Evening star., 1962-04-12
THE FEDERAL SPOTLIGHT
CSC Offers Agencies Guide|ines
On E Employees as Union Officials


might determine that a per.
centage Slightly less than 81
per cent is representative.
(b) When an absolute ma
jority of employees in the unit
votes for one organization the
so per cent rule would not
apply. For example, if only So
per cent voted of those eligible
to vote. the agency still should
grant exclusive recognition if
81 per cent voted for one union.
@. Could units of recognition
differ in extent or occupational
coverage from establishment to
establishment within an agen-
cy?
A. Yes.
@. Is there a minimum num-
Der of employees a unit may
contain?
A. No, but as a practical
matter very small units should
be avoided in the interest of
efficiency and convenience in
dealing with employees. If there
is a tendency to create many
small units at one establish
ment, it may be that there is
over-emphaSis on accupational
differences of narrow organi-
rational lines to the exclusion
of broader common factors.
Q. In an agency one employe
organization represents most of
the rank and file. and another
represents the professional en-
ployeS. Each requests exclusive
recognition for its part in the
employe group and each has a
majority in a unit so defined,
but there are a few employees
left over - for example, the
boilermakerS or other crafts
which are not identified with
either group. In defining units,
are agencies under an obliga-
tion to make certain that all
employees are included?
/ A. The fact that there are
some employees who will be left
out or not represented is not
necessarily material unless, of
course, they were being left out
because of discrimination. Even
tually. it may result that this
residual group has an appro-
priateness Of its own, the COM
munity Of interest being that
they are all among peripheral
group that is left outside look
ing in at the represent e d
groups. That gives them a
homogeneous interest, even if
they might have lacked some of
the other interests. such as
common supervision or COM
mon hours of employment.
Thus. when recognizing units,
agencies need not worry about
the fact that there would be an
unrepreSented residual group.
@. May an organization be
permitted to have meetings on
Government property?
A. This is not prohibited by
the order. This privilege, how
ever, should not be loosely
granted.
@. May employees at tie n d
such meetings or collect or pay
dues on Government time?
A. No.
O. May agencies permit en-
ploye organizations to use
agency bulletin boards?
A. Yes.
@. Is it desirable for an
agency to authorize use of its
intra -office messenger system
for distribution of union publi-
cations?
A. Generally. this may be
viewed as undesirable. If au-
thoriZation for the use of intra-
office messenger system is
granted. there should be a clear
understanding in advance as to
; the kinds and classes of mate
rials to be distributed.
Q. Is it permissible to allow
. unions to place notices of meet
ings or other notices in agency
. house organS?'
A. Yes.
@. May employe organizations
, be granted free office space on
. Government premises?
A. While not prohibited by
the order, this is generally not
good practice; however, it would
be permitted under unusual
conditions such as in a remote
. place Ce. g., where other facil-
. tiles are not reasonably avail
!, able).
@. What is the minimum
that an agency must do when
) its employees are not presently
members of any employe organ
lZation?
A. 1t is required by the exec
utlve order to issue some kind
of regulations which woulc,
make it possible to implement
the executive order. 1t has to
affirm the right to join an ,
deal collectively or to refrain