34:0237(48)AR - PANAMA CANAL COMMISSION and PANAMA AREA METAL TRADES COUNCIL -- 1990 FLRAdec AR

 34 FLRA NO. 48



                    PANAMA CANAL COMMISSION

                              and

               PANAMA AREA METAL TRADES COUNCIL

                           0-AR-1579

			     DECISION

   			 January 12, 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 Jack Clarke. The Arbitrator denied the
grievance, which contested management's refusal to pay the
grievant overtime compensation.

     The Panama Area Metal Trades Council (the Union) filed an
exception to the Arbitrator's 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 Panama Canal Commission (the Agency) filed an opposition to
the exception.

     For the reasons discussed below, the Union's exception is
denied.

II. Background

     The grievant is a time and leave clerk at the Agency. In
1987, July 4, was a Saturday and the Federal holiday was observed
on Friday, July 3. Prior to the holiday, the grievant submitted a
routing slip to her supervisor questioning whether she was to be
scheduled to work on Friday, July 3. If the grievant was
scheduled to work on the Federal holiday (July 3), she would
receive holiday additional compensation (HAC). 

     An "Overtime Request" form was prepared and approved for the
grievant. The work to be performed was described on the form as
follows: "To close out time cards for pay period #13. July
3--Friday--is a holiday." Arbitrator's Award at 5. The preprinted
word "Overtime" on the form was changed to "Holiday Addt. Comp."
which referred to holiday additional compensation. The following
was entered in the space provided for the date: "7/4/87". Id.

     After the form h