10/7/09: The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) announced this week that it has launched a new and improved web site at www.flra.gov to provide greater access to an array of agency information and resources. "The modernized FLRA web site has a fresh new look and feel that provides easier and quicker access to agency information," said FLRA Chairman Carol Waller Pope. "The improvements to the FLRA’s web site are yet another step in our efforts to better serve our customers and to provide current, useful and complete information to federal employees, the unions that represent them, and federal agencies."

Some new features for the site include a Message from the FLRA Chairman, a fully searchable FLRA Decisions database, training materials from the Office of the General Counsel (OGC), and a more efficient layout. Additionally, the new site provides support and information to answer the most common questions. The site continues to include information regarding FLRA's processes in dealing with unfair labor practices, representation issues, arbitration appeals, and negotiation disputes; addresses and phone numbers of Regional Offices; Authority decisions; OGC policies and guidance; information regarding the agency's Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (CADR) activities; press releases; and biographies of the Authority Chairman and Members, the General Counsel and the Federal Service Impasses Panel (Panel) Members.

The FLRA administers the labor-management relations program for 1.9 million non-Postal Federal employees worldwide approximately 1.1 million of whom are represented in 2,200 bargaining units. It is charged with providing leadership in establishing policies and guidance related to Federal sector labor-management relations and with resolving disputes under and ensuring compliance with the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (Statute). The Authority is the three-member quasi-judicial body within the FLRA which adjudicates disputes arising under the Statute. The OGC, the independent investigative and prosecutorial component, investigates, settles and prosecutes unfair labor practice charges. The Panel is charged with resolving impasses between federal agencies and unions representing federal employees arising from negotiations over conditions of employment. It is the last step in federal sector collective bargaining -- the substitute for the strike and lockout in the private sector.