FLRA NEWS

FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY · WASHINGTON, DC · 20424

January 16, 1996 · PR 102-96
Contact: Helenann Hirsch
202-482-6500

Continuing its efforts to lower costs without compromising customer service, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) today announced that it closed its sub-regional offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio, effective January 12, 1996.

The FLRA will maintain its seven regional offices in Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver and San Francisco. Services provided by the Philadelphia and Cleveland sub-regional offices will continue to be provided by the FLRA's Boston and Chicago Regional Offices.

"The FLRA is dedicated to both efficiently and effectively serving federal agencies, unions and the employees they represent," said FLRA Chair Phyllis Segal. "These actions allow us to achieve overhead efficiencies and reallocate our resources to best serve the needs of our customers."

General Counsel Swerdzewski, who has statutory responsibilities over the FLRA's regional offices, confirmed that "the investigation, litigation and resolution of unfair labor practice and representation cases and other services will not be impacted by the closures. The FLRA's regional offices will continue to provide timely and constructive dispute resolution services to the parties."

The Federal Labor Relations Authority is an independent agency that administers the labor-management relations program for over 2.1 million Federal employees world-wide, over 1.3 million of whom are exclusively represented in more than 2,500 bargaining units. The FLRA fulfills its mission through three major operational components: the Authority -- the three-member quasi-judicial body; the Office of General Counsel -- the independent investigative and prosecutorial component; and the Federal Service Impasses Panel -- the independent body that resolves negotiation impasses. The FLRA's seven regional offices, which are under the direction and supervision of the FLRA's General Counsel, investigate, settle and prosecute unfair labor practice charges, process representation petitions and supervise elections. Last year, the FLRA closed its two other sub-regional offices located in California and New York.