Source: https://www.flra.gov/node/67058
Timestamp: 2020-07-08 06:40:43
Document Index: 313897205

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 7116', '§ 2423', '§ 2423', '§ 7103', '§ 7103', '§ 7116', '§ 7102', '§ 7116', '§ 7116', '§ 7102', '§ 2423', '§ 7118', '§ 2423']

FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY OALJ 15-43
Case No. AT-CA-15-0289
Ayo A. Glanton
On July 2, 2015, the Regional Director of the Atlanta Region of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA/Authority), issued a Complaint and Notice of Hearing, alleging that the Department of Veterans Affairs, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Hospital*, Decatur, Georgia (Respondent), violated § 7116(a)(1) and (5) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Statute). The Complaint alleged that the Respondent spoke directly with a bargaining unit employee about a grievance filed on her behalf by the Union without the Union representative present.
The Complaint indicated that a hearing on the allegations would be held on September 15, 2015, and advised the Respondent that an Answer to the Complaint was due no later than July 27, 2015. The Complaint was served by first class mail on Respondent’s agent, Kevin L. Jones, Chief, Human Resources Management Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30033, and the Respondent failed to file an Answer to the Complaint.
On August 7, 2015, Counsel for the General Counsel (GC) filed a Motion for Summary Judgment based upon the Respondent’s failure to file an Answer to the Complaint, contending that by application of 5 C.F.R. § 2423.20(b), the Respondent admitted all of the allegations set forth in the Complaint. Accordingly, the GC contends that there are no factual or legal issues in dispute and summary judgment pursuant to 5 C.F.R. § 2423.27(a) is proper. The Respondent failed to file a response to the motion for summary judgment. As I have determined that summary judgment in this matter is proper, the hearing scheduled for September 15, 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia, is cancelled.
2. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is a labor organization under § 7103(a)(4) of the Statute and is the exclusive representative of a unit of employees appropriate for collective bargaining at the Respondent.
4. The Union filed the charge and amended charge in Case No. AT-CA-15-0289 with the Atlanta Regional Director on February 23, 2015, and June 22, 2015, respectively.
5. Copies of the charges were served on the Respondent.
6. At all material times, Rosalind Zimmerman held the position of Lieutenant and has been a supervisor or management official of the Respondent within the meaning of § 7103(a)(10) and (11) of the Statute and has been an agent of the Respondent acting upon its behalf.
7. In early 2015, approximately February, the Respondent, by Zimmerman, spoke directly with bargaining unit employee Angela Williams about a grievance the Union had filed on her behalf.
8. By the conduct described in paragraph 7, the Respondent bypassed the Union in violation of § 7116(a)(1) and (5).
9. By the conduct described in paragraph 7, the Respondent interfered with, restrained and coerced employees in the exercise of their rights guaranteed in § 7102 of the Statute in violation of § 7116(a)(1).
By the conduct described in the facts set forth above as drawn from the Complaint containing allegations to which the Respondent failed to file an Answer or otherwise demonstrate good cause for such failure, the Respondent admits that it bypassed the Union when it spoke directly with a bargaining unit employee about a grievance filed on behalf of the employee by the Union. In bypassing the Union, the Respondent violated § 7116(a)(1) and (5) of the Statute, and violated § 7102 of the Statute by interfering with, restraining and coercing bargaining unit employees in the exercise of their rights.
As a remedy, the Respondent is ordered to cease and desist from bypassing the Union when discussing grievances with bargaining unit employees represented by the Union and to post a notice of the violation using bulletin boards and electronic mail.
Pursuant to § 2423.41(c) of the Authority’s Rules and Regulations and § 7118 of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Statute), the Department of Veterans Affairs, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, shall:
(a) Bypassing the Union when discussing grievances with bargaining unit employees represented by the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2778.
(a) Post at its facilities where bargaining unit employees represented by the Union are located, copies of the attached Notice on forms to be furnished by the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Upon receipt of such forms, they shall be signed by the Director of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia, and shall be posted and maintained for sixty (60) consecutive days thereafter, in conspicuous places, including all bulletin boards and other places where notices to employees are customarily posted. Reasonable steps shall be taken to ensure that such Notices are not altered, defaced, or covered by any other material.
(c) Pursuant to § 2423.41(e) of the Authority’s Rules and Regulations, notify the Regional Director, Atlanta Region, Federal Labor Relations Authority, in writing, within thirty (30) days from the date of this Order, as to what steps have been taken to comply.
Issued, Washington, D.C., August 26, 2015
WE WILL NOT bypass the Union when discussing grievances with bargaining unit employees represented by American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2778 (Union).
Dated: ___________________ By: ________________________________________________