"Let's Hear it for Labor Relations
CEMENT AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT DIVISION
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION i
I. REPRESENTATION AND BARGAINING UNITS 1
II. YOU, THE MANAGEMENT 3
III. DEALING WITH UNION REPRESENTATION 6
IV. WHAT IS A WEINGARTEN? 9
V. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING 11
VI. LIVING WITH A CONTRACT 12
VII. FORMAL MEETINGS 13
VIII. GRIEVANCES AND ULP'S 14
IX. UNIONS IN EPA 16
X. SOME FINAL THOUGHTS 18
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INTRODUCTION
There are a number of things this handbook will not do for you. It will
not make you into a labor relations specialist. (For that matter, the authors
might suggest intensive psychotherapy for anyone so inclined.) It will not
subject you to yet another fascinating history of labor relations in the
Federal government. It will not give you the legal citations and case
studies that keep lawyers awake at night reading. And, it will not discuss
issues or situations which you have never heard of and probably never
will. Having said that, what can you anticipate?
You can expect a handbook designed specifically for EPA supervisors
and managers about EPA labor relations. You can expect some very basic
"do's and don'ts." You can expect a handbook we have tried to make
useful, readable and interesting.
More than anything else, you can expect a perspective that, stripped
of all its trappings and legalisms, good labor relations is simply good com-
mon sense and good management. At the risk of having our jobs seem
less important (and less needed), we do not manage labor relations. We
advise you, represent you, and negotiate for you. But, you are the
manager. You make the decisions and set the climate that determine
what kind of labor relations we have in EPA. We firmly believe good
management with a little exposure to some fundamental principles is the
basis for good labor relations. And, that is what this handbook is all about.
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CHAPTER I
REPRESENTATION AND
BARGAINING UNITS
If this were your normal handbook for supervisors, you would be
reading —or, more likely, ignoring—a string of definitions. Well, if
we need to define something, let's do it where we talk about it. For now,
we are going to assume you know what a union is. We are not going to
make the same assumption about management. Not because we think
you can not define management, but because we want to spend some
time discussing you as management in a labor relations context.
A union represents employees. It represents them collectively as a group
and as individuals in certain circumstances. Before we go further, you
should understand that a union represents all the employees regardless of
union membership. Therefore, union membership is irrelevant. That
means we do not ask employees whether they are union members. Idle
curiosity in this area can get you into a lot of trouble. Along the same line,
we do not provide advice, even if solicited, on whether employees should
vote for or join a union. It is none of our business how employees vote in a
union election, if they decide to join a union, or how they feel about hav-
ing a union represent them. Discretion is the better part of valor—keep
your opinions to yourself.
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The employees a union represents are contained in a discrete grouping
called a bargaining unit. Since a union represents only bargaining unit
employees, we do concern ourselves with whether individual employees
are in or out of a bargaining unit. Generally speaking, managers, super-
visors, confidential employees, personnel types, and people involved in
internal EPA security or audit functions are excluded from all bargaining
units. Management officials (non-supervisory merit pay employees)
cannot be in a bargaining unit. In EPA, our policy is to remove from merit
pay (GM) any employee found to be properly included in a bargaining unit.
Instead of a GM-13, 14 or 15, they become the GS equivalent. Supervisors
are excluded from bargaining units even if they do not meet the personnel
definition of a supervisor in terms of the number of employees supervised
for our purposes. If that strikes you as inconsistent, you have good
reasoning abilities. If the inconsistency does not bother you, you have the
potential for understanding labor relations.
A union is an organization. On the management side, we tend to think and
talk in terms of "the union." Union representatives, for their part, think
and talk in terms of "management." "Management" is just as much an
amorphous entity to them as the "union" is to us. The problem is that
labor relations is not like two computers talking to each other. Labor rela-
tions is real life people dealing with each other. In the next two chapters,
we are going to look at some approaches and perceptions that can make
those dealings a little easier.
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CHAPTER II
YOU, THE MANAGEMENT
At the risk of sounding simplistic, the management of EPA is its
supervisors and managers. Each supervisor and manager is an in-
dividual with his or her own style, beliefs and human frailties. We know
we are a collection of individuals that often disagree with each
other. That is not the common perception of us held by employees
and unions. Be it convenience or personal philosophy, "management" is
seen as a malevolent being, unified in its actions. The problem for you is
that employees and union representatives carry that perception into deal-
ings with you.
