GAO serves as model for improving labor relations
Federal Human Resources Week, February 2, 2009

There is a lot of speculation about the role federal unions will play under the Obama administration.

One thing is clear: management will have to learn to get along with them.

While that isn't always easy, the experience at the Government Accountability Office shows management and union cooperation can lead to improved productivity and morale, even when dealing with major reform, such as pay for performance.

"Our relationship is much more promising than in the past - management has reached out to meet with us," said Ron La Due Lake, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees Local 1921, the bargaining unit for GAO employees.

Eric Adams, GAO's director of workforce relations, also told FEDHR that "workplace relations have improved, and that there is now a productive relationship between management and labor."

Labor-management tensions came to a head in 2007 when GAO analysts began expressing concerns about their performance-based payouts under the new pay-for-performance system. That year, the agency denied cost-of-living increases to some analysts who met workplace expectations, because GAO said independent studies showed they were already paid above the market rate. Black analysts also expressed concern that raises and bonuses differed significantly between black and white employees. The resulting furor led employees to approve union representation by the IFPTE in September 2007.

La Due Lake said management showed a "sincere interest in moving forward," including developing a Workforce Diversity Plan and convening an agencywide Diversity Committee, which includes representatives from the IFPTE, nonunion members, and representatives of liaison groups such as Blacks in Government, to develop guidelines for reviewing performance ratings. These requirements have been standardized across the agency, with staff receiving ongoing training on their use.

Timing is critical
Both La Due Lake and Adams emphasize the role better communication has played in improving working relations. The key, they said, is seeking union and employee input at the beginning of the process, not the end. For example, some of the disputed pay issues were resolved through the passage of PL 110-323, the Government Accountability Office Act of 2008. Among other things, the law - sponsored by Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill. - gave GAO employees who did not receive a base pay increase in 2006 and 2007 a lump-sum payment.

What the bill was not, said La Due Lake, was an attempt by one side to force a legislative agreement down the throats of the other. Instead, management and the union met regularly to discuss the legislation before it was introduced. La Due Lake said this "coming together" to find a compromise was "well-received in discussions with Rep. Davis," and made final approval easier. Margaret Braley, GAO's director of performance and compensation management, agreed, adding that the two sides worked together to "put their concerns forward" before the bill was introduced, allowing it to be perceived as a win-win situation. The bill requires the agency to provide an annual adjustment - something the union wanted - while allowing management to feel comfortable that the system is still performance-based.

The willingness of both sides to work together has made it easier to conduct subsequent negotiations, including 2009 pay adjustments and the first collective bargaining agreement. To formalize this working relationship, monthly meetings are held, bringing together union reps, supervisors, political appointees, and nonunion GAO employees to discuss issues before they become a major problem.

GAO has also implemented a new integrated leadership program to ensure managers develop leadership skills, which was identified as an area of weakness just two years ago. A study to identify the cost of staff turnover and how to promote work/life balance is also under way.

Has it worked?
The changes seem to be working. A November survey of GAO employees found in most areas that worker satisfaction increased since 2007, and in some areas significantly since 2005. According to the GAO, FY 2008 survey results show the agency "met or exceeded" seven out of eight "people measures," including quantitative results in areas such as new hire rates, and employee perceptions in areas such as staff development and utilization, work environment, organizational culture, and supervisor leadership.

While there will always be differences between management and labor, both the 2008 and 2009 pay adjustment settlements received overwhelming support from the union, and an agreement on the first interim collective bargaining agreement was reached in only four months.

Final tips
La Due Lake and Adams agree that supervisors and unions should quickly get to know their "decision-making counterparts." Adams recommends keeping bargaining units and employees informed early of decisions or policies that may affect them. By doing so, new relationships can be developed and strained ones can be repaired. He said a willingness for both sides to communicate and even negotiate early on helps improve the process.