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**OFFICE OF COMPLIANCE**LA 200, John Adams Building, 100 Second              Street, S.E.              Washington, D.C. 20540-1999
___________________________Plumbers Local 5, United  Association of Journeymen  and Apprentices of the Plumbing  and Pipe Fitting Industry of  the United States and Canada                Petitioner,                                                           Case Nos. 02-LMR-03                    and                                                  02-LMR-05Office of the Architect  of the Capitol,               Employing Office______________________________________________________International Brotherhood of  Electrical Workers, Local 26              Petitioner,                                                           Case Nos. 02-LMR-04                                                                            02-LMR-06Office of the Architect                          Date: October 7, 2002  of the Capitol,              Employing Office___________________________
Before the Board of Directors: Susan S. Robfogel,              Chair; Barbara L. Camens; Alan V. Friedman; Roberta L. Holzwarth;              Barbara Childs Wallace, Members

CONSOLIDATED DECISION OF              THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON NEGOTIABILITY ISSUES

I. Introduction

The petitions for review in each of these four              cases (1) come before the Board of              Directors of the Office of Compliance ("the Board") pursuant to              § 7105(a)(2)(E) of the Federal Service Labor Management Relations              Statute ("FSLMRS"), 5 U.S.C. § 7105(a)(2)(E), as applied by              § 220(c)(1) of the Congressional Accountability Act ("CAA")              2 U.S.C. § 1351(c)(1). Upon careful consideration of the entire              record, including the parties' contentions,               (2) the Board has determined, for reasons set forth below,              that the Unions' proposals contain non-negotiable elements.

II. Statement of the Cases

The Employing Office's ("the Architect") Construction              Management Division utilizes members of the Plumbers' and Electrical              Workers' bargaining units to perform construction work at the Capitol              Hill Campus. The Architect, Plumbers Union and Electrical Workers              Union are negotiating their initial collective bargaining agreement              and this consolidated negotiability dispute arose in that context.              The underlying Union proposals (*02-LMR- 03*, *02-LMR-04*)              would require the Architect, on behalf of each individual bargaining              unit employee, to make pre-tax fringe benefit contributions into              the Unions' employee benefit trust funds (e.g., health & life              insurance, retirement, training, savings). When the Architect declared              those proposals to be non-negotiable the Unions made interim implementation              proposals, ostensibly to maintain the bargaining unit employees'              pay *status quo ante*until the Board decided the underlying              negotiability disputes. The Architect also declared those proposals              to be non-negotiable and the Unions duly filed petitions for review              with the Board (*02-LMR-05, 02 LMR-06*).

Earlier in the bargaining process the Board decided              the parties' negotiability dispute arising from the Unions' proposals              for holiday premium pay. (3) The              Board determined that while the Architect exercised his discretion,              under *5 U.S.C. § 5349*, to adopt Labor Department wage              determinations under the Davis-Bacon Act, that "Davis-Bacon is not              a straitjacket that precludes any bargaining over holiday premium              pay" nor does it foreclose these parties "from negotiating other              components of pay independent of Davis-Bacon". *See Case No. 01-LMR-01*,              at page 16. These Board decisions recognized, as a general matter,              the negotiability of pay and fringe benefit issues between the Architect              and the Plumbers and Electrical Workers Unions. The Board specifically              held, in this regard, as follows:

Pay is a quintessential condition of employment                that is subject to bargaining under the FSLMRS, as the Supreme                Court has so affirmed in *Fort Stewart Schools v. FLRA*,                495 U.S. 641 (1990). However, a pay proposal will be found nonnegotiable                if it falls within one of the above statutory exceptions [ i.e.,                matters that concern conditions of employment, but are inconsistent                with law or regulation, *See 5 U.S.C. § 7117(a)*], which                is often found to be the case because the subject of pay and benefits                is so widely settled by federal law [footnote omitted]. If a pay                proposal involves a matter for which a governing statute leaves                *no*discretion to an employing agency, the matter is deemed                "specifically provided for by Federal statute" and therefore is                excepted from bargaining. *BEP*, 50 FLRA at 682. Similarly,                if a governing statute vests an employing agency with *sole*                and *exclusive* discretion over a matter, a proposal that                subjects the exercise of that discretion to collective bargaining                would e "inconsistent with law." [citation omitted]. Where a proposal                implicates a pay-specific statute or regulation, a careful examination                of the structure, purpose and operation of the statute or regulation                in question is typically required.

