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               OFFICE OF COMPLIANCELA 200, John Adams Building, 110 Second               Street, S. E.              Washington, D. C. 20540-1999 
__________________________INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD  OF TEAMSTERS LOCAL UNION  NOS. 246 AND 639, AFL-CIO            Petitioner,                                                    Case No. 03-LM(AC)-01            and                                  Date: January 14, 2004OFFICE OF THE SENATE  SERGEANT AT ARMS,            Employing Office__________________________Before the Board of Directors: Susan S. Robfogel,             Chair. Alan V. Friedman; Roberta L. Holzwarth; Barbara Childs Wallace,             Members.1
SUPPLEMENTAL DECISION AND               ORDER2

 I. INTRODUCTION

 The Petitioner labor organization seeks to amend               the December 19, 2002 collective bargaining agent certification3               for the Employing Office’s Capitol Facilities Branch to substitute               Teamsters Local 639 for Teamsters Local 246 as the certified exclusive               bargaining representative. The Petitioner asserts that as a consequence               of a membership merger election Local 246 merged into Local 639               in January 2003. II. PARTIES’ POSITIONS              The Employing Office opposes the amendment to certification petition               and asks that it be dismissed on several technical grounds. The               Employing Office also asserts that the petition is fatally flawed               because the election for Teamsters Local 246 to merge into Teamsters               Local 639 failed to meet due process standards reflected in key               Federal Labor Relations Authority precedents. The Employing Office               noted, *inter alia*, that no bargaining unit member was eligible               to vote in the merger election because none were members of Teamsters               Local 246.

 Petitioner submits that the merger election               complied with guiding case law precedent, afforded due process,               and provided full continuity of representation by the merged Local               639 retaining the same constitution, dues structure, and servicing               union business agents that this bargaining unit previously enjoyed               through Teamsters Local 246. Petitioner submits that because Teamsters               Local 246 was under International trusteeship at the time of the               merger election, the Local’s membership would not lose their               elective officers because there were none. Petitioner acknowledged,               however, that no bargaining unit member, at that time, was eligible               to vote in the merger election.. Finally, the Petitioner asked the               Board, should it find the petition deficient, to sanction from among               three prospective curative courses of action the Petitioner posited.4

III. DISCUSSION              The Federal Labor Relations Authority (“Authority”),               in also applying Title V, U.S.C. Chapter 71 of the Federal Service               Labor-Management Relations Statute, has well settled case law in               the area of amendment to certification petitions involving labor               organization affiliations or mergers. In either situation, two conditions               must be met: due process and continuity of representation. These               two conditions were first described by the Assistant Secretary of               Labor for Labor Management Relations, under the Executive Order               11491 Program, in *Veterans Administration Hospital*, Montrose,               New York (“Montrose”), 4 A/SLMR 858 (1974). The Authority               specifically adopted *Montrose* in *Florida National Guard,               St. Augustine, Florida,* 25 FLRA 728 (1987).5

*Montrose* sets out specific procedures               to ensure that union members have an adequate opportunity to vote               on mergers or changes in affiliation. These due process standards               encompass adequate advance notice, special and convenient meetings               for fair discussion of the proposed change, and a secret ballot               vote among the union bargaining unit members clearly stating the               proposed change and the choices inherent therein. 

 Any change in affiliation may not affect the               continuity of the union employees’ representation and nor               may it leave open questions concerning such representation. The               Authority has identified elements to weigh, including: continuity               of officers or representatives; local autonomy and control of day-to-day               operations, and whether the gaining union has agreed to administer               the existing contract. *U.S. Department of the Army, Rock Island               Arsenal, Rock Island Illinois (“Rock Island”)*,               46 FLRA 76 (1992) citing *NLRB v. Financial Institution of Employees               of America, Local 1183*, 475 U.S. 192 (1986).

 According to the Authority, any petitions that               seek to amend a recognition or certification as a result of a reaffiliation               or merger must follow the procedures established in Montrose. These               procedures were designed to ensure that an amendment to certification               of an “exclusive representative in an existing unit”               conforms to the desires of the membership of that unit. *U.S.               Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix,               Arizona (“BLM”),* 56 FLRA 202 (2000) citing *Rock               Island,* 46 FLRA at 79. 

 A change in affiliation vote must be open to               all *union members* in the affected unit but not to all members               of the bargaining unit. B*ureau of Indian Affairs, Gallup, New               Mexico,* 34 FLRA 428 (1990); *Financial Institution,*               475 U.S. 192 (1986). There is no requirement that any specific number               or percentage of members must cast ballots in order for an affiliation               change to be effective, *See Rock Island,* 46 FLRA 76 (1992).               However, there must be union members in the unit and proof that               the members were sent notice of the meeting. *See Union of Federal               Employees,* 41 FLRA 562 at 574 (1991). Where there are no members               of the union in the bargaining unit, *Montrose* does not               permit the amendment of a certification because the *Montrose*               requirements were designed to ensure that the sought amendment conforms               to the desires of the bargaining unit’s members. *See BLM,*               56 FLRA at 207.

 Based upon the foregoing, we conclude that the               total lack of union membership in this bargaining unit precluded               a merger election consistent with the *Montrose* requirements.               We, therefore, must dismiss the instant petition because a *Montrose*-compliant               merger election is a condition precedent to amending a certification               of representative in these circumstances.7

 IV. ORDER

 The petition to amend the certification in Case               No. 02-LM-01 is hereby dismissed.

 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 Issued, at Washington, D.C.: January               14, 2004

  

CERTIFICATE               OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on this 14th day of January               2004, I delivered a copy of this Supplemental Decision and Order               of the Board of Directors to the following parties by the below               identified means:

First-Class Mail Postage-Prepaid              & Facsimile Mail

Jean M. Manning, Brenda J. Pence, Robert L. Rogers,               Esqs.              Office of Senate Chief Counsel for Employment              Senate Hart Building, Room 103              Washington, D.C. 20510-7130              Facsimile: (202) 228-2557

E. Lindsey Maxwell II, Esq.              Beins, Axelrod, Kraft, Gleason & Gibson, P.C.              1717 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 704              Washington, D.C. 20036              Facsimile: (202)328-7030

              ___________________Kisha L. Harley              Office of Compliance

1 Member Camens               did not participate in the deciding of this case.

2 The Board               had previously overruled the Employing Office’s objection               to the Executive Director processing this representation case amendment               to certification petition. *International Brotherhood of Teamsters               Local Unions Nos. 246 and 639, AFL-CIO and Office of the Senate               Sergeant at Arms*, Case No. 03-LM(AC)-01 (July 11, 2003). 

3 Office of Compliance Case No. 02-LM-01.

4 The Board declines the Petitioner’s               invitation in view of its policy against issuing advisory opinions.*See § 2429.10 of the Office’s Labor-Management Regulations.*

5*Montrose* cases are distinguished               from cases in which the union merely seeks a technical or nominal               change in its certification due to a clerical or administrative               error. Union mergers plainly do not fall within this category.

6 The Authority stated in this regard:               “In the case of the professional unit, the undisputed evidence               establishes that there were no members in the professional unit.               Therefore, the *Montrose* requirements, including the requirement               of a vote by the members, could not be met, nor could it be determined               if the change in affiliation conformed to the desires of the professional               unit. As these prerequisites could not be met, we deny the application               for review on this issue.

7 In view of our holding on this central issue               it is unnecessary for us to adjudicate the Employing Office’s               technical and other substantive objections to amending the certification               herein.

 

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