Collaborating through COVID:Role & Function of the FMCS

FY 2020(Updated Feb. 17, 2021)

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Helps parties resolve collective bargaining disputes which threaten the free flow of commerce.

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StatutoryMission...

Make its services available to Federal agencies to aid in the resolution of disputes through assistance, training, and the provision of neutrals.

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Continuing all conventional services virtually: negotiations, training, facilitation.

FMCS: Laboring Through the Pandemic

Assisting the American workforce by providing access to a variety of meeting and facilitation technology tools.

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Don’t let Coronavirus Disrupt Workplace Communication!

COMMUNICATION(Develop joint problem-solving teams)1

Cooperative Relationships

COMMUNICATION(Don’t let problems fester)2

COMMUNICATION(Be honest about issues)3

Keys to Cooperative Relationships of Any Kind

COMMUNICATION(Know when to get help)4

How Can Virtual Mediation Services Benefit You?

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Mediation, the use of a third-party neutral, can help you “bridge the gap.”

A Federal Mediator Can:

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Help Parties Clarify issues

Define problems

Generate options

Explore alternatives

A Federal Mediator Can:

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Help Parties Keep talks moving

forward

Make suggestions

Establish realistic expectations

Virtual Mediation: An Effective Tool for Conflict Resolution

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Visual connection matters

FMCS Mediator hosts & supports

Joint sessions & Separate confidential breakout rooms to meet with each party

Exchange and edit written proposals

Deliver interactive training & facilitation

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The Impact of Covid-19 in Bargaining

Seniority

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Seniority Violations- due to limited number of employees returning to work and exercising bumping rights to work out of classification

Seniority: During COVID-19

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• Assigning work outside of classification because of excess staffing levels and work available in areas not usually covered by a classification.

• Scheduling by seniority with limited staff availability - i.e. number of employees being scheduled & what classification

Subcontracting:

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During hotel closures-number of departments closed down and services not provided

Subcontracting some services due to COVID19 pandemic

Supervisors doing bargaining unit work-break & lunch relief and when there a number of call offs

Subcontracting without notification to Union

Craft jurisdiction issues

Covid/HERO Pay:

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Covid pay for employees who “put themselves at risk” and were not paid for quarantine (Employees contend they were blamed for contracting covid, but there is no way to prove how it was transmitted)

Quarantine pay for “Persistent Viral Shedder” who continuously tested positive and missed over a month of work

Covid/HERO Pay:

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Pay for site closures due to inclement weather

Kitchen closed and no meals provided to staff as required by the CBA.

In Housekeeping forecasting room checkout impacts the number of HKPRG staff scheduled.

If an inordinate number of stay-overs vary from forecasted numbers, then there in overstaffing and added non-productive expenses.

Health Precautions:

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Pay Adherence to sanitization protocol for Covid-19

Notification to union of Covid positive cases and in which department

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