In recent years, Army Corps leaders have begun championing the promise of remotely operated waterway infrastructure. The ACE Council has been fighting throughout for greater transparency and accountability when it comes to this ill-conceived plan. In a truly promising development, the following has appeared in this year’s Senate Appropriations bill.

There’s more to be done to get this in the final Senate/House Appropriations bill, but this is a big step in protecting these jobs from being automated away. A lot of effort went into this from many ACE Council locals getting meetings with congressional staffers, sending people to Capitol Hill for IFPTE’s Legislative Week, the IFPTE ACE Council setting up meetings, and IFPTE President Matt Biggs, IFPTE Legislative Director Faraz Khan, and USACE Lock and Dam operator Mike Arendt (SAM) all spent many hours advocating for this language in an effort to protect these jobs.

As a Bargaining Unit Employee (BUE) you are entitled to have a union representative present for any formal meeting with management. But what is a “formal meeting?” The Federal Labor Relations Authority’s (FLRA) “Guidance on Meetings”, dated September 1, 2015, is a useful resource to better understand.

The Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute (FSLMRS, or “the Statute”) provides rights to union representation at formal meetings in Section 7114(a)(2). However, the Statute is not specific as to when these rights are triggered. According to the FLRA guidance, “In order for the section 7114(a)(2)(A) formal discussion right to exist, the following elements must be satisfied: (1) a discussion; (2) which is formal in nature; (3) between at least one or more agency representatives and one or more unit employees or their representatives; (4) concerning any grievance or personnel policy or practice or other general condition of employment.”
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However, not every discussion between an employee and management triggers this benefit of representation. For example, routine counseling sessions are typically not considered formal meetings. To be “formal” with the right to union representation, something must elevate the discussion above the routine. This can be highly case-specific but includes such considerations as the amount of notice given for the meeting, whether there was a set agenda, and the significance of the issues discussed. Contact your union to know more about formal meetings and the Statute, in general.