[ v09 p143 ]
09:0143(17)RO
The decision of the Authority follows:
9 FLRA No. 17 FORT BUCHANAN INSTALLATION CLUB MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO Activity and CONGRESO DE UNIONES INDUSTRIALES DE PUERTO RICO Labor Organization/Petitioner Case No. 2-RO-42 DECISION AND DIRECTION OF ELECTION UPON A PETITION DULY FILED UNDER SECTION 7111(B)(1) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (THE STATUTE), A HEARING WAS HELD BEFORE A HEARING OFFICER OF THE AUTHORITY. /1/ 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. UPON THE ENTIRE RECORD IN THIS CASE, THE AUTHORITY FINDS: THE PETITIONER SEEKS TO REPRESENT A UNIT OF CURRENTLY UNREPRESENTED NONAPPROPRIATED FUND EMPLOYEES OF THE FORT BUCHANAN INSTALLATION CLUB MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ACTIVITY), CONSTITUTING ESSENTIALLY ALL NONPROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES OF THE ACTIVITY. THE PARTIES AGREE, AND IN THE ABSENCE OF CONTRAVENING EVIDENCE THE AUTHORITY FINDS, THAT THE UNIT SOUGHT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXCLUSIVE RECOGNITION UNDER SECTION 7112(A)(1) OF THE STATUTE. /2/ THE ONLY QUESTION HEREIN IS WHETHER ON-CALL AND/OR SCHEDULED INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE UNIT. THE ACTIVITY TAKES THE POSITION THAT NO INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES SHARE THE SAME PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PRACTICES OR WORKING CONDITIONS WITH REGULAR PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND THAT INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES HAVE NO REASONABLE EXPECTANCY OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT AT THE ACTIVITY. THE PETITIONER CONTENDS THAT THE INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES SHARE A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST WITH REGULAR PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, THAT THEY HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTANCY OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT, AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE UNIT. THE RECORD REVEALS THAT ON-CALL INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES WORK WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED BY THE ACTIVITY AND THAT SCHEDULED INTERMITTENTS ARE SCHEDULED TO WORK ON A PAY-PERIOD BY PAY-PERIOD BASIS. NEITHER ON-CALL NOR SCHEDULED INTERMITTENT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE REGULAR FRINGE BENEFITS, AND THEY ARE GOVERNED BY PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PRACTICES SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF REGULAR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. HOWEVER, THEY PERFORM SIMILAR WORK, RECEIVE THE SAME TRAINING AND SUPERVISION, AND WORK IN THE SAME LOCATIONS AS REGULAR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND, LIKE THE REGULAR EMPLOYEES, ARE HOURLY PAID. IN ADDITION, WHILE THERE ARE GENERAL STATEMENTS IN THE RECORD INDICATING SOME QUESTION AS TO THE REASONABLE EXPECTANCY OF THE INTERMITTENTS' CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT, THE ACTIVITY'S EXHIBIT NO. 38 INDICATES OTHERWISE. THUS, ACCORDING TO THIS EXHIBIT WHICH WAS COMPILED BY THE ACTIVITY FROM ITS PAYROLL RECORDS SHORTLY BEFORE THE HEARING, AND COVERS AT LEAST A SIX-MONTH PERIOD, OF APPROXIMATELY 77 EMPLOYEES IN THE TWO INTERMITTENT CATEGORIES, MOST (MORE THAN 40) HAD BEEN WORKING FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD AND, OF THE REMAINDER, ALL BUT 10 RECENT HIRES HAD BEEN WORKING CONSISTENTLY FOR AT LEAST THE PRECEDING SEVERAL MONTHS. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THESE EMPLOYEES HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTANCY OF CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT AND A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST WITH REGULAR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, AND THAT THEIR INCLUSION IN THE PETITIONED FOR UNIT WILL PROMOTE EFFECTIVE DEALINGS WITH, AND EFFICIENCY OF THE OPERATIONS OF, THE AGENCY. SEE ARMY AND AIR FORCE EXCHANGE SERVICE, PANAMA AREA EXCHANGE, 7 FLRA NO. 76 (1981). BASED ON THE FOREGOING, THE AUTHORITY FINDS THAT THE FOLLOWING UNIT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXCLUSIVE RECOGNITION WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE STATUTE: ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE FORT BUCHANAN PUERTO RICO CLUB MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, EXCLUDING ALL PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, SUPERVISOR, CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN FEDERAL PERSONNEL WORK OTHER THAN IN A PURELY CLERICAL CAPACITY, EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN ADMINISTERING THE STATUTE, EMPLOYEES ENGAGED IN INTELLIGENCE OR OTHER SECURITY WORK DIRECTLY AFFECTING NATIONAL SECURITY, AND EMPLOYEES PRIMARILY ENGAGED IN INVESTIGATION OR AUDIT FUNCTIONS RELATED TO THE INTERNAL SECURITY OR INTEGRITY OF THE AGENCY AS DESCRIBED IN 5 USC 7112(B)(2), (3), (4), (6) AND (7). DIRECTION OF ELECTION AN ELECTION BY SECRET BALLOT SHALL BE CONDUCTED AMONG THE EMPLOYEES IN THE UNIT DESCRIBED ABOVE AS SOON AS FEASIBLE. THE APPROPRIATE REGIONAL DIRECTOR SHALL SUPERVISE OR CONDUCT THE ELECTION, AS APPROPRIATE, SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY'S RULES AND REGULATIONS. ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ARE THOSE IN THE VOTING GROUP 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 HAVE 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 ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY DESIRE TO BE REPRESENTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXCLUSIVE RECOGNITION BY THE CONGRESO DE UNIONES INDUSTRIALES DE PUERTO RICO. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 23, 1982 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY --------------- FOOTNOTES$ --------------- /1/ UPON A MOTION BY THE PETITIONER, AN AGREEMENT FOR CONSENT OR DIRECTED ELECTION WAS RESCINDED BY THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR BASED ON HIS FINDING THAT SUBSTANTIAL AND MATERIAL ISSUES OF FACT EXISTED CONCERNING THE ELIGIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY THE ACTIVITY ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. /2/ SECTION 7112(A)(1) OF THE STATUTE PROVIDES: SEC. 7112. DETERMINATION OF APPROPRIATE UNITS FOR LABOR ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATION (A)(1) THE AUTHORITY SHALL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF ANY UNIT. THE AUTHORITY SHALL DETERMINE IN EACH CASE WHETHER, IN ORDER TO ENSURE EMPLOYEES THE FULLEST FREEDOM IN EXERCISING THE RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THIS CHAPTER, THE APPROPRIATE UNIT SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED ON AN AGENCY, PLANT, INSTALLATION, FUNCTIONAL, OR OTHER BASIS AND SHALL DETERMINE ANY UNIT TO BE AN APPROPRIATE UNIT ONLY IF THE DETERMINATION WILL ENSURE A CLEAR AND IDENTIFIABLE COMMUNITY OF INTEREST AMONG THE EMPLOYEES IN THE UNIT AND WILL PROMOTE EFFECTIVE DEALINGS WITH, AND EFFICIENCY OF THE OPERATIONS OF, THE AGENCY INVOLVED.