Article 35
Labor-Management Relations
History

Section 1. Statement of Purpose

The parties recognize that the entrance into a formal collective bargaining agreement is but one act leading toward a constructive labor-management relationship. The success of a labor-management relationship is further assured if a structured forum is established and used by the parties to communicate with each other on matters of mutual concern or interest in the area of conditions of employment.

Section 2. Levels of Consultation and Communication

To promote a constructive labor-management relationship, Local 12 and the Department are committed to establishing and maintaining meaningful consultation and communication between the parties throughout all levels of the Department. Such consultation and communication shall characterize the relationship at every level, from that between the Union steward and the supervisor of the unit where he/she is steward, the Agency's Labor-Management Relations Committee, and the Department's Labor-Management Relations Committee. At each such level, such consultation and communication shall be held at appropriately scheduled meetings, interspersed where needed by special meetings which may be called by either party as appropriate.

In mutual recognition of the parties' joint desire to discuss and resolve issues of concern at the lowest possible level, the Union steward and first-level supervisor should meet periodically for the purpose of meaningful consultation and communication on the problems and policies of the organization in their working unit. Such meetings between supervisors and stewards shall be on duty time, shall be brief, and shall cover matters of concern between them and appropriate to their relationship.

Section 3. DOL Agency Labor-Management Relations Committees

The parties agree to establish a structure for meaningful consultation and communication at the Agency level. Toward this end, Local 12 and the Agency shall each name five (5) permanent members to serve on each Agency Labor-Management Relations Committee. The Agency Labor-Management Relations Committee shall meet at least quarterly, unless agreed to otherwise.

For purposes of the Article, organizational components which are part of the Office of the Secretary shall be considered to be one Agency with the Director of the National Capital Service Center responsible for convening the quarterly Agency Labor-Management Relations Committee meeting. These organizational components shall be defined as including:

- Immediate Office of the Secretary
- Immediate Office of the Deputy Secretary
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (ASP)
- Bureau of Labor-Management Relations and

Cooperative Programs (BLMRCP)

- Benefits Review Board (BRB)
- DOL Academy
- Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB)
- Executive Secretariat
- Office of Administrative Appeals (OAA)
- Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ)
- Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental

Affairs (OCIA)

- Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
- Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business

Utilization (OSDBU)

- Wage Appeals Board (WAB)
- Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
- Women's Bureau

In instances where the issues of concern relate to a specific organizational component, the Director of the National Capital Service Center will arrange for a meeting with the appropriate parties.

Section 4. Department Labor-Management Relations Committee

The parties also agree to establish a structure for meaningful consultation and communication concerning Department-wide issues at the Department level. Toward this end, Local 12 and the Department shall each name five (5) permanent members to serve on a committee which shall be known as the Department Labor-Management Relations Committee. This Committee shall meet at least quarterly.

Section 5. Organizational Changes

a. The Department and Local 12 agree that there shall be meaningful consultation between them on organizational changes.
b. It is the intent of the parties to resolve issues regarding organizational changes at the lowest possible level. When Management is proposing an organizational change that will impact bargaining unit employees, notification will be given to the Chief Steward for the affected Agency. The Chief Steward or his/her designee shall arrange a meeting to consult with the appropriate Management official(s) concerning the proposed changes. Following these consultations, the Union will be provided a copy of the final plan that has been approved by appropriate officials. If there are no outstanding issues, the plan will be implemented. If any subsequent changes to the proposal are made after initial consultations have been completed, further consultations will be conducted.
c. Prior to consultations in 5.b. above, the Department shall furnish the Union copies of the following:

(1) a description of the nature of the change;
(2) organizational charts (old and new);
(3) mission and function statements (old and new);
(4) staffing patterns (old and new) indicating vacancies and changes of personnel;
(5) changes in floor plans;
(6) estimate of future changes; and
(7) such other information as the Union deems necessary for the consultations.

d. Upon receipt of the final approved organizational change, the Union will have five (5) workdays from receipt of the plan to request negotiations. Such negotiations shall be conducted in accord with the provisions of Article 36.
e. Where an organizational change affects more than one Agency, consultations and negotiations, if necessary, shall be conducted at the Departmental level.

Section 6. Impact Bargaining

Nothing in this Article shall be construed to preclude impact bargaining on matters covered in 5 U.S.C. 7106.