Opinion ID: 461570
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Impasses Panel

Text: 9 A second major aspect of the Labor-Management Act was its incorporation of The Federal Service Impasses Panel. 8 The Panel, which is made up of at least seven presidential appointees, is charged with the responsibility of settling bargaining impasses. Either party may request the Panel to conduct an inquiry into a bargaining impasse. If after the Panel makes initial recommendations to the parties they still cannot reach a settlement, the Panel may--(i) hold hearings; (ii) administer oaths, take the testimony or deposition of any person under oath, and issue subpoenas ...; and (iii) take whatever action is necessary and not inconsistent with this chapter to resolve the impasse. Sec. 7119(c)(5)(B). See generally 5 C.F.R. Secs. 2471-.1-.12 (1983). When the Panel imposes a term on the parties it is binding on such parties during the term of the agreement, unless the parties agree otherwise. Sec. 7119(c)(5)(C). 10 While the Impasses Panel has considerable power in settling disputes, it does not have the authority to pass judgments on assertions of nonnegotiability. The Act provides that [t]he Authority shall ... resolves [sic] issues relating to the duty to bargain in good faith under section 7117(c) of this title. Sec. 7105(a)(2)(E). The Authority has held that Sec. 7105 and Sec. 7117(c), which provides for expedited review of nonnegotiability issues by the Authority, preclude the Impasses Panel from considering negotiability issues. See Interpretation and Guidance, 11 F.L.R.A. 626 (1983); see also House Committee on Post Office and Civil Service, 98th Cong., 2d Sess., Fifth Annual Report of the Federal Labor Relations Authority 96-97 (Comm. Print 1984) (panel declines jurisdiction when threshold questions exist concerning a party's obligation to bargain over a proposal). Thus, if any time prior to the Impasses Panel's decision, the agency raises a claim of nonnegotiability, the Impasses Panel cannot consider that issue, and the union must seek resolution of the issue before the Authority. Interpretation and Guidance, 11 F.L.R.A. at 629. 11 Decisions of the Impasses Panel are not directly reviewable by the courts. See Council of Prison Locals v. Brewer, 735 F.2d 1497 (D.C.Cir.1984). A party's failure to abide by the Impasses Panel's order can, however, be challenged as an unfair labor practice. After the Authority has issued its findings and order in an unfair labor practice proceeding, the parties may seek review in the courts. See Sec. 7118(a)(7). Either the Authority or the court may decide that the agency has justifiably refused to comply with an Impasses Panel order because the subject is outside of the statutory scope of bargaining.