*See Case No. 01-LMR-01, at pp., 10-11.*

Accordingly, it is the Board's task to determine              whether the Unions' proposals are consistent with law or regulation,              including reserved management rights under the FSLMRS and the Architect's              specific statutory employment prerogatives.

III. Statutory Genesis for the Unions'              Proposals

The Unions and the Architect all contend that              *Section 133 of the Legislative Branch Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations              Act, (Public Law 107-68)* ("Section 133") is of controlling significance              to the resolution of these cases. Each party submits that *Section              133* supports its respective position. Therefore, it will be              useful to incorporate that statutory provision into this decision.

SEC. 133. (a) LIMITATION- (1) Except as provided                in paragraph (2), none of the funds provided by this Act or any                other Act may be used by the Architect of the Capitol after the                expiration of the 90-day period which begins on the date of the                enactment of this Act to employ any individual as a temporary                employee within a category of temporary employment which does                not provide employees with the same eligibility for life insurance,                health insurance, retirement, and other benefits which is provided                to temporary employees who are hired for a period exceeding 1                year in length.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect                to any of the following individuals:

(A) An individual who is employed under the                Architect of the Capitol Summer Employment Program.

(B) An individual who is hired for a total                of 120 days or less during any 5-year period (excluding any days                in which the individual is employed under the Architect of the                Capitol Summer Employment Program).

(C) An individual employed by the Architect                of the Capitol as a temporary employee as of the date of the enactment                of this Act who exercises in writing, not later than 90 days after                such date, an option offered by the Architect to remain under                the pay system (including benefits) provided for the individual                as of such date.

(D) An individual who becomes employed by the                Architect of the Capitol after the date of enactment of this Act                who exercises in writing, prior to the individual's employment,                an option offered by the Architect to receive pay and benefits                under an alternative system which does not provide the benefits                described in paragraph (1), except that under such an option the                Architect shall be required to provide the individual with the                benefits described in paragraph (1) as soon as the individual's                period of service as a temporary employee exceeds 1 year in length.

(3) Nothing in this subsection may be construed                to require the Architect of the Capitol to provide duplicative                benefits for any employee.

(b) ALLOTMENT AND ASSIGNMENT OF PAY- (1) Section                5525 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the                end the following new sentence: "For purposes of this section,                the term 'agency' includes the Office of the Architect of the                Capitol.

(2) The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall                apply with respect to pay periods beginning on or after the date                of the enactment of this Act.

IV. Proposals in Dispute

A. Underlying Proposals              (4)

The Unions' proposals are essentially identical.              Each Union premised its proposal upon the *Section 133* requirement              to provide covered employees with the same eligibility for life              insurance, health insurance, retirement, and other benefits that              are provided to temporary employees who are hired for a period exceeding              one year in length. The elements of those proposals determined to              be non-negotiable by the Architect are identified below:

Bargaining unit employees who become employed                (5) by the Employer after November 2001, and whose period                of service as a temporary employee does not exceed one year in                length are eligible for the same life insurance, health insurance,                retirement, and other benefits that are provided to temporary                employees of the Employer who are hired for a period exceeding                one year of length.

Bargaining unit employees hereby exercise the                option (6) to receive the alternative                benefits below instead of the federal benefits described above.