There are a number of different forums in which you may have to deal
with union representatives. [Union representatives may be employees or
outside individuals who work for the union. Most of the time, they will be
our own employees.] They include informal meetings, formal discussions,
grievances, appeals, and bargaining sessions, to name a few. All of them
have the potential to be combative. In many situations, the union is there
to challenge a decision you have made or implemented. Many of us
believe we get paid to make decisions and do not like to have those deci-
sions challenged. Some of us take offense at even having to explain our
rationale behind a decision. All too often we have a scenario where a
union representative with his or her preconceived notion of management
(and the attitude that goes with that perception) confronts a manager who
is hostile to the idea of having his or her decisions questioned. Without
a great deal of imagination, we can see that the potential for problem solv-
ing is not great.
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We are now at a point where some of you may be saying, "Why should
we worry about problem solving? Put another way, the question really
concerns the nature of the basic relationship between management and a
union. "Why should we cooperate?" Certainly, there are numerous
instances where the relationship between a particular management and
union is anything but cooperative. Many institutions deliberately pursue a
"hardline" approach to dealing with unions. Here at EPA, some of our
relationships have been extremely adversarial. And, there is the
thought that a cooperative relationship is usually an outgrowth of
the respect the parties gain for each other after having been at each
other's throats for some time.
Perhaps, if we define our conceptualization of cooperation, it might be
useful to you. Cooperation does not mean rolling over and playing dead
everytime you deal with a union. It does not mean giving in to their every
demand. To us, cooperation means dealing honestly with a union. Hiding
information always comes back to haunt you. Most unions have
extremely good information networks. Sooner or later, the union
will find out. When we keep information from a union, the result is suspi-
cion and distrust, which makes it much more difficult when you have to
deal with them on the subject. Now, the timing or content of the informa-
tion may make a real difference. Usually, we do not provide unions with
information concerning management decisions under consideration. If
you are considering a number of alternatives for a reorganization, that
does not trigger any obligation because there is not yet a management
position. So, we would not provide a union with all the information that
goes with each alternative. But, nothing prevents you from telling the
union you are looking at possible reorganizations. In a later chapter, we
will discuss our obligation to bargain changes with a union, but in this
specific example the organization itself is not subject to bargaining but the
impact of the new organization on bargaining unit employees is. Also, we
do not provide unions with information on non-bargaining unit employees
or that which deals with advice or guidance concerning EPA labor rela-
tions. In general, an open approach to information (as opposed to a secre-
tive one) with unions tends to reduce tensions and the potential or
distrust.
Cooperation also includes the approach you take. Be willing to listen, to
explain and to explore. Many issues result from misinformation or poor
communications. If you are non-responsive, unwilling to hear the union
out, you force them into a confrontive posture. Again, we are not saying
you should agree with everything the union wants. But, talking things
through usually allows the parties to see they are not so far apart. That is
not to say there will be no disagreements—believe us, there will be. It is
the nature of the disagreements that matters. When management and a
union can agree to disagree and not affect the workings of the relation-
ship, then a substantial degree of maturity has been reached.
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For those of you with lingering doubts about the value of cooperation,
keep in mind that confrontation is extremely time-consuming. Your job is
to get EPA's work done. That becomes difficult if you are constantly
involved in grievances, appeals, unfair labor practice charges and other
such activities. We happen to think that investment up front pays
large dividends at the other end. A five minute discussion with the union
can save you hours and days of trouble.
As we said before, there is nothing earthshaking about this approach.
Taking the time to communicate and listen to your employees is simply
good management. The union is just an extension of those employees.
No, it will not be easy. We guarantee you will get frustrated and, perhaps,
angry. At least until the union representatives you deal with come to see
you as an individual—and one whose word is good and who deals with
them openly and honestly. Yes, it's a two-way street and we will get
to the other side next.
"A CONFRONTIVE POSTURE"
"a cooperative relationship is usually an outgrowth of the
respect the parties gain for each other after having been at
each others throats for some time."
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CHAPTER III
DEALING WITH UNION
REPRESENTATIVES
Like managers, union representatives come in all shapes and sizes.
Each has his or her own personality, motives and goals. It is not par-
ticularly useful to wonder why people become union representatives, and
we certainly do not ask them! Suffice it to say, certain individuals become
union representatives and those are the ones we deal with. What is impor-
tant is to realize you are dealing with individuals, each one different from
the other.
