National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 66 (Union) and Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Kansas City Service Center, Kansas City, Missouri (Activity)
[ v02 p320 ]
02:0320(40)NG
The decision of the Authority follows:
2 FLRA No. 40
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION,
CHAPTER 66
(Union)
and
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY,
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE,
KANSAS CITY SERVICE CENTER,
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
(Activity)
Case No. 0-NG-100
DECISION ON NEGOTIABILITY APPEAL
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION CHAPTER 66 (THE UNION) IS THE
EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE OF A UNIT OF EMPLOYEES AT THE KANSAS CITY
SERVICE CENTER OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (THE ACTIVITY). THE
UNION AND THE ACTIVITY ARE PARTIES TO A MULTI-CENTER COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT WHICH PROVIDES, IN PART, THAT UNIT EMPLOYEES WILL
BE RANKED FOR PROMOTION ON THE BASIS OF SEVERAL "EVALUATION FACTORS"
PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED BY MANAGEMENT, TO WHICH FACTORS WILL BE APPLIED
"WEIGHTS" PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED BY MANAGEMENT, TO WHICH FACTORS WILL BE
APPLIED "WEIGHTS" PREVIOUSLY NEGOTIATED WITH THE UNION. THE AGREEMENT
ALSO PROVIDES, IN ARTICLE 6, SECTION 7(G), THAT "(I)F THE EMPLOYER
ELECTS TO CHANGE THE EVALUATION FACTORS, HE SHALL NOTIFY THE UNION," AND
THAT "(I)F THE UNION INDICATES A DESIRE TO NEGOTIATE WEIGHTS FOR THE
REVISED EVALUATION FACTORS, NEGOTIATIONS WILL BEGIN AS SOON AS
PRACTICABLE."
THE ACTIVITY NOTIFIED THE UNION THAT IT INTENDED TO CHANGE THE
EVALUATION FACTORS FOR THE GS-592-8 TAX EXAMINER WORKING LEADER
POSITION, WHEREUPON THE UNION REQUESTED TO NEGOTIATE THE WEIGHTS
ASSIGNED TO THOSE FACTORS. THE ACTIVITY DECLINED TO NEGOTIATE, ALLEGING
THAT THE UNION'S REQUEST "CONCERNS MANAGEMENT'S RIGHT TO DIRECT OR
ASSIGN WORK TO ITS EMPLOYEES WHICH IS EXCLUDED FROM THE OBLIGATION TO
BARGAIN" UNDER SECTION 7106(A)(2)(A) AND (B) OF THE STATUTE AND
ADDITIONALLY ALLEGING THAT SUCH EVALUATION FACTORS AND THE WEIGHTS
ASSIGNED THEM WERE OUTSIDE THE DUTY TO BARGAIN UNDER SECTION 7117.
THE UNION THEN FILED ITS PETITION FOR REVIEW WITH THE AUTHORITY,
ASSERTING PRINCIPALLY THAT "THE RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE IS SPECIFICALLY
GRANTED BY ARTICLE 6, SECTION 7(G) OF THE (PARTIES') COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT." HOWEVER, THE UNION'S PETITION FOR REVIEW NEITHER
IDENTIFIED THE WEIGHTS WHICH IT SOUGHT TO APPLY TO THE EVALUATION
FACTORS IN THIS CASE NOR DID IT OTHERWISE SET FORTH ANY SPECIFIC
PROPOSAL FOR NEGOTIATION.
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE UNION'S PETITION FOR REVIEW DISCLOSED
CERTAIN DEFICIENCIES IN MEETING THE AUTHORITY'S APPLICABLE RULES OF
PROCEDURE.
ACCORDINGLY, THE UNION WAS ADVISED BY AUTHORITY LETTER OF JULY 13,
1979, THAT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ITS PETITION FAILED TO "INCLUDE A
STATEMENT SETTING FORTH THE MATTERS PROPOSED TO BE NEGOTIATED AS
SUBMITTED TO THE AGENCY," AND WAS GRANTED UNTIL AUGUST 1, 1979, TO FILE
WITH THE AUTHORITY ANY ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION CURING THIS DEFICIENCY.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (THE AGENCY) FILED ITS
STATEMENT WITH THE AUTHORITY, DENYING THAT THE ACTIVITY WAS OBLIGATED TO
NEGOTIATE THE WEIGHTS ASSIGNED TO EVALUATION FACTORS, AND THE UNION
FILED A RESPONSE TO THE AGENCY'S STATEMENT. AT NO TIME, HOWEVER, DID
THE UNION RESPOND TO THE AUTHORITY'S JULY 13, 1979, LETTER, NOR DID IT
OTHERWISE INCLUDE IN ITS RESPONSE TO THE AGENCY'S STATEMENT A SPECIFIC
PROPOSAL FOR NEGOTIATION. THE AGENCY HAS NOW FILED A MOTION TO DISMISS
THE UNION'S PETITION, CITING THE UNION'S FAILURE TO SET FORTH A
STATEMENT OF THE MATTERS PROPOSED TO BE NEGOTIATED.
IN ASSOCIATION OF CIVILIAN TECHNICIANS, ALABAMA ACT AND STATE OF
ALABAMA NATIONAL GUARD, CASE NO. O-NG-27, 2 FLRA NO. 39(DECEMBER 28,
1979), REPORT NO. , THE AUTHORITY DECIDED, WITH RESPECT TO A QUESTION
SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL TO THAT PRESENTED HERE, THAT A PETITION WHICH
NEVER PRESENTED A PROPOSAL SUFFICIENTLY SPECIFIC AND DELIMITED IN FORM
AND CONTENT AS TO PERMIT THE AUTHORITY TO RENDER A NEGOTIABILITY
DECISION DID NOT MEET THE CONDITIONS FOR REVIEW. FOR THE REASONS FULLY
SET FORTH IN THAT DECISION, THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT THE INSTANT
PETITION DOES NOT MEET THE CONDITIONS FOR REVIEW PRESCRIBED IN SECTION
7117 OF THE STATUTE AND PART 2424.1 OF THE AUTHORITY'S RULES OF
PROCEDURE, AND MUST, THEREFORE, BE DENIED.
ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 28, 1979
RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN
HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER
LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER
FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY