Source: https://www.flra.gov/node/67081
Timestamp: 2020-04-04 08:53:32
Document Index: 158562858

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 7116', '§ 2423', '§ 2423', '§ 7103', '§ 7103', '§ 7103', '§ 7116', '§ 7116', '§ 7116', '§ 7114', '§ 7114', '§ 7114', '§ 7114', '§ 7114', '§ 7114']

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, ATLANTA VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER, DECATUR, GEORGIA AND NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, LOCAL 2102 | FLRA
FEDERAL LABOR RELATIONS AUTHORITY OALJ 16-04 Office of Administrative Law Judges WASHINGTON, D.C. 20424-0001
Case No. AT-CA-15-0464
On August 21, 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), (5) and (8) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Statute). The Complaint alleged that the Respondent failed to respond to a Union request for information and failed to provide the requested information.
The Complaint indicated that a hearing on the allegations would be held on November 3, 2015, and advised the Respondent that an Answer to the Complaint was due no later than September 15, 2015. The Complaint was served by first class mail on Respondent’s agent, Kevin L. Jones, Chief, Human Resources Management, 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 September 25, 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 November 3, 2015, in Atlanta, Georgia, is hereby cancelled.
Moreover, the Authority has held in a variety of factual and legal contexts, that parties are responsible for being aware of the statutory and regulatory requirements in proceedings under the Statute. U.S. Envtl. Prot. Agency, Envtl. Research Lab., Narragansett, R.I.,49 FLRA 33, 34-36 (1994) (answer to a complaint and an ALJ’s order); U.S. Dep’t of VA Med. Ctr., Waco, Tex., 43 FLRA 1149, 1150 (1992) (exceptions to an arbitrator’s award); U.S. Dep’t of the Treasury, Customs Serv., Wash., D.C.,37 FLRA 603, 610 (1990) (failure to file an answer due to a clerical error is not good cause sufficient to prevent a summary judgment).
1. The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia is an agency under § 7103(a)(3) of the Statute.
2. The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) 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.
3. NFFE, Local 2102 (Union) is an agent of NFFE for the purpose of representing employees within the unit described in paragraph 2.
4. The Union filed the charge in Case No. AT-CA-15-0464 with the Atlanta Regional Director on April 30, 2015, and amended the charge on August 21, 2015.
6. At all material times, Kevin Jones held the position of Human Resources Chief for the Respondent, was a supervisor or management official of the Respondent within the meaning of § 7103(a)(10) and (11) of the Statute and an agent of the Respondent, acting upon its behalf.
7. On February 3, 2015, the Union submitted an information request to the Respondent, through Jones, asking for information regarding job announcement JV-14-JJB-1212381BU.
8. The information was normally maintained by the Respondent in the regular course of business.
9. The information was reasonably available.
10. The information, as it pertains to bargaining unit employees, was necessary for full and proper discussion, understanding, and negotiation of subjects within the scope of collective bargaining.
11. The information did not constitute guidance, advice, counsel, or training provided for management officials or supervisors, relating to collective bargaining.
12. The information was not prohibited from disclosure by law.
13. The Respondent failed to respond to the information request.
14. The Respondent failed to provide the Union with the information requested.
15. By the conduct described in paragraph 13, the Respondent committed an unfair labor practice in violation of § 7116(a)(1), (5) and (8) of the Statute.
16. By the conduct described in paragraph 14, the Respondent committed an unfair labor practice in violation of § 7116(a)(1), (5) and (8) of the Statute.
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 did not respond to the Union’s request for information nor did it provide the requested information. Therefore, the Respondent violated § 7116(a)(1),(5) and (8) of the Statute.
As a remedy, the Respondent is ordered to provide the requested information and to cease and desist from failing to respond to a Union’s request for information, and to post a notice of the violation using bulletin boards and electronic mail.
(a) Failing to provide information requested by the National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 2102 (Union), pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Statute.
(b) Failing to respond to requests for information made by the Union pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Statute.
(a) Provide the Union with the information it requested on February 3, 2105, pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Statute.
(c) In addition to physical posting of paper notices, Notices shall be distributed electronically, on the same day as physical posting of Notices, such as by email, posting on an intranet or internet site, or other electronic means, if such are customarily used to communicate with employees.
Issued, Washington, D.C., October 26, 2015
WE WILL NOT fail to provide information requested by the National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 2102 (Union), pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Statute.
WE WILL NOT fail to respond to requests for information made by the Union pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Statute.
WE WILL provide the Union with the information it requested on February 3, 2105, pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Statute.
Dated: ___________________ By: _______________________________________________
* The Respondent’s proper, most recognized name is the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, instead of “Hospital” as listed on the complaint, but corrected in subsequent pleadings filed by the General Counsel.