One of the more difficult tasks in labor relations is dealing with a union
representative who is antagonistic (or appears to be). First of all,
remember you are a symbol for "management." As we discussed in the
previous chapter, many union representatives have an image of "manage-
ment" that gets carried over into their dealings with individual managers.
Whether their perception of "management" is valid is not relevant—you
must still deal with it. Also, most employee representatives are generally
at a lower organizational level than you. That organizational positioning
can put them on the defensive, and one way of compensating is to be
confrontive. Some representatives are unsure of themselves or their posi-
tion on an issue and react by being overly aggressive. On the other hand,
some representatives—like some managers—have a combative disposi-
tion period. Finally, in some situations, a few representatives feel com-
pelled to put on a "show" for their clientele at your expense. The way to
effectively deal with such individuals (and your own blood pressure) is to
remain calm and objective. EPA does not pay you to get angry, bent out
of shape or to take such things personally. We know its easier said than
done, but you have to disassociate your personal reactions (and ego) from
the situation. In the course of their experiences in labor relations, the
authors have been called every name imaginable , and have been
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physically threatened. A hard lesson to learn is that once
you respond in kind to such attacks you are in a no-win
situation. Again, try to divorce your personal self from the event and see if
you can discover what is really going on. Fortunately, most interactions in
labor relations are reasonably calm and not abusive.
There are some basic ground rules for dealing with all union representatives.
When you are meeting or talking with union representatives, you are on equal
footing. For that point in time, regardless of their organizational status, you are
equals. Treat them with the respect and do not talk down to them. The
average union representative is intelligent, politically savvy, and has
a lot of common sense. They probably know more about labor relations than
you, and they almost always know what is going on in your
organization. Also, we do not possess an exclusive license on the right way to
do things. A better idea regardless of where it comes from is a better idea.
Listening to and exploring union suggestions costs us nothing. As we have
said before, there is nothing new or startling about this approach.
Good managers treat their employees with respect and are willing to hear
them out when they have suggestions or problems.
Managers often ask us whether they should have someone with them when
they meet with union representatives. If it is a formal situation like a grievance
meeting, you always should have a management representative present. In
less formal areas, it is a matter of your discretion. However, if you have little
experience in dealing with union representatives in general or a particular
representative, we suggest having someone with you. Also, if the issue is a
volatile one, regardless of the forum, we think some support is warranted.
Each servicing personnel office has someone who can sit in with you, so use
them when necessary. On the other hand, if you have an
on-going relationship with a union representative and you feel confident
about a one-on-one with that particular individual, we have no qualms
about you meeting without someone from management there. We do think it
is important that you always take notes of what transpired. They should not be
word-for-word transcriptions but the notes should include the salient points.
Now a short word on agreeing to do (or not do) something with a union
representative in the course of your discussion. We generally discourage it.
Before you agree to something we think you should consider the conse-
quences and get advice if necessary. There is nothing wrong or inappropriate
with telling a union representative you want to think about it before you agree.
We recognize there are many times when the decision is obvious and can do
no harm. Fine, but if it represents a change in how business is normally done
or if you have any doubts, postpone your decision until you can consider all
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the ramifications. Caution is not illegal.
Finally, let's consider the situation of you supervising a union representative.
We do not take an employee's union activities into consideration when
appraising performance or considering him or her for promotion, training or
any employment—related decisions. With certain notable exceptions, most
union activities are protected. Union representatives can not call or participate
in strikes nor can they conduct internal union business on official time (when
they should be working). If there is going to be a problem because you have a
union representative under your supervision, it will probably be over the use
of official time, either the amount used or a failure to follow the prescribed
procedures. This is not an area for you to go it alone. If you have such a
problem (or, better yet, see one developing), get in touch with your
servicing personnel office immediately. Do not put it off-it will only get more
difficult to deal with because you will be giving the appearance of
approving the situation.
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CHAPTER IV
WHAT IS A
WEINGARTEN?
Employees in a bargaining unit have a legal right not available to
the rest of us. It is something called the Weingarten right and is generally
misunderstood by managers, unions and employees. A bargaining unit
employee being examined (questioned) by an agency representative in
connection with an investigation has the right to have a union represen-
tative present, if (1) the employee reasonably believes the examination
may result in disciplinary action against that employee, and (2) the
employee requests representation.