Commencing on certain dates the Architect agrees                to pay identified rates for each hour worked by bargaining unit                employees to specified employee benefit Union trust funds.                (7)

Pursuant to the *Internal Revenue Code* the                Architect shall not treat its contributions to the Union employee                benefit trust funds as employee income subject to contributions                or taxes under federal income tax withholding, Social Security                Insurance, or Unemployment Compensation Insurance.                (8)

B. Interim Implementation of Section 133              Proposals

Again, the Unions' proposals are essentially              identical. The elements of those proposals determined non-negotiable              by the Architect are identified below:

Pending the Board's decision on the underlying              negotiability dispute, bargaining unit employees hired on or before              November 12, 2001, shall continue to be paid the Washington, D.C.              Metropolitan Area prevailing wage rate (including fringe benefit              component).

The Unions elect, on behalf of bargaining unit              employees hired after November 12, 2001, to receive the prevailing              wage rate for a period not to exceed one year. After completing              one year of service those employees shall be eligible to participate              in the Federal Employee Retirement System, Federal life insurance,              medical insurance and other benefits afforded employees of the Architect              hired for a period exceeding one year of length, subject to standard              employee deductions for the costs of the benefits.              (9)

V. Positions of the Parties, Analysis and              Conclusions

A. Underlying              Proposals              (10)

**1. Architect's authority to make direct              fringe benefit payments to the Unions' Trust Funds**

Architect's Position

The Architect submits that it lacks authority              to make direct payments to union trust funds and asserts that end              may only be accomplished through voluntary individual employee signed              allotments and assignments of pay. The Architect relies upon two              Comptroller General decisions specifically addressed to the Architect.

Unions' Position

The Unions contend that voluntary employee allotments              are not relevant to their proposals, which instead contemplate direct              Architect payments to union trust funds and not deductions from              individual employee wages. The Unions assert that the cited Comptroller              General decisions do not address the legality of the Architect making              employer contribution to fringe benefit funds.

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

The Comptroller General is charged under *31              U.S.C. § 3529* with issuing binding decisions to disbursing              or certifying officials and heads of agencies on matters involving              the expenditure of appropriated funds, in such situations such as              this. 

In 1977, the Comptroller General was requested              to decide, *inter alia*, whether the Architect had authority              to make fringe benefit contributions for its temporary construction              craft employees directly into employee benefit trust funds administered              by their labor organizations. The Comptroller General concluded              that the Architect lacked legal authority to make such direct payments              to the union trust funds, under 31 U.S.C. § 492(A)(1970), because              Congress had not extended that authority to the Architect. The Comptroller              General also noted that the Architect could not make such payments              through individual employee allotments or assignments because the              allotment statute (5 U.S.C. § 5525) did not at that time encompass              the Architect. The Comptroller General concluded "we are unable              to advise the Architect to make fringe benefit contributions directly              to the trust funds.

*Matter of: Architect of the Capitol Contributions              to Employee Benefit Trust Funds on Behalf of Temporary Employees*,              October 13, 1977, Unpublished, 1977 WL 12008 (Comp. Gen.), B-189,533.

In 2001, in connection with the enactment of              *Section 133 of the Legislative Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations              Act*, the Architect sought the Comptroller General's determination              of its legal authority to make direct payments to union trust funds              on behalf of its temporary employees. The Comptroller General, acknowledging              that *Section 133*brought the Architect under the coverage              of the employee allotment statute, nevertheless concluded that the              Architect could only make such payments to union trust funds on              behalf of temporary employees who individually elected to make allotments              and assignments from their pay to the trust funds. 

*Comptroller General Decision B-289496,*12/21/2001.

The Comptroller General exercised his statutory              authority in determining that the Architect lacked legal authority              to make direct payments to union trust funds absent individual employee              authorizing assignments or allotments. The Comptroller General's              decisions establish that the direct payment provision of the Unions'              proposal conflicts with *Section 133*and *31 U.S.C.*§*492(A)(1970)*. Inasmuch as these binding decisions preclude the              Architect's disbursing officers from making payments directly into              the Unions' trust funds, we find that portion of the proposal to              be non-negotiable.

