FLRA NEWS

FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY · WASHINGTON, DC · 20424

December 18, 1996 · PR 122-96
Contact: Helenann Hirsch
202-482-6500

FLRA General Counsel Joseph Swerdzewski today issued a unit certification check-list for customers to use to help ensure that their bargaining relationship remains stable, and also issued guidance to the FLRA Regional Directors about how to identify and correct certification issues.

The check-list, presented in an easy-to-read format, asks unions and agencies a series of questions about their relationship, such as whether the the agency acquired any grouping of employees from another agency. If the parties answer "yes" to any of the listed questions, they are instructed to contact an FLRA Regional Office for assistance.

In issuing the check-list and guidance, General Counsel Swerdzewski emphasized that "making sure certifications stay up-to-date and accurate is an important preventative measure that helps ensure a stable and productive collective bargaining relationship. This is particularly significant during times of government-wide reorganization. We hope the check-list and guidance help promote these goals."

To help the Regional Office provide quick assistance, the check-list also presents the type of information the agency and union should try to gather before the office is contacted. The General Counsel also issued guidance to the Regional Directors explaining the importance of maintaining accurate certifications, giving examples of when an existing certification may become improper and suggesting ways for the Regional Office to resolve certification questions.

The Federal Labor Relations Authority is an independent agency that administers the labor-management relations program for over 1.9 million federal employees world-wide. Only the FLRA may certify a labor organization to act as the exclusive representative of an appropriate unit of employees for collective bargaining or, thereafter, amend a certification or clarify matters relating to employee representation. The Office of General Counsel, through its regional offices, supervises union elections and processes representation petitions. The 3-member Authority resolves representation cases concerning union elections and bargaining unit determinations.

A copy of the check-list is attached. For a copy of the guidance, fax a request to the Office of the General Counsel at (202) 482-6608 or write to the office at 607 14th St., NW, Ste. 210, Washington, D.C. 20424 attention: Certification Guidance.