Take a few minutes and consider all of the aspects that trigger a Weingar-
ten situation. There must be an examination by an EPA official in the con-
text of an investigation. That is, the employee must be asked questions
which they must answer. (Employees must answer questions in an admin-
istrative context or they are subject to disciplinary action. If there is a
possibility of criminal prosecution, contact the Office of General Counsel
before you question the employee.) Situations where an employee is
being told or given something or is being counseled are not examinations.
The employee must reasonably believe that disciplinary action may result
from the examination. However, in this world of ours, the test is whether
the legendary "reasonable" person would believe that action might result
from the questioning. You can waive the possibility of disciplinary action
by stating no action will be taken against the employee. Remember, you
are an agent of EPA, and, if you waive action, you do so for the whole
Agency.
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If all the other components of Weingarten right are met, the employee
must still request union presence. This is not an opportunity for you to act
out any lingering fantasies you might have about being a police officer.
We do not read employees their "rights" before we start questioning. If
the employee does not request to have a representative present, there is
no right to one. For those of you wondering how employees are supposed
to know about their Weingarten right if you do not tell them, each year we
publish and distribute it to all bargaining unit employees.
We have a couple of final points about Weingarten situations. The
employee is entitled to have only a union representative present. That
means no lawyers, fellow employees, family members, anyone unless the
individual is an authorized union representative. If the employee exercises
Weingarten and all the tests are met, you must wait for a union represen-
tative before you begin questioning. A union representative can not
answer questions for the employee. The employee can consult with the
representative before answering but the employee must answer. Above all
else, keep in mind this is a highly charged situation, particularly for the
employee. Be calm, objective, and ask what you need to know and no
more. Allow the employee to explain answers. Do not get into arguments
or verbalize your assessment of the employee's veracity.
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CHAPTER V
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
As a manager, there are two forms of collective bargaining that af-
fect you. The first is bargaining that results in a negotiated agreement—a
contract. Usually, the agreement is printed and distributed to employees
and supervisors. It covers a number of different subjects and includes a
grievance and arbitration mechanism. The second form of bargaining is
called "impact and implementation'.' This takes a little explanation. There
are certain decisions which management makes which are not subject
to bargaining. For example, we decide how to organize EPA. It is a
decision made unilaterally. However, the impact of that decision and the
process by which it is implemented are subject to bargaining. Thus, the
substance of the decision is not negotiable but its impact is.
We are not going to cover the actual mechanics of negotiations here. If for
no other reason, it would take a volume just to do the subject justice. But,
there are a couple of things you should know. When we speak of
negotiating or bargaining with unions, we mean just that. The process is
not one of asking their opinion or soliciting their suggestions. It is give-
and-take and they are under no obligation to agree. We are equals at the
bargaining table and neither one of us can force the other to do anything.
The other thing to keep in mind is that we try to send our best negotiators
to the table. Whether we are using a team of people or just one individual,
they are the most knowledgeable and experienced representatives avail-
able at that time. And, they are representing you! Now, we always ask
supervisors and managers what they want to see in an agreement. The
process may vary depending on the location or subject, but we always
ask. And, rarely get any input at all. So, we are left negotiating subjects as
best we can with very little sense of what your needs are. All of this is to
say that the next time someone asks for your suggestions on manage-
ment's positions in labor negotiations, it is worth your time and effort to
give them. You, not us, have to live with the results.
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CHAPTER VI
LIVING WITH A CONTRACT
In the previous chapter, we told you that one of the products of
collective bargaining was a labor agreement. A labor agreement or
contract spells out how management and employees deal with situations
involving the employees' working conditions. While we cannot bargain
over matters set out in law or government-wide regulation, we can and do
bargain over areas that are discretionary with EPA management. A good
example is annual leave. The amount of annual leave an employee earns is
set by law, so we can neither increase or decrease through negotiations
how much leave an employee earns. But, we can negotiate over the pro-
cedures through which an employee obtains approval to use annual leave.
It is reasonably important for you to understand that EPA regulations
(meaning our manuals, orders, etc.) usually are not a bar to negotiations.
That means we can bargain something entirely different than the EPA
policy. If a labor contract and EPA policy conflict, it is the contract which
takes precedence. Using our example of annual leave again, suppose
EPA's Leave Manual has no requirement for how far in advance annual
leave must be requested but the contract covering your employees states
leave must be requested at least 24 hours in advance. The 24 hour require-
ment must be applied. The point here is that contracts often contain
entirely different procedures or processes than EPA policies and you must
adhere to the contractual provisions. It is extremely helpful if you read
the labor agreement. The overwhelming majority of problems associated
with contract violations occur simply because the supervisor or
manager did not know what was in the agreement.