**2. Unions' proposal for the unions to              elect, on behalf of bargaining unit employees, that they receive              alternative benefits provided by the Architect in lieu of Federal              fringe benefits**

Architect's Position

The Architect contends that the Unions may not              elect on behalf of bargaining unit employees whether, as individuals,              they wish to select an alternative compensation system [i.e., continue              to be paid as prevailing rate employees] or, instead, whether they              wish to receive eligibility for federal fringe benefits. The Architect              maintains that those decisions require individual elections under              *Section 133(a)(2)(c) of the Legislative Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations              Act.*

Unions' Position

The Unions argue that *Section 133* is silent              on whether individual employees must make an election and that the              details of an election are irrelevant to the Congressional policy,              articulated by *Section 133*, that the Architect provide its              temporary employees with eligibility for fringe benefits. The Unions,              citing statutory and case law authority for its entitlement to act              on behalf of bargaining unit employees, state that attempts of the              Architect to deal individually with those employees on the election              of benefits issue would subvert its role of exclusive bargaining              representative. The Unions assert that nothing in *Section 133*suggests that Congress intended to *overrule* those basic              notions of collective bargaining, and they suggest that *Section              133's* individual election provision solely relates to unrepresented              employees.

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

*Section 133(a)(2)(C) & (D)*essentially              exempts from the Architect's obligation to provide temporary employees              with federal fringe benefits:

[for current employees] An individual . . .                who exercises in writing . . . an option offered by the Architect                to remain under the pay system (including benefits) provided for                as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

[for subsequently hired employees] An individual                who becomes employed by the Architect after the date of the enactment                of this Act who exercises in writing, prior to the individual's                employment, an option offered by the Architect to receive pay                and benefits under an alternative system which does not provide                the benefits described in paragraph (1), except that under such                an option the Architect shall be required to provide the individual                with the benefits described in paragraph (1) as soon as the individual's                period of service as a temporary employee exceeds 1 year in length.

In our view, the clear import of this statutory              benefits election language affords individual employees the opportunity              to make a timely written election. The particularized nature of              this election is further emphasized by *Section 133 (b)*, which              introduced to the Architect authority to permit its employees to              make voluntary allotments and assignments of their pay. Such does              not contemplate an exclusive bargaining representative making that              election on behalf of the individual bargaining unit members.

While, as the Unions contend, employing offices              must negotiate with their employees through their exclusive bargaining              representatives, this requirement hinges upon whether a matter constitutes              for the employer a discretionary condition of employment. In addition              to *Section 133,*there are Federal Sector statutes and government-wide              regulations that permit individual employees, not their exclusive              bargaining representatives, to select their fringe benefits. e.g.,              Federal Employee Health Care Insurance (5 U.S.C. § 8905); and              Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (5 U.S.C. §****8702).              Federal employers, like the Architect, are not free to negotiate              over a union proposal, for example, which would permit a union to              select for bargaining unit employees the choices reserved to individual              employees under 5 U.S.C. §§ 8702 and 8905. Yet, the sense              of the Unions' arguments in this matter would imply that collective              bargaining agents could negotiate such elections. 

The cases cited by the Unions in support of their              position are inapposite. Those cases involve federal non-appropriated              fund entities not governed by specific government fringe benefit              legislation and normal federal fiscal limitations. Consequently,              any such bargaining unit fringe benefit entitlement would be the              product of collective bargaining. *See United States Dep't of              the Navy, Navy Exch.,*37 FLRA. 320 (1990); *United States              Dep't of the Air Force, Air Logistics Ctr.,*36 FLRA. 984 (1990);              *United States Dep't of Defense, Army and Air Force Exch. Service,*38 FLRA. 282 (1990); *Department of the Navy,*25 FLRA.              832 (1987); *Dep't of the Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base*,              24 FLRA. 475 (1986); *Dep't of the Air Force, Eglin Air Force              Base*, 24 FLRA. 377 (1986).

