Analysts Reach Agreement with GAO for Vote on Union

by Mike Hall, Jul 19, 2007

Analysts at the Government Accountability Office (GAO) who want to form a union with the Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) will cast their ballots later this summer following an agreement announced yesterday between the union and the GAO.

In early May, workers at GAO headquarters in Washington, D.C., and in field offices filed for a union election, with the vast majority of the 1,400 analysts signing union-authorization cards supporting an election.

But rather than quickly agreeing on an election date, the agency brought in an outside legal firm to help fight the organizing effort. GAO also challenged the union eligibility of  461 workers, claiming they were supervisors–and thus not eligible to join the union under current labor law.

IFPTE and the analysts reached out to supporters on Capitol Hill, who questioned the agency’s “union avoidance” tactics and urged the GAO to come to an election agreement with the workers.

A joint  statement from IFPTE and the GAO says the agreement “maximizes voting eligibility for GAO employees.” Says IFPTE President Gregory J. Junemann:

IFPTE is grateful for the diligent efforts of all the people who had a hand in bringing this agreement about, and we look forward to continued mutual cooperation as we move forward to completing this election process.

The GAO analysts began their drive for a voice at work after the agency made several drastic and unilateral changes in personnel policy, such as eliminating cost-of-living increases for many and reducing salaries.

Many of the unilateral changes, says the union, were similar to personnel policies that have been challenged at the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security by unions representing those workers. (Click here and here for background.)

The GAO election process by mail and on-site voting will be completed on Sept. 19.

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