Opinion ID: 536496
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Relevance of Current Prevailing Practices to Negotiability Determinations Under Subsection 704(a)

Text: 14 The Agency argues that subsection 704(a) protects the right of prevailing rate employees to bargain only where the subject of negotiation involves a practice consistent with current prevailing practices in the industry. This contention finds absolutely no support in the statute. Subsection 704(a) provides: 15 Those terms and conditions of employment and other employment benefits with respect to Government prevailing rate employees to whom section 9(b) of Public Law 92-392 applies which were the subject of negotiation in accordance with prevailing rates and practices prior to August 19, 1972, shall be negotiated on and after the date of the enactment of this Act in accordance with the provisions of section 9(b) of Public Law 92-392 without regard to any provision of chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code (as amended by this title), to the extent that any such provision is inconsistent with this paragraph. 16 CSRA Sec. 704(a) (emphasis added). Under subsection 704(a), current prevailing practices are of no significance; rather, the critical inquiry is whether the proposed subject for negotiation is a matter that was negotiated by the parties prior to August 19, 1972, the date of enactment of the Prevailing Rate Systems Act. 1 17 Under subsection 704(a), terms and conditions of employment and other employment benefits with respect to the radio technicians which were the subject of negotiation in accordance with prevailing rates and practices prior to August 19, 1972, shall be negotiated ... in accordance with the provisions of section 9(b) of [the PRSA] without regard to any inconsistent provisions of the Labor Management Relations chapter of the United States Code. CSRA Sec. 704(a). The phrase in accordance with prevailing rates and practices in subsection 704(a) merely defines which terms and conditions are subject to bargaining. Those terms and conditions of employment that were the subject of negotiations in accordance with prevailing rates and practices prior to August 19, 1972, shall now be negotiated in accordance with the provisions of section 9(b) of the Prevailing Rate Systems Act. 18 Thus, the subject matters negotiable under subsection 704(a) are to be negotiated in accordance with section 9(b) of the Prevailing Rate Systems Act. Section 9(b) provides that the PRSA shall not be construed to ... nullify, curtail, or otherwise impair in any way the right of any party to a contract in effect on the date of enactment of [the PRSA] pertaining to the wages, the terms and conditions of employment, and other employment benefits ..., for Government prevailing rate employees and resulting from negotiations between Government agencies and organizations of Government employees to enter into negotiations after the date of enactment of this Act for the renewal, extension, modification, or improvement of the provisions of such contract or for the replacement of such contract with a new contract. PRSA Sec. 9(b)(1), (2). In addition, section 9(b) provides that the PRSA shall not be construed to prevent the inclusion of subjects of negotiations of contracts in effect on August 19, 1972, in connection with the renegotiation of any such contract, or the replacement of any such contract with a new contract, after such date. PRSA Sec. 9(b)(3). 2 19 Nowhere in section 9(b) or in subsection 704(a) is there language requiring matters to be negotiated in accordance with current prevailing practices. Thus, we find no merit to the Agency's contention that the scope of negotiability under all of section 704 is restricted to subjects for which negotiations can proceed in accordance with current prevailing practices. With respect to subsection 704(a), the FLRA is correct in concluding that it need not consider the prevailing practices in the industry to determine negotiability; it need only determine which subjects were negotiated prior to August 19, 1972. 20