If the subject matter of a proposal is already              specifically covered by statute it is non-negotiable. *5 U.S.C.*§*7103(a)(14)(c).**Maritime Metal Trades Council              and Panama Canal Comm'n,* 17 FLRA 890 (1985). A matter is specifically              provided for within the meaning of *5 U.S.C. § 7103(a)(14)*              only to the extent that the governing statute leaves no discretion              to the agency. *Department of Justice, INS, and AFGE National              Border Patrol Council,*55 FLRA 892, 897 (1999); *International              Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Franklin Lodge              No. 2135, et al. And U.S. Dep't of Treasury, Bureau of Printing              and Engraving,*50 FLRA 677, 681-85 (1995). 

*Section 133*does not afford the Architect              the discretion, as contemplated by the Unions' proposals, to deny              bargaining unit employees their statutory right, as individuals,              to elect their choice of compensation program. Accordingly, we find              that portion of the Unions' proposal to be non-negotiable.

**3. Architect's Authority to make pretax              payments to the Union Trust Funds**

Architect's Position

The Architect relies upon the Comptroller General's              December 21, 2001, decision informing the Architect that it could              not treat such contributions as pretax contributions without specific              authorization in statute or regulation. The Architect notes that              the resolution of this issue is presently before the United States              Office of Personnel Management ('OPM"), which is the authority in              this area.

Unions' Position

The Unions submit that the Employee Retirement              Income Security Act ("ERISA") and the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC")              permit employers to make pretax contributions to union fringe benefit              funds in accordance with collective bargaining agreements. The Unions              support their position with references to ERISA and IRC provisions,              implementing regulations, and a Revenue Ruling.

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

The Architect requested the Comptroller General's              decision regarding the Architect's authority to make the proposed              pretax contributions. The Comptroller General concluded: "With respect              to your authority to make any particular fringe benefit allotment              before deducting FICA and federal income taxes, you should consult              with the Internal Revenue Service". The Comptroller General essentially              determined that the Architect could not treat such contributions              on a pretax basis without pre-approval by the appropriate authority.              *Comptroller General Decision B-289496 (December 21, 2001)*.            

The Architect's letter, dated February 7, 2002              raised this question with the Internal Revenue Service. IRS responded,              by letter dated April 22, 2002. IRS indicated that OPM had jurisdiction              over the question and referred the Architect's letter to OPM for              decision. According to the record, OPM has not responded as of this              time.

In essence, the Architect's position is that              it lacks authority to agree that its proposed contributions to the              Unions' trust funds would be on a pretax basis. The Comptroller              General's constraining decision, and the IRS Commissioner's response              letter, confirm the Architect's view that it lacks the independent              authority that the Unions' proposals contemplate. This issue presents              the situation where another agency (apparently OPM) has control              over the working condition that the Unions are seeking to negotiate              about. 

This proposal goes beyond requiring the Architect              to negotiate over making recommendations to another agency possessing              actual control over the subject working conditions. *See Library              of Congress v. FLRA,*699 F.2d 1280 (D.C. Cir. 1983). Accordingly,              we find that this portion of the proposal does not concern a negotiable              working condition because the adoption of the proposal would be              outside the scope of the Architect's authority.

**4. Whether the Unions' proposal conflicts              with the special statutory authority of the Architect in Employment              matters?**

Architect's Position

The Architect relies upon its employment authority              derived from various statutory provisions in the late 19th              and early 20th Centuries *(40 U.S.C. §§**167, 174(c) & 175)*. The Architect contends that his foregoing              statutory authorities vest him with sole and exclusive authority              in the appointment and direction of Architect of the Capitol employees,              subject to the control of the Speaker of the House, Senate Committee              on Rules and Administration (on matters of general policy), and              regulation by the House Office Building Commission. The Architect              submits that its statutory prerogatives were not diminished by the              relevant pay setting legislation or by enactment of the Congressional              Accountability Act. The Architect concludes that it is within its              sole and exclusive authority to decide how to implement the appointment              and employment-related provisions of *Section 133 of the Legislative              Fiscal Year 2002 Appropriations Act* and that the Unions' proposals              are non-negotiable for infringing upon that authority.

