FLRA is offering parties an opportunity to provide input to both its prospective Guide to Negotiability and negotiability training materials. The author suggests that Agencies review these materials and provide input as training dollars are scarce and field activities and offices may rely on the information provided. Act quickly, the offer expires May 7, 2013.
The MSPB appears to have thrown a seminal decision into doubt in second guessing a deciding official who had considered the “Douglas Factors”.
Have you ever listened to someone give a presentation or state a particular view and leave out a critical piece of information? The Author suggests that perhaps FLRA’s General Counsel’s bias was showing in a recent presentation on Furloughs and Agencies need to take it with a big block of salt.
In a reversal of 30 years of precedent and, arguably the view of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, the MSPB has changed its case law on an Agency’s obligations in removing employees when the employee refuses a directed reassignment. The author points out that this Board appears on a mission to limit agency discretion despite history and precedent.
The NY Post published a piece recently quoting a Federal union official to the effect that there would be payback for any problems caused by sequestration. The Author suggests the Post get a grip on its reporting and that Federal unions might just want to read up on the law and some ancient history.
The author raises some questions about the validity of this year’s official time report.
Rumor has it that union official time cuts may be on the table in sequestration negotiations. Rep. Gingrey (R-GA) has a bill on the floor claiming to do just that, however, it may not.
The current Chair of the Federal Labor Relations Authority is likely to be nominated by the President for another term in that job. The author poses some questions that some senator might ask if there is a confirmation hearing.
Why has Carol Waller Pope disappeared from the FLRA web site? The author offers an explanation.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority’s decision binding Agency Inspectors General to negotiated investigation procedures will apparently make it into the courts. The FLRA decision, if it stands, actually has much broader potential impact than initially apparent. The author asks where the FLRA’s own IG is on such matters.
