Example of Council GRIEVANCE

NATIONAL GRIEVANCE

NG-07/5/201_

Date: July_,201_

To:Name

DeputyAssistantSecretary,Labor-Management RelationsDepartmentofVeteransAffairs

810VermontAvenue,NW

Washington,DC20420

From:Name,Attorney,NationalVeteransAffairsCouncil(#53)(NVAC),AmericanFederationofGovernmentEmployees(AFGE),AFL-CIO.

Subject:NationalGrievanceinthematteroftheDepartmentofVeteransAffairsCVA)failuretocomplywithArticle35,Section17,concerningthegrantingofdonorleaveforemployeeswhoparticipate in sponsoredorendorsedblooddonation.

STATEMENTOFCHARGES

PursuanttotheprovisionsofArticle43,Section11oftheMasterAgreementBetweenthe Departmentof VeteransAffairsandtheAmericanFederationofGovernmentEmployees(2011)(MCBA),AmericanFederationofGovernmentEmployees/NationalVeteransAffairsCouncil(Union)isfilingthisnationalgrievanceagainstyouandallotherassociatedDepartmentofVeteransAffairs("VA")officialsand/orindividualsactingasagentsonbehalfoftheVAfor violationsasitrelatestoitsfailuretocomplywithArticle35,Section17,concerning thegrantingofdonorleaveforemployeeswhoparticipateinsponsoredorendorsedblooddonation.

Specifically,onoraboutApril30,201_andcontinuouslythereafter,theVA,byandthroughitsrepresentativesand/oragents,hasissuedaHRMLwhichhasbeeninterpretedtolimittheamountofdonorleavethatcanbeapprovedbySupervisorsforemployeesparticipatingasblooddonors.

Indoingso,theVAhasviolatedthefollowingprovisions:

Section17ofArticle35; and

Any andallotherrelevant articles,laws,regulations, customs andpast practices nothereinspecified.

STATEMENTOFTHECASE:

I.Background

DuringaMinneapolisVHAstaffmeeting, Supervisorsinstructedstaffthattheymustreturntoworkfortheremainderoftheirshiftimmediatelyaftercompletingthedonorprocess. Because

MinneapolisLocals3669and1969haveapastpracticeofallowing4hoursofdonorleaveforblooddonors,aUnionOfficerinquiredof___,MinneapolisVHAHumanResourcesDirector.OnMay31,201_,Mr.___sentacopyofaHRMLhehadreceivedfromtheVACentralOfficewithanexampleillustratingfixedtimesfortravel,donation,andrestandrecuperation.(SeeAttachmentA) TheseSupervisorshaveinterpretedthislanguagetomeanthattheynolongerhavediscretiontoapprovedonorleavebeyondastandarddonationtimeforallparticipatingemployeesinviolationofthelanguagefoundinArticle35,Section17.

II.Violation

TheApril30,201_HRMLhasbeenimproperlyinterpretedtoremovethe Supervisorscontractualdiscretion indeterminingtheappropriate amountofdonorleaveon acase-by-casebasis.TheHRMLalsofailstoaccountforrelevantlocalpastpractices.

RemedyRequested

TheUnionasksthattoremedytheabovesituation,theVAagreestothefollowing:

(1)ToprovideguidancedescribingproperconsiderationsforSupervisorsindeterminingappropriateleave,including,butnotlimitedto,travel,wait times,andindividualrestandrecuperation times;

Toreviewalldonoremployees'individualcircumstancesforpotentialleave adjustments,andcreditanyemployees'leaveallocationsbasedonthereview;

ToagreetorecognizeallLocalpastpracticesuntilappropriatebargaininghasoccurred;and

Toagreetoanyandallotherremediesappropriateinthismatter.

TimeFrameandContact

ThisisaNationalGrievanceandthetimeframeforresolutionofthismatterisnotwaiveduntilthe matterisresolvedorsettled. IfyouhaveanyquestionsregardingthisNationalGrievance,pleasefeelfreetocontactmeat______.

Name AttorneyAFGE/NVAC

Cc:Name,President,AFGE/NVAC

Name,Chairperson,GrievanceandArbitrationCommittee,AFGE1NVAC

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