NWSEO President Signs Charter for
Department of Commerce Labor Management Forum
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LMF Charter
(April 22, 2010) The hard work between Labor and Management came to fruition as the charter for the DOC Labor Management Forum was signed on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. The charter includes many benefits for DOC agencies and for the unions representing Labor for those agencies, including NWSEO.
“The greatest benefit in this charter is that it vastly increases areas of bargaining potential in all levels of the NWSEO,” said NWSEO President Dan Sobien. “We’re pleased to be the first government group to have their formal LMF charter and especially pleased it provides for Labor to have more input before decisions are made.” Under the charter, NWSEO officers will have an increased ability to negotiate over permissive areas, including the numbers, types, and grades of employees or positions assigned to any organizational subdivision, work project, or tour of duty, and on the technology, methods, and means of performing work. The change is designed to help streamline the Department of Commerce, increase its efficiency and save money.
President Sobien was elected co-chair of the Labor Management Forum by all DOC unions. He represents the Labor side of the Department of Commerce. DOC Chief Financial Officer Scott Quehl also co-chairs the Labor Management Forum, representing Management. NWSEO Vice President Bill Hopkins and Treasurer Marguerite Matera, and NESDIS Vice President Hugh Sharkey are also members.In addition to NWSEO, the union team consists of delegates from Patent Office Professional Association (POPA), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and a rotating seat for smaller unions.
The Labor Management Forum is the result of an Executive Order. The intent of President Obama’s order is to have employees and union representatives work as partners with management to identify problems and craft solutions for the benefit of their organization, services and products. It is designed to foster cooperative labor-management relations and include training in dispute resolution. Every department of the US government is creating its own Labor Management Forum.
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