34:0234(47)AR - NAVAL PLANT REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE and NAGE, LOCAL R1-143 -- 1986 FLRAdec AR

 34 FLRA NO. 47


               NAVAL PLANT REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE

                              and

          NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
                          LOCAL R1-143

                           0-AR-1648

			   DECISION

    		        January 11, 1990

     Before Chairman McKee and Members Talkin and Armendariz.

I. Statement of the Case

     This matter is before the Authority on an exception to the
award of Arbitrator Roger I. Abrams. The Arbitrator found that
the grievance over an employee's reassignment was filed untimely
and, therefore, was not arbitrable.

     The National Association of Government Employees, Local
R1-143 (the Union) filed an exception to the award under section
7122(a) of the Federal Service Labor - Management Relations
Statute (the Statute) and part 2425 of the Authority's Rules and
Regulations. The Naval Plant Representative Office (the Agency or
NAVPRO) did not file an opposition to the Union's exception.

     For the reasons discussed below, we conclude that the
Union's exception provides no basis for finding the award
deficient. Accordingly, we deny the exception.

II. Background and Arbitrator's Award

     In 1987, the grievant learned of the possible consolidation
of his position as Quality Assurance Specialist with an
Industrial Specialist position. Award at 6-7. The new position
was to be called Engineering Technician. Id. at 7. The
grievant informed the Agency that he strongly disagreed with the
proposed position change.

     On November 10, 1987, a NAVPRO Commander met with the
grievant and "officially apprised (the grievant) of his new
position as an Engineering Technician." Id. Thereafter, the
grievant went on leave and did not receive a written
"Notification of Personnel Action Form" regarding the position
change until he returned on December 18, 1987. Id. a