The New Federal Labor Relations Authority: Ten Suggestions that Might Really Improve Federal Collective Bargaining

FLRA has a new website and, according to its Chairman, a new “season” based on “Revitalization, Reinvention, and Re-engagement”. Her message is the keynote on the cosmetically altered site. Taking on the prior Authority (of which she was a member) claiming it’s “performance, along with employee morale, had suffered” and sounding a lot like Al Gore, she wants to reinvent the FLRA but how she plans to do so is a bit hazy.

Working with the ‘Covered By’ Doctrine: Making Management’s Obligations in Federal Labor Relations a Little Lighter

The exact origins of the current “Covered By” Doctrine are somewhat shrouded in the fog of early 1990s case law. Now that this doctrine has been fleshed out by subsequent FLRA and Court decisions, the author asks if it’s time for agency management to look at and, perhaps, take advantage of the opportunities the case law offers.

AFGE Attacks FLRA General Counsel (GC) Over Proposed Changes

The vast majority of unfair labor practice allegations are filed by unions against agencies. Determining the winner or loser in these cases often depends on getting information and who has the power to get the information. Proposed changes to the regulations have generated a response from the largest federal employee union. Here is a summary and observations from an experienced labor relations professional who worked for several agencies.