Article 50

Facilities and Services

Section 1. General

The Department agrees to provide, at no cost to the Union, office space (Rooms

N-1501 and N-1503) in the Francis Perkins Building (FPB), furniture, and support

services as it has provided in the past. The Department will also provide additional

locked storage space in the vicinity of Room N-1503. In addition, the Department

will provide four (4) former telephone “booth” spaces located in “C” corridors of

the FPB. These storage areas shall have doors and locks installed on them. The

Department will continue to provide the Union with adequate office space in the

Postal Square Building (PSB). In addition, the Department shall provide requested

office space in all other outlying buildings, where feasible.

Section 2. Union Bulletin Boards and Kiosks

a. The Department shall continue to provide five (5) kiosks for Local 12 to post

materials. Four will be located in the FPB, and one will be located in the

PSB. The kiosks are for the transmittal of Union information and/or

announcements to employees.

b. Local 12 is responsible for the upkeep of these kiosks and for ensuring that

posted materials shall not contain scurrilous, libelous, disparaging, or

otherwise inappropriate material.

c. The Department shall provide a bulletin board in each building where there

are bargaining unit employees. The Department shall provide, at a

minimum, two (2) bulletin boards in the FPB, one near the Snack Bar and

one near the Cafeteria. The specific locations and size of all bulletin boards

will be determined by mutual agreement between the parties, consistent

with applicable regulations and fire and safety requirements. Local 12 is

responsible for the upkeep of the bulletin boards and for ensuring that

posted materials shall not contain scurrilous, libelous, disparaging, or

otherwise inappropriate material.

Section 3. Use of Departmental Telephones for Labor-Management

Business

a. Union Offices. The Department shall continue to provide telephone service

in each Union office.

b. Union Representatives. Union representatives shall have access to

Departmental telephones for use when necessary to conduct

representational business.

Section 4. Parking

a. Assigned Permits. The Department agrees to provide a number of parking

permits equal to the number of one hundred percent (100%) official time

Officers for the Union’s use in the FPB. The permits will be issued in the

name of the Union for use by persons designated by the Union. The

aforementioned parking permits will be purchased by the Union. The Union

is responsible for paying any standard fees or charges normally assessed for

use of similar parking privileges.

b. Union Visitors’ Parking. In the event the Union needs a parking space(s) for

a visitor(s) to the FPB, such request should be made to the Department’s

Office of Facilities Management, Office of the Assistant Secretary for

Administration and Management, one (1) day in advance of the need. The

Department shall accommodate such requests to the extent space is

available. Similar protocol applies at other buildings.

Section 5. Use of Departmental Equipment

The Department shall provide the following equipment, with all necessary

maintenance and service, for use in the Union Office:

a. color photocopier;

b. facsimile machine; and

c. scanner.

Section 6. Distribution of Union Handbills and Other Solicitations

The parties’ conduct in this area shall be governed by 5 U.S.C. § 7131(b).

Section 7. Use of Departmental Meeting Rooms in the FPB

a. The Department will provide Local 12 with the use of the HRC Conference

Room (N-1649), if it is available, or in the alternative, a designated room of

sufficient size (to accommodate at least 15 people) in the FPB on the third

Tuesday of each month between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. The parties agree

that if the day of the meeting is changed, the Union will provide at least 48

hours notice to allow for other accommodations.

b. The Department will provide Local 12 with the use of a designated room of

sufficient size (to accommodate at least 35 people) on the third Thursday of

each month between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. in FPB.

c. The Department will provide Local 12 with the use of a designated room of

sufficient size (to accommodate up to 100 people) on the fourth Thursday

of each month between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

d. Other than the meeting times and dates set forth in Section 7 (a) through

(c) above, the same rules and operating procedures that apply to requests

from other entities will be applied to requests for other meetings and space

needs from Local 12. Local 12 may not circumvent this requirement by

making repeated ad hoc requests, which would have the effect of continual

or permanent use of conference space.

Section 8. Meeting Space and Equipment in Other DOL Buildings

Management recognizes the need for private meeting space between the Union

and bargaining unit employees in outlying buildings. Space for such meetings

between Union representatives and bargaining unit employees shall be provided in

all outlying buildings upon adequate advance notice.

Section 9. Copies of Departmental Rules and Regulations

Management agrees to continue to make available to the Union its regulations as

contained in the Department of Labor Manual Series (DLMS) and the Department

of Labor Personnel Regulations (DPR). These documents shall be provided in

electronic format.

Section 10. Use of Internal Mail System

For the purpose of fostering effective and efficient communications, the Union shall

have the opportunity to utilize the Department’s internal mail system to distribute

its newsletter, and other similar communications, to bargaining unit employees.

Material distributed through the internal mail system will be clearly identified as

Local 12 material and may not contain scurrilous, libelous, disparaging, or

otherwise inappropriate material.

In all cases, the Union is responsible for providing the Department with the

appropriate number of copies of the material to be distributed and sufficiently in

advance of the desired distribution deadline.

Section 11. Electronic Mail

For the purpose of fostering effective and efficient communications, the

Department shall provide Local 12 with access to the Department’s electronic mail

system(s) to handle all communications. Such communications shall allow for full

discussion of representational issues. The communication shall not contain

scurrilous, libelous, disparaging, or otherwise inappropriate material.

Section 12. Facilities and Services Upgrades

The Department shall upgrade software, equipment, and technology in accordance

with DOL’s IT infrastructure and applicable policies. Further, the Department

reserves the right to upgrade physical facilities and security services, as

appropriate, in accordance with DOL policies and Government-wide guidance or

policies (i.e., GSA regulations, Federal Protective Services policies, or Department

of Homeland Security policies).

Section 13. Messages on Earnings and Leave Statements or PeopleTime

a. Local 12 may timely submit to Office of Employee and Labor-Management

Relations (OELMR) up to three (3) messages per quarter for publication on

Local 12 bargaining unit employees’ earnings and leave statements and/or

the PeopleTime system. Within technology and/or system capabilities and

within the space allotted, the message will be identified as “Local 12

message” and may not contain scurrilous, libelous, or otherwise

inappropriate information.

b. Department messages will take precedence over Local 12 messages.

Section 14. Document Security

Upon request, management shall provide each Union representative not housed in

N-1503 with one (1) file cabinet with a lock and crossbar to secure confidential

information of the bargaining unit employees. In the alternative, management may

provide secure space with a lock to store and secure Union-related materials.

Keys or combinations will be made available only to Union representatives

designated by Local 12.