Second to sheer ignorance, questions in the interpretation of contract
language cause the most problems. Negotiators spend a lot of time (and
we mean a lot of time) trying to write contract language that is clear and
easily understood. Sometimes, we succeed; other times, we do not. On
occasion, the language is deliberately vague because it is the result (com-
promise, if you will) of the parties being unable to find more specific
language which was mutually acceptable. When you are in a situation
where the contract is not clear, call your servicing personnel office. They
can tell you how to interpret and apply a particular contract provision.
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CHAPTER VII
FORMAL MEETINGS
"Innocent Ignorance"
There are times when you can get in trouble simply because you
don't know any better. Unfortunately, in labor relations sins of omission
get you just as much time in purgatory as sins of commission. In this
chapter, we are going to spend some time looking at an area where almost
all of our problems are the result of innocent ignorance.
A union has a right to be present at any formal discussion between an EPA
representative (i.e., you) and a bargaining unit employee when the
discussion concerns any grievance or personnel policy, practiceor general
condition of employment. Generally speaking, staff meetings,
counseling sessions, and performance appraisal discussions are
not included. Usually, what happens is you are planning a reorganization
or a relocation and you call your employees together to tell them what you
have planned. Good participative management, right? Sure it is, but the
union has a right to be notified of the meeting and to send a representa-
tive. There are some guidelines as to what constitutes a formal meeting
but we advise you once again to call your servicing personnel office. They
can tell you whether your situation is a formal meeting. Also, in
most locations, the personnel office is responsible for notifying the union.
Some of you may have just decided you will no longer hold such meetings
if you have to invite the union. We think that is a bit short sighted. Most
managers are concerned that the union representative will disrupt the
meeting. In our experience, that almost never happens. Sure they
ask questions and sometimes say something we are not too happy with,
but remember, if they are disruptive or antagonistic, it reflects on them in
front of the very people they represent. We told you before that union
representatives are generally pretty savvy. They have no particular desire
to look foolish in front of their constituency. For your part, treat them with
respect, and be patient, and never, never get into an argument.
We strongly recommend you always have a personnel representa-
tive at formal meetings when a union representative is present. In the
unlikely event things get nasty, the personnel representative can inter-
vene and remove you as a point of confrontation.
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CHAPTER VIM
GRIEVANCES AND ULP's
With some hesitation, we are going to talk about grievances and
unfair labor practice charges (ULP's). We hesitate because the over-
whelming number of EPA managers and supervisors will never be involved
in either. While we will discuss both grievances and ULP's there is only
one thing to remember—If you receive either a grievance or ULP, call your
servicing personnel office immediately.
A grievance is a complaint filed by an employee, a union or management
under the procedure contained in the collective bargaining agreement. An
employee or a union can file against management; management can file
against the union. The coverage and procedures of each grievance pro-
cedure vary because each is the result of individual negotiations. But,
there are some things that apply to all grievances. First of all, grievances
are not a personal reflection on any one. Grievance procedures are
problem-solving mechanisms. Employees and unions have the right to file
grievances, and without the fear that we will retaliate against them for us-
ing that right. Secondly, only a union can represent an employee in a
grievance filed under a contract. If the employee does not want union
representation, the employee can present the grievance on the
employee's own behalf. That means the employee can not get a lawyer or
anyone else. Under no circumstances should you meet or discuss an
employee's grievance with anyone outside management except the
employee or union representative. Also, even if the employee decides to
go it alone, the union has an absolute right to be present at any meeting
with the employee about the grievance. It makes no difference whether
the employee wants the union present.
When grievances are not resolved through the contractual procedure,
either the union or management can refer them to arbitration. Employees
cannot invoke arbitration. An arbitrator is someone outside the Federal
government and not involved with the union who settles grievance
disputes. An arbitrator's decision is binding on both parties—which
means it's not a recommendation that we can adopt or reject at our
option. Every labor agreement in the federal sector must have a
negotiated grievance procedure which culminates in binding arbitration.