Unions' Position

The Unions assert that *40 U.S.C. §§**167, 174(c) & 175* parallel for the Architect those management              rights also applied to the Congressional Accountability Act by the              Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute. However, none              of these provisions is preclusive or specifically provide for the              setting of wages and/or wage-related benefits of the Architect's              employees. The Unions, citing the Board's decisions involving these              same parties (01-LMR-01, 01-LMR-02, *supra*), submit that wages              for bargaining unit employees must be set in accordance with 5 U.S.C              *§* 5349(a), irrespective of how the Architect appoints              or classifies its employees. The Unions conclude that the statutes              relied upon by the Architect do not meet the standards set down              by FLRA case law for determining whether an agency has "sole and              exclusive" authority over a personnel matter. 

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

For a matter to be non-negotiable as falling              within the exclusive authority of the agency head, the authorizing              statute must refer to the unfettered agency head discretion, for              example, by excluding or limiting the application of other laws.              *See Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Canteen Service,              Lexington and NAGE Local R5*, 44 FLRA 162 (1992); *Department              of Treasury, Office of Thrift Supervision*, 47 FLRA 884 (1993),              aff'd 46 F.3d 73 (D.C. Cir. 1995); and *Colorado Nurses Association              v. Federal Labor Relations Authority, et al.,*851 F.2d 1486              (D.C. Cir. 1988).

The Architect's referenced statutory authorities              do not establish that Congress afforded it unfettered discretion              in the employment area. Instead, our review of those statutes, as              in *Veterans Canteen Service, supra*, discloses an intent to              imbue the Architect with described personnel- management authority              as is appropriate to an agency head. Therefore, those statutes cannot              reasonably be construed to abrogate the Architect's bargaining obligations              under the FSLMRS, as applied by *Section 220 of the Congressional              Accountability Act*. 

**5. Whether the Unions' proposals conflict              with the Architect's Management Rights under *5 U.S.C.****§ 7106***?**

Architect's Position

The Architect contends that the Unions' proposal              impermissibly implicates certain management rights under *5 U.S.C.              §7106(a), i.e.,*right to hire and retain employees and              to determine the personnel by whom agency operations will be conducted;              and *5 U.S.C.*

*§ 7106(b)(1)*, essentially management's              right to establish its organizational staffing patterns. The Architect              cites cases insulating management's prerogative against proposals              to negotiate over whether to appoint and utilize temporary employees              or to convert employees from one employment status to another. The              Architect argues that the Unions' proposal would create a new category              of employment with its own system of benefits and require the Architect              to convert employees to that system and compensate them accordingly.              The Architect also views the proposal as requiring it to negotiate              with the unions as a precondition to exercising its right to hire              and retain employees.

Unions' Position

Under FLRA case law the Architect has the burden              of establishing that a proposal is inconsistent with law, rule or              regulation. The proposal does not implicate any of the management              rights that the Architect invokes. Nothing in the proposal places              any limitation on the Architect's ability to hire or retain employees              as the Architect is entitled to do under *5 U.S.C. § 7106(a)(2)*.              Moreover, the proposal does not involve the determination of "types"              of employment within the sense of *5 U.S.C. § 7106(b)(1)*,              nor does it concern staffing patterns or the allocation of employees.              Rather, the proposal simply provides that the employees, however              allocated or characterized by the Architect, will be paid the prevailing              rate in accordance with *5 U.S.C. § 5349.*

ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

An agency must provide record evidence in support              of its non-negotiability determinations.  *AFGE, Nat'l Border              Patrol Council and Department of Justice, INS, U.S. Border Patrol,              Western Region,*39 FLRA 675 (1991). 

