Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA), established into law a system for Federal employees to elect a labor union to serve as their bargaining agent and to represent them in matters related to working conditions. This portion of the CSRA is referred to as the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute - or the Statute.

Although most local unions are nationally affiliated, its leaders are members of your installation's work force and have been elected to office by their peers.

The Statute requires supervisors to deal only with the Union on conditions of employment. This means that you cannot negotiate or discuss personnel policies, practices or working conditions directly with your employees. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in overturning the action you have taken until the requirement to deal with the Union has been satisfied.