§7011 — Title 7 Agriculture | U.S. Code

Summary

When the Secretary’s actions change a bargaining unit already certified under chapter 71 of title 5, the people affected must try to agree on a new bargaining unit and on who will be the exclusive representative. They must use the rules in sections 7103(a)(4), 7111(e), 7111(f)(1), and 7120 of title 5 to pick the representative, and the rules in section 7112 of title 5 (ignoring subsections (b)(5) and (d)) to decide the proper unit. If the parties agree, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) will certify their agreement without needing a hearing or election, unless the FLRA finds the Title 5 criteria (except section 7112(a)) aren’t met or a valid election under section 7111(b) is held after the Secretary’s action but before certification. An election held within the 12-month period after a unit is certified can still be held and its results applied, including a vote to have no union. The FLRA can let a regional director handle certification under section 7105(e), and those regional decisions can be reviewed under section 7105(f); if a regional director refuses to certify, an affected party must seek review in the time allowed. Defined terms: "affected party" means any labor organization affected and the Department of Agriculture.

Title 7, §7011

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)If the exercise of the Secretary’s authority under this chapter results in changes to an existing bargaining unit that has been certified under chapter 71 of title 5, the affected parties shall attempt to reach a voluntary agreement on a new bargaining unit and an exclusive representative for such unit.

(2)In carrying out the requirements of this subsection, the affected parties shall use criteria set forth in—

(A)section 7103(a)(4), 7111(e), 7111(f)(1), and 7120 of title 5, relating to determining an exclusive representative; and

(B)section 7112 of title 5 (disregarding subsections (b)(5) and (d) thereof), relating to determining appropriate units.

(b)(1)If the affected parties reach agreement on the appropriate unit and the exclusive representative for such unit under subsection (a), the Federal Labor Relations Authority shall certify the terms of such agreement, subject to paragraph (2)(A). Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to require the holding of any hearing or election as a condition for certification.

(2)(A)The Federal Labor Relations Authority may not certify the terms of an agreement under paragraph (1) if—

(i)it determines that any of the criteria referred to in subsection (a)(2) (disregarding section 7112(a) of title 5) have not been met; or

(ii)after the Secretary’s exercise of authority and before certification under this section, a valid election under section 7111(b) of title 5 is held covering any employees who would be included in the unit proposed for certification.

(B)Nothing in section 7111(f)(3) of title 5 shall prevent the holding of an election under section 7111(b) of such title that covers employees within a unit certified under paragraph (1), or giving effect to the results of such an election (including a decision not to be represented by any labor organization), if the election is held before the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date such unit is so certified.

(C)The certification of a unit under paragraph (1) shall not, for purposes of the last sentence of section 7111(b) of title 5 or section 7111(f)(4) of such title, be treated as if it had occurred pursuant to an election.

(3)(A)The Federal Labor Relations Authority may delegate to any regional director (as referred to in section 7105(e) of title 5) its authority under the preceding provisions of this subsection.

(B)Any action taken by a regional director under subparagraph (A) shall be subject to review under the provisions of section 7105(f) of title 5 in the same manner as if such action had been taken under section 7105(e) of such title, except that in the case of a decision not to certify, such review shall be required if application therefor is filed by an affected party within the time specified in such provisions.

(c)For purposes of this section, the term “affected party” means—

(1)with respect to an exercise of authority by the Secretary under this chapter, any labor organization affected thereby; and

(2)the Department of Agriculture.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (c)(1), was in the original “this title”, meaning title II of Pub. L. 103–354, Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3209, known as the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994. For complete classification of title II to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6901 of this title and Tables.

§7011 Successorship provisions relating to bargaining units and exclusive representatives