[ v06 p693 ]
06:0693(118)NG
The decision of the Authority follows:
6 FLRA No. 118 NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION (Union) and DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. (Agency) Case No. O-NG-248 DECISION AND ORDER ON NEGOTIABILITY APPEAL THE PETITION FOR REVIEW IN THIS CASE COMES BEFORE THE FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO SECTION 7105(A)(2)(E) OF THE FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS STATUTE (THE STATUTE). THE RECORD INDICATES THAT, ON AUGUST 13, 1979, THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) ISSUED CIRCULAR NO. A-118, WHICH ESTABLISHED A GOVERNMENT-WIDE PAID PARKING PROGRAM FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTED THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (GSA) TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM. ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1979, GSA ISSUED FPMR TEMPORARY REGULATION D-65 (44 FED.REG. 53161), WHICH PRESCRIBED PROCEDURES FOR THE ASSIGNMENT OF PARKING SPACES AND THE ASSESSMENT OF FEES. THEREAFTER, THE AGENCY SUBMITTED TO THE UNION A DRAFT DIRECTIVE IMPLEMENTING THE PARKING POLICY ESTABLISHED ON OMB CIRCULAR A-1D1 DURING RELATED NEGOTIATIONS, THE AGENCY ALLEGED THAT FOUR OF THE UNION PROPOSALS (SET FORTH IN AN APPENDIX HERETO), WHICH ATTEMPTED TO EXEMPT CERTAIN GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES FROM PARKING FEES, WERE NONNEGOTIABLE ON THE GROUND THAT THE PROPOSALS CONFLICTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-WIDE REGULATION. THE UNION FILED AN APPEAL WITH THE AUTHORITY UNDER SECTION 7117 OF THE STATUTE, AND THE AGENCY FILED A STATEMENT OF POSITION IN WHICH IT ESSENTIALLY REASSERTED THAT THE DISPUTED PROPOSALS WERE INCONSISTENT WITH OMB CIRCULAR A-118 AND/OR FPMR TEMPORARY REGULATION D-65 AND HENCE WERE NONNEGOTIABLE. WHILE THIS APPEAL WAS PENDING BEFORE THE AUTHORITY, THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RULED THAT THE PAID PARKING PLAN, AS EMBODIED IN OMB CIRCULAR A-118, WAS INVALID AND THUS DID NOT CONVEY ANY AUTHORITY TO THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (GSA) TO ISSUE A GSA REGULATION IMPOSING FEES FOR PREVIOUSLY FREE PARKING. SINCE THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT ORDERED THAT THE GSA REGULATION BE SET ASIDE AND ITS ENFORCEMENT PERMANENTLY ENJOINED, /1/ GSA HAS REVISED THE REGULATION TO SUSPEND THE COLLECTION OF PARKING FEES AT THIS TIME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INJUNCTION. /2/ INASMUCH AS THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT HAS DECLARED THE GSA PARKING FEE REGULATION IMPLEMENTING OMB CIRCULAR A-118 TO BE INVALID AND HAS PERMANENTLY ENJOINED ITS ENFORCEMENT, AND INASMUCH AS THE REGULATION IS NOT BEING EFFECTUATED AT THIS TIME IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INJUNCTION, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE NEGOTIABILITY ISSUES RAISED WITH RESPECT TO THE DISPUTED PROPOSALS INVOLVED IN THE INSTANT APPEAL HAVE BEEN RENDERED MOOT. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED THAT THE UNION'S APPEAL BE DISMISSED, WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE APPROPRIATE RENEWAL OF ITS CONTENTION THAT THE MATTERS IN DISPUTE, AS PROPOSED TO BE NEGOTIATED, ARE NEGOTIABLE UNDER THE STATUTE SHOULD THE INJUNCTION AGAINST THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE GSA PARKING FEE REGULATION SUBSEQUENTLY BE REMOVED. ISSUED, WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPTEMBER 25, 1981 RONALD W. HAUGHTON, CHAIRMAN HENRY B. FRAZIER III, MEMBER LEON B. APPLEWHAITE, MEMBER FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY APPENDIX UNION PROPOSALS 1. ALL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO REGULARLY ROTATING SHIFTS WHICH FROM TIME TO TIME DO START AND END OUTSIDE THE NORMAL CUSTOMS SERVICE EIGHT HOUR WORKING DAY SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE INSTITUTION OF PARKING FEES EXCEPT EMPLOYEES ON FLEXI-TIME OR OVERTIME. 2. ANY EMPLOYEE WHO IS REQUIRED TO WORK ON A WEEKEND DURING ANY MONTH OF THE YEAR SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE INSTITUTION OF PARKING FEES DURING SUCH MONTH. 3. ANY EMPLOYEE WHOSE WORK WEEK REGULARLY INCLUDES THE WEEKEND SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE INSTITUTION OF PARKING FEES. 4. ANY CUSTOMS EMPLOYEE WHO UTILIZES HIS/HER POV 12 OR MORE WORKDAYS PER MONTH FOR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS FOR WHICH THE CUSTOMS EMPLOYEE RECEIVES REIMBURSEMENT FOR MILEAGE AND PARKING FEES UNDER GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM THE INSTITUTION OF PARKING FEES DURING SUCH MONTH. --------------- FOOTNOTES: --------------- /1/ THE AUTHORITY TAKES NOTE OF THE FACT THAT THE INJUNCTION ORDERED BY THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT IN AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, ET AL. V. FREEMAN, 510 F.SUPP. 596 (D.D.C. 1981), IS CURRENTLY BEING APPEALED, APPEAL DOCKETED, NO. 81-1244 (D.C. CIR. APR. 24, 1981). IN THIS REGARD, GSA TWICE SOUGHT A STAY OF THE PERMANENT INJUNCTION PENDING THE APPEAL, FIRST WITH THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHICH MOTION WAS DENIED BY MEM. ORDER IN CIV. NO. 79-2955 (D.D.C. MAR. 6, 1981) AND THEN WITH THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT, WHICH MOTION WAS DENIED BY ORDER IN NO. 81-1244 (D.C. CIR. MAR. 13, 1981). /2/ 46 F.R. 40191(1981).