[ v04 p229 ]
04:0229(35)RO
The decision of the Authority follows:
4 FLRA No. 35 VETERANS ADMINISTRATION MEDICAL CENTER, TUCSON, ARIZONA Activity and AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 495, AFL-CIO Petitioner and NURSES' COMMISSION ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ARIZONA NURSES ASSOCIATION Intervenor Case No. 72-7853(RO) DECISION AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION UPON A PETITION DULY FILED UNDER SECTION 6 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 11491, AS AMENDED, A HEARING WAS HELD BEFORE A HEARING OFFICER OF THE AUTHORITY. THE AUTHORITY HAS REVIEWED THE HEARING OFFICER'S RULINGS MADE AT THE HEARING AND FINDS THAT THEY ARE FREE FROM PREJUDICIAL ERROR. THE RULINGS ARE HEREBY AFFIRMED. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR FOR LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 11491, AS AMENDED, IN THE MATTER OF SUCH AS HERE INVOLVED WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE AUTHORITY UNDER SECTION 304 OF REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 2 OF 1978 (43 F.R. 36040), WHICH TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS IS IMPLEMENTED BY SECTION 2400.2 OF THE AUTHORITY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS (5 CFR 2400.2). THE AUTHORITY CONTINUES TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE FUNCTIONS AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 7135(B) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (92 STAT. 1215). UPON THE ENTIRE RECORD IN THIS CASE, INCLUDING BRIEFS SUBMITTED BY THE PARTIES, THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY FINDS: THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 495 FILED THE PETITION HEREIN, SEEKING TO REPRESENT A PREVIOUSLY RECOGNIZED UNIT OF THE PROFESSIONAL REGISTERED NURSES. THE NURSES' COMMISSION ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ARIZONA NURSES ASSOCIATION, THE CURRENT EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNIT, INTERVENED. AT THE HEARING, THE PARTIES DISPUTED THE ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN NURSES WHO WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE UNIT. THE DISPUTED CLASSIFICATIONS WERE: NURSING HOME CARE UNIT SUPERVISOR, NURSING CASE SUPERVISORS, OPERATING ROOM HEAD NURSE, AND WARD HEAD NURSE. THE REASON FOR THE DISPUTE IS THE CHANGED DEFINITION OF SUPERVISOR IN SECTION 7103(A)(10) OF THE STATUTE. THE ISSUE CONCERNING THE ELIGIBILITY OF THE DISPUTED EMPLOYEES WAS SUBSEQUENTLY RESOLVED IN A RELATED CASE, VETERANS ADMINISTRATION MEDICAL CENTER, TUCSON, ARIZONA, CASE NO. 8-CU-14, 4 FLRA NO. 21. IN THAT CASE, THE UNIT WAS CLARIFIED SO AS TO INCLUDE WARD HEAD NURSES, AND EXCLUDE THE NURSING HOME CARE UNIT SUPERVISOR, NURSING CARE SUPERVISORS AND HEAD NURSES-OPERATING AND RECOVERY ROOM. AS CLARIFIED, THE UNIT IS NOW DESCRIBED AS: ALL PROFESSIONAL REGISTERED NURSES, INCLUDING WARD HEAD NURSES, EMPLOYED AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL, TUCSON, ARIZONA, EXCLUDING ALL OTHER PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES; NON-PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES; MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS; SUPERVISORS; EMPLOYEES CLASSIFIED AS NURSE ANESTHETIST, NURSING HOME CARE UNIT SUPERVISOR; NURSING CARE SUPERVISOR; HEAD NURSE-OPERATING AND RECOVERY ROOM; AND EMPLOYEES DESCRIBED IN 5 U.S.C. 7112(B)(2), (3), (4), (6) AND (7). NOTING THAT THE ONLY ISSUE RAISED BY THE PARTIES WAS THE ABOVE-NOTED ELIGIBILITY ISSUE, AND THAT THE PARTIES STIPULATED THAT THE EXISTING BARGAINING UNIT IS APPROPRIATE, THE AUTHORITY FINDS THE UNIT, AS CLARIFIED, IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXCLUSIVE RECOGNITION UNDER THE EXECUTIVE ORDER. ACCORDINGLY, THE AUTHORITY WILL DIRECT AN ELECTION. /1/ DIRECTION OF ELECTION AN ELECTION BY SECRET BALLOT SHALL BE CONDUCTED BY EMPLOYEES IN THE UNIT FOUND APPROPRIATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT NOT LATER THAN 60 DAYS FROM THE DATE BELOW. THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR SHALL SUPERVISE THE ELECTION, SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS. ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ARE THOSE IN THE UNIT WHO WERE EMPLOYED DURING THE PAYROLL PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE BELOW, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES WHO DID NOT WORK DURING THAT PERIOD BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT ILL, OR ON VACATION, OR ON FURLOUGH, INCLUDING THOSE IN THE MILITARY SERVICE WHO APPEAR IN PERSON AT THE POLLS. INELIGIBLE TO VOTE ARE EMPLOYEES WHO QUIT OR WERE DISCHARGED FOR CAUSE SINCE THE DESIGNATED PAYROLL PERIOD AND WHO HAVE NOT BEEN REHIRED OR REINSTATED BEFORE THE ELECTION DATE. THOSE ELIGIBLE SHALL VOTE WHETHER THEY DESIRE TO BE REPRESENTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXCLUSIVE RECOGNITION BY THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 495, BY THE NURSES' COMMISSION ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, ARIZONA NURSES ASSOCIATION; OR, BY NEITHER LABOR ORGANIZATION. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 19, 1980 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE COPIES OF THE DECISION AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION OF THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY IN THE SUBJECT CASE PROCEEDING HAVE THIS DAY BEEN SENT TO THE PARTIES BELOW: MR. RICHARD H. WEBSTER AFGE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE P.O. BOX 14385 PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85063 MS. BETTY MCCARVER, R.N. ARIZONA NURSES ASSOCIATION 4525 NORTH 12TH STREET PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85104 G. V. MORTON VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL TUCSON, ARIZONA 85723 MR. ROBERT MCDONALD 810 VERMONT AVENUE (058B) WASHINGTON, D.C. 20420 CONGRESSMAN MORRIS K. UDALL 235 CANNON HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515 ATTN: MS. BETHMINSTER MR. GORDON E. BREWER REGIONAL DIRECTOR FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY CITY CENTER SQUARE, SUITE 680 1100 MAIN STREET KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64105 --------------- FOOTNOTES$ --------------- /1/ IN CONFORMITY WITH SECTION 902(B) OF THE CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ACT OF 1978 (92 STAT. 1224), THE INSTANT CASE WAS DECIDED SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF E.O. 11491, AS AMENDED, AND AS IF THE NEW FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (92 STAT. 1191) HAD NOT BEEN ENACTED. THE DECISION AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION DOES NOT PREJUDGE IN ANY MANNER EITHER THE MEANING OR APPLICATION OF RELATED PROVISIONS IN THE NEW STATUTE OR THE RESULT WHICH WOULD BE REACHED BY THE AUTHORITY IF THE CASE HAD ARISEN UNDER THE STATUTE RATHER THAN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.