 The Unions' proposal does not require the Architect              to allocate between short-term, long-term temporary or any other              tenure status in its workforce. The proposal solely relates to the              compensation of employees whom the Architect has appointed to temporary              status. Accordingly, the proposal is not foreclosed by *5 U.S.C.              § 7106(b)(1)*, which relates to the "numbers, types, and              grades of employees or positions assigned to any organizational              subdivision". *NAGE Local RF-184 and VAMC Lexington, KY.,*55              FLRA 549, 552 (1999).

The proposal does not impinge upon the Architect's              management rights under 

*5 U.S.C. §* 7106(a)*to hire*              and retain employees and to determine the personnel by whom agency              operations will be conducted. The proposal does not in any manner              constrain the Architect as to what categories or types of employees              it may hire or retain to utilize to perform its operations. *International              Federation of Profession*al *Technical Engineers Local 49 and              U.S. Department of the Army, Army Corps of Engineers, South Pacific              Division, San Francisco,*52 FLRA 813 (1996). Again, the proposal              relates solely to compensation of those bargaining unit employees              whom the Architect, in its discretion, appoints or has appointed              as temporary employees. Nor does the proposal create a new category              of employment, as the Architect contends; it instead addresses the              compensation of the existing category of temporary employees. 

Based upon the foregoing, we conclude that the              proposal does not violate the Architect's management rights under              *5 U.S.C. §7106*. 

B. Interim Implementation of Section 133              Proposal

We conclude, under the rationale discussed above,              that the Unions' *interim implementation* proposal conflicts              with *Section 133 of the Fiscal Year 2002 Legislative Appropriations              Act* inasmuch as it would deny individual employees their statutory              right to elect in writing whether (1) they wished to be provided              eligibility for federal fringe benefits, or (2) that instead they              be compensated under an alternative system established by the Architect.              However, as also explicated above, the Architect's additional non-negotiability              bases (conflict with reserved management rights and the Architect's              statutory employment authorities) lack merit.

C. Conclusion              (11)

We have determined that each of the Unions' proposals              contains non-negotiable elements. The Unions did not seek to sever              parts of their proposals to permit the Board of Directors to decide              whether negotiable portions of the proposal could stand separately.              *Local 32, AFGE v. FLRA,*774 F.2d 498 (D.C. Cir. 1985); *NFFE              Local 1332 and Department of Army, Army Material Command*, 47              FLRA 1357 (1993); and *5 C.F.R. § 2424.22(c)(2000).*

VI. ORDER

The Unions' petitions for review are dismissed.

**CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE**

I hereby certify that copies of the foregoing              Consolidated Decision of the Board of Directors on Negotiability              Issues were delivered by facsimile mail and by first class mail              by the undersigned on this 7th day of October, 2002,              upon the following:

Margaret Cox, Esq.              Associate General Counsel              Office of the General Counsel              Architect of the Capitol              Room H2-265A              Ford House Office Building              Washington, D.C. 20515

R. Richard Hopp, Esq.              O'Donoghue & O'Donoghue              4748 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.              Washington, D.C. 20016

Ellen O. Boardman, Esq.              O'Donoghue & O'Donoghue              4748 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W.              Washington, D.C. 20016

