Opinion ID: 582690
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The FLRA Proceedings

Text: 5 An FLRA Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) considered the Union's ULP charge. Department of Commerce, National Weather Service and National Weather Service Employees Organization, OALJ-88-133 (Sept. 9, 1988) (National Weather Service ), reprinted in Joint Appendix (J.A.) 86. The Union argued that pursuant to § 7114(b) of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (FSLMRS), the NWS had an obligation to disclose information that is reasonably available and necessary for full and proper discussion, understanding, and negotiation of subjects within the scope of collective bargaining if the release of such information is not prohibited by law. Respondent's Post-Hearing Brief at 21-22 (quoting 5 U.S.C. § 7114(b)(4)(B)), reprinted in J.A. at 63-64. The ALJ agreed that the information the Union requested met the criteria for release under § 7114(b), but noted that there remains the question whether disclosure would conflict with the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a. National Weather Service, slip op. at 7. 6 The ALJ explained that the Privacy Act incorporates the bar contained in exemption 6 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) against disclosure of information which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Id. at 7-8 (citing 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6)). After balancing the Union's need for the information against the rated employees' privacy interests, the ALJ concluded that disclosure of unsanitized data would have resulted in a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. Id. at 9 (citations and footnote omitted). As such, disclosure would violate the Privacy Act, and the ALJ determined that under § 7114(b), the Union could not receive the names of bargaining unit employees who had received outstanding or commendable ratings. Id. 7 The Authority reversed the ALJ's decision on November 13, 1990. United States Dep't of Commerce, National Weather Service, Silver Spring, Maryland and National Weather Service Employees Organization, 38 F.L.R.A. 120 (1990) (National Weather Service Employees Organization ). The Authority agreed with the ALJ that the Union had shown sufficient need for the information to satisfy § 7114(b), id. at 131, but disagreed with the ALJ's Privacy Act balance of employees' privacy against the public interest in disclosure. Id. at 132. 8 On the disclosure side of the balance, the Authority found that the Union's desire to use the requested information to better represent bargaining unit employees comprised a substantial public interest. Id. (citing Department of the Navy, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, 37 F.L.R.A. 515 (1990)). On the privacy side, the Authority found that the requested information was not stigmatizing, id. at 134, and that only a minimal invasion would occur because the Union did not intend to disseminate broadly the requested information. Id. at 135. Accordingly, the Authority held that the NWS's refusal to release the 1985-86 rating information constituted a ULP under 5 U.S.C. § 7116(a), and ordered the NWS to cease and desist from such practices. Id. at 136. The Authority also ordered the NWS to provide the requested 1985-86 rating period information and to post at NWS offices a copy of a ULP violation notice on forms to be furnished by the FLRA. Id. at 136-37. 9 Thereafter, the NWS had difficulty complying fully with the FLRA order. First, the NWS discovered that it maintained ratings information for only three years; thus, the 1985-86 information had been discarded prior to the FLRA's 1990 order. When advised of this, the Union requested the names of workers receiving a commendable or outstanding rating for the 1989-90 period. After it provided this information, however, the NWS declared it would deny any future requests for similar information. Brief of Respondent at 10-11. Additionally, when the NWS posted the ULP notice, it did not use official FLRA forms as ordered by the Authority. The notice posted by the NWS was of a different size than the official form and did not provide the address and telephone number of the FLRA, which employees might call if they had questions about the notice. In response to this noncompliance and the NWS's declaration regarding future requests for ratings information, the FLRA petitioned this Court under 5 U.S.C. § 7123(b) for enforcement of its order.