard, the Authority
 finds that the proposal here in dispute seeks to negotiate on the
 content of performance standards themselves.  That is, this proposal
 requires performance standards of veterans claims examiners to be
 adjusted in the circumstances where rating board specialists are
 detailed to positions involving supervising veterans claims examiners
 because, in the Union's view, rating board specialists do not have the
 necessary expertise in veterans claims examination work.  Contrary to
 the Union's claims that the proposal only requires the Agency to "give
 serious consideratio