Opinion ID: 186611
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The FSIP

Text: 4 The Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, 5 U.S.C. §§ 7101-7135 (Chapter 71), which was passed as part of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, governs [l]abor relations within the federal civil service. Dep't of Def. v. FLRA, 659 F.2d 1140, 1144 (D.C.Cir.1981). The FLRA is primarily responsible for administering the statute. 5 U.S.C. § 7105. Under Chapter 71, a federal agency and the exclusive bargaining representatives of that agency's employees are required to negotiate in good faith over the subjects covered by the duty to bargain. See 5 U.S.C. § 7114(a)(4). Where negotiations fail to produce an accord, the statute provides for alternative dispute resolution processes. First, the parties may use the services of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. 5 U.S.C. § 7119(a). Should mediation fail to resolve a negotiation impasse... either party may request the services of the FSIP, 5 U.S.C. § 7119(b), an entity within the Authority, the function of which is to provide assistance in resolving negotiation impasses between agencies and exclusive representatives of their employees, 5 U.S.C. § 7119(c)(1). [T]he parties may [also] agree to adopt a procedure for binding arbitration of the negotiation impasse, but only if the procedure is approved by the Panel. 5 U.S.C. § 7119(b)(2). 5 Upon submission of a request for Panel assistance, the Panel shall promptly investigate any impasse presented to it. 5 U.S.C. § 7119(c)(5)(A). Once it has investigated, [t]he Panel shall consider the impasse and shall either — (i) recommend to the parties procedures for the resolution of the impasse; or (ii) assist the parties in resolving the impasse through whatever methods and procedures ... it may consider appropriate to accomplish the purpose of this section. 5 U.S.C. § 7119(c)(5)(A). The Panel has published regulations implementing § 7119. See 5 C.F.R. §§ 2470.1-2473.1 (2005). As relevant here, the regulations provide: 6 (a) Upon receipt of a request for consideration of an impasse, the Panel or its designee will promptly conduct an investigation, consulting when necessary with the parties and with any mediation service utilized. After due consideration, the Panel shall either: 7 (1) Decline to assert jurisdiction in the event that it finds that no impasse exists or that there is other good cause for not asserting jurisdiction, in whole or in part, and so advise the parties in writing, stating its reasons; or 8 (2) Assert jurisdiction and 9 (i) Recommend to the parties procedures for the resolution of the impasse; and/or 10 (ii) Assist the parties in resolving the impasse through whatever methods and procedures the Panel considers appropriate. 11 5 C.F.R. § 2471.6(a)(1), (2). 12