The record is now closed, and she has considered all of the relevant information contained therein. Local 3448 represents, at the local level, approximately 120 employees of the two offices who are part of a nationwide bargaining unit of approximately 50,000 employees. The parties are covered by the master agreement between SSA and AFGE which is due to expire in November 1996. Subsequently, participation declined to five employees. There is no justifiable reason for an exception to the funding policy.
Employees are able to participate in the fitness center for a reasonable membership fee.
The fee is comparable to those paid by employees for fitness center access in locations where SSA funds part of the costs. Management's proposal treats all SSA employees in a fair and equitable manner. Where SSA is a participating agency, as in the HHS run fitness center in Chicago and even the SSA run center in Baltimore, employees are still required to pay ongoing membership fees. In Cincinnati, however, if the agency were to become a participating agency, employees would not be required to pay any membership fee. It too is inequitable to those employees nationwide who are paying their appropriate share based on fixed costs.