_____________________              For the Board              Jacqueline Yancey-Willis

1 The two proposals              advanced by the two petitioning labor organizations address identical              matters at the same employing office. Because the parties have presented              corresponding arguments in support of their positions and the cases              are so intertwined, we have consolidated the petitions for consideration.            
2 The petitioning              Unions filed timely petitions for review, and reply briefs to the              Employing Office's statements of position. However, on September              16, 2002, the Employing Office, without leave of the Board, filed              written submissions in response to the Unions' reply briefs, dated              July 17 and 30, 2002, respectively. The Unions, on September 30,              2002, filed motions objecting to those submissions and asked "For              Leave to File Response to 'Reply' by Architect of the Capitol".              The Board views the Employing Office's submissions to be unauthorized              and will not consider them. See *Section 2424.8* of the Board's              Labor-Management Relations Regulations. *See 142 Cong. Rec. H10369-6              (09/12/1996)*. Accordingly, the Board shall not consider the              Unions' responses to the Employing Office's excluded submissions.            
3*Plumbers Local              5, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing              and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada and Office              of the Architect of the Capitol*, Case No. 01-LMR-01 (Dec. 3,              2001); and *International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local              26 and Office of the Architect of the Capitol*, 01-LMR-02 (Dec.              3, 2001), available at http://www.compliance.gov.
4 The Architect              determined the proposal to be non-negotiable as conflicting with              its special statutory prerogatives, and its management rights under              the FSLMRS. It also objected on grounds described below.            
5 The Architect              declared this language to be inconsistent with Section 133(a)(2)              because it would allow employees hired for less than 120 days to              be eligible for the federal benefits.            
6 The Architect              determined that this provision violated *Section 133* as being              inconsistent with the requirement that only individual employees              may exercise the option to receive either federal benefits or *alternative              benefits* offered by the Architect. The Architect asserts that              *Section 133* does not afford an exception for collectively              bargained agreements.            
7 The Architect              declared that it lacks legal authority to deduct monies from an              employee's wages without the employee executing a voluntary allotment              for a specified purpose.            
8 The Architect              concluded that it lacks authority under federal law, including that              governing pretax benefits, to reduce an employee's taxable income,              absent specific statutory authorization.            
9 The Architect              declared this proposal to be non-negotiable for the reason stated              in footnote 6, *supra.* In addition, the Architect determined              that the proposal to permit subsequently hired employees, after              a year of employment, to receive both prevailing wages (including              fringe benefit component) and eligibility for federal fringe benefits,              would violate *Section 133(3)*, which states: "[n]othing in              this subsection may be construed to require the Architect of the              Capitol to provide duplicative benefits for any employee".            
10 The Architect              submits that the Unions' proposal conflicts with *Section 133(a)(2)              of the Fiscal Year 2002 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act*because              it would afford Federal fringe benefit eligibility to temporary              employees hired for fewer than 120 days. While the Architect is              correct in its characterization of the proposal, that provision              is not in play because the Unions' proposal seeks to elect on behalf              of the entire bargaining units that they not receive Federal fringe              benefit eligibility.            
11 In view of our              dispositive non-negotiability determinations, we deem it unnecessary              to decide the Architect's allegations that the Unions' proposals              conflict with Section 133(a)(3) that "[N]othing in this subsection              may be construed to require the Architect of the Capitol to provide              duplicative benefits for any employee". We deem the state of the              record at this juncture as precluding us from exercising an informed              judgment on this issue. Our reading of the statute does not disclose              a clear Congressional intent regarding the permissibility of the              Architect granting its employees any duplicative benefits or even              how the term duplicative should be interpreted. It is unclear whether              Section 133(a)(3) should be construed as an absolute bar to the              Architect's provision of duplicative benefits to its employees,              or, in the alternative, Section 133(a)(3) should be construed to              afford the Architect authority to agree, as a matter of collective              bargaining, to provide its employees with duplicative benefits.              We also note that Section 133(a)(3) speaks in terms of providing              benefits, while Section 133(a)(1) speaks in terms of providing eligibility              for benefits. Without further information and comment, it is difficult              to determine whether Section 133(a)(3) was meant to allow the Architect              to deny eligibility if an employee is covered under another plan,              or to only allow the Architect to coordinate benefits with other              plans. However, as noted above, we need not reach these difficult              issues today. Accordingly, we take no position in this decision              on the Architect's instant allegation.

 

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