Opinion ID: 461570
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Negotiability of Issues

Text: 5 The legislative history of the Labor-Management Act reveals that the scope of a government agency's duty to bargain was one of the most sensitive issues Congress had to resolve. 3 The statute provides that a government agency has a duty to negotiate in good faith about conditions of employment. Secs. 7114(a)(4), 7102. But the statute defines conditions of employment as excluding matters relating to the classification of any position or specifically provided for by federal statute. Sec. 7103(a)(14)(B)-(C); see also Sec. 7117(a)(1) (duty to bargain does not include matters inconsistent with any Federal law or any government-wide rule or regulation). The statute further lists a variety of management prerogatives, some of which the agency may not negotiate, Sec. 7106(a), and some of which the agency may, but is not required to, negotiate, Sec. 7106(b). Moreover, the duty to bargain does not extend to any matters inconsistent with an agency rule or regulation unless the Authority determines that there is no compelling need for the rule or regulation. Sec. 7117(a)(2). 6 When, in the course of negotiation, the agency asserts that a union proposal is nonnegotiable, the union has the right to expedited review by the Authority. Sec. 7117(c). After the union 4 files its petition for review, the head of the agency alleging nonnegotiability must file a statement withdrawing the allegation or setting forth the reasons supporting the allegation. Sec. 7117(c)(3)(A). The Authority then must expedite proceedings ... to the extent practicable and shall issue ... a written decision on the allegation and specific reasons therefor at the earliest practicable date. Sec. 7117(c)(6); see generally 5 C.F.R. Secs. 2424.1-.10 (1983); H. Robinson, Negotiability in the Federal Sector 185-88 (1981). 7 Even after an agreement is executed between the agency and a union, issues of negotiability may still be raised. First, the head of the agency has 30 days from the time an agreement is signed within which to review the agreement 5 and ensure that it is in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any other applicable law, rule, or regulation. Sec. 7114(c)(2). When the head of an agency disapproves an agreement he is making essentially an assertion of nonnegotiability 6 which triggers the expedited review described above. See National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 1505 and Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historical Site, Hyde Park, New York, 7 F.L.R.A. 608 (1982); American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Local 1052 and United States Army Engineer Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 6 F.L.R.A. 460 (1981). At the end of the 30 days, the agreement automatically takes effect if the head of the agency has not taken action. Sec. 7114(c)(3). 8 Second even if the parties have never asserted nonnegotiability and have allowed the agreement to take effect, either party may raise illegality of the provision as a defense to a charge that it has violated the terms of the agreement. 7 If the defending party can show that the contract term in question is contrary to law--i.e., was nonnegotiable--then the term is declared void and unenforceable. See National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 1332 and Department of the Army Headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command, 5 F.L.R.A. 599, 601 (1981).