[Company Logo Image] FMCS Home Up FMCS Site Index Agency Services Public Information Phone Directory

 LM Partnership
Opening Letter Introduction Reinvention Service Standards Dispute Mediation Prev. Mediation Arbitration ADR LMC Program Intl. Affairs LM Partnership FMCS Organization Staff Heads Office Listing

 

FMCS Labor-Management Partnership

In October 1993, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12871 directing federal agencies to form partnerships with their employees' labor representatives as a means of reforming government. In that spirit, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the National Association of Government Employees Local R3-118, representing about 60 nonsupervisory and nonprofessional employees in our National Office in Washington, D.C., formed a National Office Partnership Council in June 1994.

The partnership was formally launched on a "Partnership Day" in September 1994, when all National Office employees, including managers, were introduced to the importance of partnership and the Agency's commitment to achieving it. In March 1995, the parties entered into a formal partnership agreement. As the Agreement reflects, our goal is to achieve, through our partnership, the "good government" standard, namely "the promotion of increased quality and productivity, customer service, mission accomplishment, efficiency, quality of work life, employee empowerment, and organizational performance."

The achievement of partnership in our National Office is a critical component of our strategic plan to guide FMCS into the 21st century. Achieving true partnership is not an easy task. Both labor and management are forced to learn new roles and responsibilities. Our efforts have been facilitated by an experienced FMCS mediator who has provided training to us in partnership skills. We are making significant progress. Our partnership council meets on a regular basis, and all decision making is by consensus. To address the unique issues of each department in the National Office, the Council has promoted partnerships at the departmental level where employees who perform the work of the agency and their supervisor directly interact. A variety of concerns have surfaced at these departmental meetings, including training needs, upward mobility, job evaluation systems, and employee morale. The Partnership Council has begun to address these concerns.

Many partnership accomplishments have been achieved:

Early on, the Partnership Council formed a problem solving committee in an effort to manage and resolve conflicts that arise, and hopefully avoid more formal and time-consuming grievance processing. The committee has successfully resolved a number of issues.
Training was provided in improving communications and fostering understanding among diverse people and groups. While this training just scratched the surface of these issues, it was extremely valuable. By pairing communications and diversity, it directly addressed issues which appear to be at the heart of employee discontent at the Agency. By confronting problems, we hope to be able to improve employee morale, involve our employees more in the work of the Agency, enhance their sense of empowerment, and improve the quality of service offered by the Agency.
We are working to improve internal communications and information sharing. A partnership newsletter has been initiated, monthly brown bag lunches with interested employees are held with the Director, and periodic social events are sponsored.
An alternative work schedules program was designed, tested, and formally adopted. It proved to have a positive impact on both employee morale and the work of the agency.
A comprehensive education and training plan has been designed for all National Office employees, with professional development considered a part of every employee's job. Every employee has completed a survey of capabilities and interests which then formed the basis for an individual development plan which defines educational objectives for the year as well as opportunities for applying what is learned. A curriculum of courses relating to the agency's mission, necessary job skills, and partnership skills, such as team work and problem solving, has been developed which will use both internal and external trainers. Also, a series of field trips has been planned to neighboring manufacturing plants which highlight labor-management partnership . We have already visited the General Motors/ United Auto Workers plant in Sparrows Point, Maryland and the Bethlehem Steel/United Steelworkers plant in Baltimore. These trips are intended to involve National Office employees more directly in the Agency's mission. Employees are given a chance to learn first hand about labor-management relations and the role of mediators around the nation whose work they support on a daily basis.

Institutionalizing a process for continuous professional development and education for all agency employees -- mediators, National Office employees, and leadership -- is a critical component of our agency's strategic plan and will enable FMCS to continue to play a leading role in labor-management relations and conflict resolution into the 21st Century.

We are undertaking a "reinvention" effort in our National Office to help us "create a government that works better and costs less." We will be examining questions of work design, organizational effectiveness and opportunities provided by technology modernization, teamwork and skills upgrading. Absolutely essential to the success of this initiative is the participation of each and every employee who performs the work of the agency.

In general, we believe that our Partnership Council is providing a forum for airing concerns and ideas. Through this mechanism, we hope to develop a more collaborative way of working together. We are striving to work together as partners to transform the way our organization is structured, work is performed and services are delivered -- to achieve productivity and efficiency as well as a voice at the workplace, increased job satisfaction and mutual respect. We will be evaluating our progress on a periodic basis.

 

[ FMCS Home ] [ Up ]

Send mail to: lazurus@fmcs.gov Please restrict comments to technical issues. Comments relating to policy, content or style will not be acted on by the Webmaster.
Copyright © 1998 Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Last modified: February 09, 1998