R 121658Z JAN 12

ALCOAST 022/12
COMDTNOTE 5700
SUBJ: SHIPMATES 18: RESPECTING OUR SHIPMATES - LABOR MANAGEMENT
RELATIONS
A. EXECUTIVE ORDER 13522 DATED 9 DEC 2009
1. SHIPMATES, ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING STRONG LABOR-MANAGEMENT
RELATIONS IS ESSENTIAL TO RESPECTING OUR SHIPMATES.  LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS ARE PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE SERVICE AND PERFORM VITAL
WORK REPRESENTING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR CIVILIAN WORKFORCE.  I
AM COMMITTED TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND COOPERATION WITH LABOR
ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH CONSISTENT AND PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP AT ALL
LEVELS OF THE COAST GUARD.   WE RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT OUR LABOR
UNIONS AND UNION REPRESENTATIVES FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ON BEHALF OF
OUR BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES AND TO OVERALL COAST GUARD MISSION
EFFECTIVENESS.
2. ON 9 DEC 2009, THE PRESIDENT SIGNED EXECUTIVE ORDER 13522, REF
(A), REQUIRING EACH AGENCY THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE
FEDERAL SERVICE LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS ACT (5 U.S.C. 7101), OR
ANY OTHER AUTHORITY PERMITTING EMPLOYEES OF SUCH AGENCY, TO SELECT AN
EXCLUSIVE REPRESENTATIVE TO ESTABLISH AGENCY LEVEL LABOR-MANAGEMENT
FORUMS.  THE COAST GUARD HAS SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED SEVERAL FORUMS
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER.  THE PURPOSE OF THESE FORUMS
IS TO ALLOW MANAGEMENT AND LABOR UNIONS TO WORK TOGETHER TO IDENTIFY
WORKPLACE ISSUES AND TO PROPOSE SOLUTIONS TO BETTER SERVE THE PUBLIC
AND AGENCY MISSION.  FOR THESE FORUMS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE MUST
STEADFASTLY EXERCISE AND PROMOTE MUTUAL RESPECT, TRUST AND DIALOGUE,
AND I EXPECT ALL FORUM PARTICIPANTS THROUGHOUT THE COAST GUARD TO
EMBRACE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WORK
ENVIRONMENT.
3. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER ALSO ENCOURAGES PRE-DECISIONAL INVOLVEMENT
WITH OUR LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.  THIS PRE-DECISIONAL INVOLVEMENT MAY
INCLUDE ACTIONS SUCH AS SHARING OF INFORMATION IN THE EARLY STAGES OF
WORKPLACE CHANGES (E.G., LABOR REPRESENTATIVES ON WORKGROUPS,
BRIEFING OUR LABOR REPRESENTATIVES AND SOLICITING IDEAS AND
SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR LABOR REPRESENTATIVES) IN ADVANCE OF MAKING
DECISIONS.  I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE COAST GUARD LEADERSHIP TO ENGAGE IN
PRE-DECISIONAL INVOLVEMENT WITH OUR LABOR REPRESENTATIVES WHEN
CONSIDERING WORKPLACE CHANGES AND OTHER DECISIONS IMPACTING THE
WORKFORCE.  OUR COAST GUARD WORKFORCE RELATIONS DIVISION, COMDT
(CG-1214), IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH COORDINATING AND ADVISING ON
THESE ISSUES.  YOU CAN CONTACT THEIR OFFICE BY VISITING
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/CIVILIANHR/CONTACT.ASP.
4. A MOST RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE LABOR RELATIONS AREA IS THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MASTER LEVEL AGREEMENT (MLA) BETWEEN THE COAST
GUARD AND AFGE COUNCIL 120.  THE MLA IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE
LABOR-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT EVER ESTABLISHED IN THE COAST GUARD, AND
REPRESENTS THE FIRST MAJOR CONSOLIDATED NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT IN THE
COAST GUARDS LABOR MANAGEMENT HISTORY.  ALL SUPERVISORS AND EMPLOYEES
ARE TO ADHERE TO THE NEGOTIATED PROVISIONS OF THE MLA THAT APPLY TO
YOUR UNITS/STAFFS AND TO OTHER NEGOTIATED LABOR-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS
AS APPROPRIATE.
5. COMDT (CG-1) WILL ISSUE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION ON TRAINING AND
FAMILIARIZATION OF THE MLA WITH AFGE COUNCIL 120 FOR APPLICABLE
MANAGERS/SUPERVISORS.
6. STAND A TAUT WATCH, SEMPER PARATUS.
7. ADM BOB PAPP, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.