Unions, FMA protest dismissal of labor-management relations panel members

By Irene Brown
Editor

In a move that has upset most organizations representing federal employees, President Bush dismissed all seven members of the board that arbitrates disputes between federal employees and management. Their employment was terminated as of the close of business Monday, according to officials at the White House personnel office. All seven members were appointed by former president Bill Clinton.

Bobby L. Harnage, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, said that AFGE is currently reviewing the possibility of court action over the dismantling of this government agency.

"The president’s unprecedented action in dismissing all seven members of the Federal Service Impasse Panel at once, without naming a single replacement member, effectively shuts down the federal collective bargaining process and allows current labor-management disputes to gather dust on the desk of former panel members," Harnage said.

The Impasse panel is the last step in the federal collective bargaining process because strikes and lockouts are not allowed. When agencies and unions cannot settle disputes, the panel can craft a compromise.

Michael Styles, National President of the Federal Managers Association, said the president’s action is a disservice to both management and labor.

"Although the president may have the right to dismiss the panel members, not naming replacements is a disservice to management officials trying to reach agreements on work- place changes and to labor officials trying to compromise on important collective bargaining issues," Styles said.

"He has virtually rendered the labor laws passed by Congress moot," Styles said.

Harnage explained that the panel has served for some 25 years as a quid pro-quo for federal workers who are not allowed to strike.

"Imagine if disaster struck at the Supreme Court and the President simply refused to appoint new justices," Harnage said. "In many regards, this panel is the Supreme Court for federal employees and the president has a responsibility to keep it going."

White House spokesperson Anne Womack said the president was currently making decisions on replacements.

"On Friday [Jan. 11], Bush nominated Becky Norton Dunlop, vice president of external relations at the Heritage Foundation, to serve as chairperson of the Federal Service Impasses Panel," Womack said.

Dunlop served in the Reagan administration and has a background in environmental and personnel issues.

Other FSIP nominees include Andrea Fischer Newman, senior vice president at Northwest Airlines; Richard Ainsworth and Joseph Whitaker, according to reports from the Washington Post.