Section 1. The Library shall in no way restrain, interfere with, coerce, or discriminate against designated members of the Guild in the exercise of their right to serve as representatives for the purpose of collective bargaining, handling of grievances and appeals, furthering effective labor-management relations, or acting in accordance with applicable regulations and agreements on behalf of an employee or group of employees within the bargaining unit.

Section 2. The Guild shall receive five (5) published copies of all LCRs, Special Announcements, and directives from higher authority to which the Library is subject that relate to personnel policies, practices, or conditions of employment.

Section 3. All new employees within the bargaining unit shall be informed that the Guild is the exclusive representative of the employees in the bargaining unit. Biweekly the Guild will be furnished the names, positions, grades, series, organizational units, and dates of entry of new employees in the bargaining unit as well as transfers, promotions, and resignations of bargaining unit employees.

Section 4. The Library shall consult with the Guild before instituting, discontinuing, or altering any shuttle bus service between Capitol Hill and outlying annexes.

Section 5. The Guild shall be given the opportunity to be represented at formal discussions between management and employee(s) or his/her representative(s) concerning grievances, personnel policies, practices, or other matters affecting general conditions of employment.

Section 6. The Guild shall be entitled to have a member on all committees, councils, and task forces in the Library which include bargaining unit staff as members and which have as their principal purpose the consideration of matters affecting personnel policies, practices, or conditions of employment except as prohibited by 5 USC Ch. 71.

Section 7. Notification of Meetings
The Library normally will notify the Guild of meetings at which it is entitled to representation at the same time as other attendees are notified. Such notice will be provided at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance when practicable, and at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance except in case of emergency. The Library will inform the Guild of meetings by memo, E-MAIL, telephone, or in person, specifying the time, location, and agenda for the meeting. The Guild normally will confirm its attendance with the convener of the meeting.
The Library will hold emergency meetings only after notifying the Guild.

Section 8. Guild representatives have the right to participate as speakers in orientation sessions for new employees.

Section 9. The Library agrees that a bargaining unit listing, consisting of each employee's name, series, grade, title, and organizational unit, will be supplied quarterly in machine readable format to the Guild.

Section 10. Up to twenty-four (24) hours of excused absence shall be permitted the Guild President, Vice-President, Chief Steward, and stewards to attend Guild-sponsored training sessions during the first contract year. Up to sixteen (16) hours shall be authorized during subsequent contract years. Should both Parties consent, no more than eight (8) hours of those training sessions will be conducted jointly by the Library and Guild.

Section 11. The Library will notify in writing and consult the Guild:

1. at least ten (10) days prior to the beginning of a proposed study (including classification studies and maintenance reviews) or survey by the Library or by consultants principally dealing with conditions of employment in the bargaining unit. Upon completion of the study, the Library will provide the Guild with (a) a summary prepared by the consultant, if available, and (b) access to the final results;
2. at least fifteen (15) days before the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a contract which would directly affect personnel policies, practices, or conditions of employment;
3. twice each year, the Library will brief the Guild on:
1. experts and consultants whose work directly affects conditions of employment of employees; and
2. its inventory of commercial activities.

Should the Guild require information in this area which goes beyond that addressed through the semi-annual briefings, the Guild will specify in writing the information needed and why it is necessary, including the uses to which the Guild will put the information and the connection between those uses and the Guild's representational responsibilities.

4. prior to implementing any policy to monitor employees surreptitiously. The Library will meet, consult, and bargain with the Guild over the impact and implementation of changes in conditions of employment not covered by this Agreement. Such notification, consultation, and bargaining are not required when the Library has reason to use such methods and means in connection with inquiries into the possible misconduct of individual employees.

Section 12. Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, the Library recognizes that the Guild enjoys all the rights and protections afforded labor organizations by 5 USC Ch. 71. With respect to contracting out, the Parties will meet, consult, and bargain over the impact and implementation of changes in conditions of employment not covered by this Agreement.

Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. SE
Washington, D.C. 20540
Comments: lcweb@loc.gov
(04/16/02)