OCC Bargaining Update - January 8, 2016 (System News)

From: System News 10

Sent: Friday, January 08, 2016 12:31 PM

To: OCC Agency Wide

Subject: Message from xxx: Update to Collective Bargaining Negotiations

To: All OCC Employees

From:

Date: January 8, 2016

Subject: Update to Collective Bargaining Negotiations

As you know, the pay article of our collective bargaining agreement has expired, and OCC management and the union have been unable to reach agreement on how to provide raises or bonuses to employees. Today, I am pleased to report that OCC management and the union reached agreement in principle to implement merit pay and bonuses effective for 2016 using the same processes agreed to previously in the collective bargaining agreement as an interim measure while the parties work toward a final collective bargaining agreement. This allows us to recognize employees’ contributions for fiscal year 2015 and allows them to realize an increase in pay while we work to reach a final agreement.

As you may know, a request for the assistance of the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) was submitted to resolve the issues where OCC management and the union disagree. We expect the FSIP to schedule a process to resolve the negotiations in late February to mid-March of this year. I am hopeful that this process will result in resolution of the outstanding issues. However, if the parties do not reach voluntary agreement during this process, the FSIP will issue a written decision imposing an agreement. If the FSIP process results in a decision that awards greater pay to employees, those changes will be implemented prospectively, and the difference will be made up in a single lump sum as soon as practical after that decision has been reached.

We will provide additional information and guidance regarding the implementation of the interim agreement and timing of pay raises and bonuses as soon as possible.

If you have questions concerning these negotiations, please contact Eric Adams at (202) 649-6934. Employees in the bargaining unit represented by the NTEU should direct questions concerning the agreement or the negotiations process to their NTEU representative.