Use of "official time" for union activities drops

[The Straight Story]

Use of "official time" for union activities drops
By Shawn Zeller
[e-mail]

The amount of time that federal employees spent on union activities during their work days declined by 4 percent in 2003, according to a new report by the Office of Personnel Management.


The cost of the "official time" rose by 1.6 percent from the previous year, but that fell within the range expected, due to employee pay raises, OPM reported.


The 1978 Civil Service Reform Act provides that federal employees who double as union officers can use part of their workday to prepare and negotiate collective bargaining agreements, negotiate issues covered by such agreements, represent employees in dispute resolution processes, and attend meetings between labor and management officials.


The decline in the use of official time taken by union employees represents "a significant achievement in the area of taxpayer accountability," OPM officials said in a press release.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1204/122204sz1.htm

[gizmo1979]

1. As a Union member

and former stewart we usually get all the time we need.I really have'nt noticed a difference.