The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is a contract between CRS management and the CRS bargaining unit staff. It defines working conditions and the rights and duties of management and staff in carrying out the mission and work of CRS. A mutually agreed effort by CREA and CRS management to renegotiate selected CBA articles reached an impasse in December 2013. As a result of this impasse, CREA requested assistance from the Federal Services Impasses Panel* (FSIP). The FSIP ordered the parties to engage the services of an outside mediator/fact-finder to help resolve the impasse. The parties have picked a fact-finder and are awaiting a contract to be awarded.
The fact-finder will try to help the parties resolve their differences. If the fact-finder is unsuccessful, he or she will make a recommendation to the FSIP for reference in making a binding decision that will be imposed on both parties. In making its decision, the FSIP will also consider both parties’ positions on the issues under negotiation. Once the FSIP makes a ruling, the language decided on by the FSIP will be written into the CBA and cannot be appealed to any court.
Articles of the CBA currently being negotiated are:
- IV: Rights of the Association
- VIII: Promotion Review for Positions in Promotion Ladders
- IX: Performance Appraisals and Within-Grade Determinations
- XXV: Flexible Work Schedules
- XXXI: Negotiated Grievance Procedure
- XXXIV: Association Representational Activity
If you have any questions, please contact a CREA representative.
* The FSIP is the decision making body of the Federal Labor Relations Authority tasked with solving impasses between Federal Agencies and unions representing federal workers.