An unfair labor practice is an action which violates a union's, employee's
or management right guaranteed by the particular law which created labor
relations in the Federal government. The Federal Labor Relations Author-
ity investigates allegations of unfair labor practices. It also prosecutes if it
believes a ULP has been committed. Very often, the Authority investigator
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becomes the actual prosecutor. Because of this fact, we make decisions
as to whether we will allow Authority investigators to interview super-
visors on a case-by-case basis. Authority agents have their own predis-
positions and some are not particularly objective. If you are served with a
ULP charge, complaint or subpoena, or if an Authority agent contacts
you, do not respond. Get in touch with your servicing personnel office im-
mediately. If a decision is made for you to meet with an Authority investi-
gator, you should always have someone from the personnel office or
General Counsel present with you. Many times, the Authority agent will
ask you to sign an affidavit the agent prepares on the spot. You have the
right to change it anyway you want before signing or you can simply not
sign at all. Never sign an affidavit unless it reflects exactly what you
believe to be true. It's your affidavit, not the agent's.
You probably will never be involved in a grievance or ULP, but, if you
are, call your servicing personnel office immediately.
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CHAPTER IX
UNIONS IN EPA
Almost 52% of the employees in EPA are in bargaining units.
Approximately 2500 of these employees are professionals. The term
"professional" in a labor relations context has a very precise meaning. It
does not refer to how individuals do their work or what education they
personally possess. It means an individual occupying a position which has
a specific educational level and/or licensing requirement. Thus, an in-
dividual with a PhD in Biology in an Environmental Protection Specialist
position is not a professional because there is no positive education
requirement for EPS positions.
Four different unions represent employees in EPA: American Federation
of Government Employees (AFGE); Engineers and Scientists of California
(ESC); National Association of Government Employees (NAGE); and Na-
tional Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE).
NAGE represents both professionals and non-professionals at Narragan-
sett. ESC represents the professionals in Region 9. NFFE holds recogni-
tions for the professionals at Headquarters and Cincinnati, as well as the
non-professionals in Athens, Cincinnati and Regions 4, 7 and 9. All of the
ESC, NAGE and NFFE recognitions are at the local level. That means the
collective bargaining relationship exists between the local union and
management.
AFGE has two consolidated bargaining units in EPA. A consolidated unit
is created when a number of local levels combine into a single unit. In
AFGE's case, 18 local level recognitions (12 non-professional and 6 profes-
sional) were meshed into two consolidated units. One is a professional
unit; the other is composed of non-professionals. Consolidation often
changes the level of recognition, which is another way of saying where
the collective bargaining relationship is organizationally. In this case, the
level of recognition shifted from individual locations and AFGE locals to
EPA as an agency and to AFGE as a national union. For better or worse,
local levels no longer have control over their relations because the relation-
ship has moved to the national level. The most obvious impact is the exis-
tence of a master Collective Bargaining Agreement with AFGE which
applies to all of the employees in the AFGE units. Thus, a professional in
Region 3 is covered by the same contract as a non-professional in Ada,
Oklahoma.
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Below we have listed the two AFGE consolidated units:
AFGE PROFESSIONAL
CONSOLIDATED UNIT
Denver
Research Triangle Park
Chicago
Philadelphia
New York
Edison, NJ
AFGE NON-PROFESSIONAL
CONSOLIDATED UNIT
Headquarters
Cincinnati
Edison, NJ
New York
Research Triangle Park
Boston
Montgomery, AL
Denver
Ada, OK
Chicago
Philadelphia
Ann Arbor, Ml
If you ever have any question as to whether one of your employees is in a
bargaining unit, call your servicing personnel office. The bargaining unit
definitions in EPA are much more involved than our discussion has been
here. Do not assume inclusion or exclusion, go to the people that know.
Let's hear it for the "BARGAINING UNITS"
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CHAPTER X
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
We would like to leave you with some of the same thoughts we
have been repeating throughout. Good labor relations is a function of
good management. We have given you enough of the basics to he Ip you
steer clear of most technical problems. It's up to you to do the rest.
Always keep in mind you're not in this alone. Your servicing personnel of-
fice is there to help you. Use them. Nobody expects you to know all the
nuances of Federal labor relations. Take advantage of the people who
have the training and experience to assist you—that's why they pay us.
We have tried to provide you with some very basic ground rules about
labor relations in EPA. We know that reading about labor relations is not
the most interesting thing in the world. If it's any consolation, writing
about it isn't too thrilling either. For whatever it's worth to you, we
attempted to make this readable and entertaining as well as informative.
To some extent, it was an experiment for us because we tried to write as if
we were in your shoes. We would like to know how we did. Drop us a
note or give us a call—we really are interested in your reactions.
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