MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
RETROFIT & RELOCATION
This agreement is entered into by and between the Social Security Administration, Dallas Region, Area1, OKLAHOMA CITY District (hereinafter referred to as the Agency and/or the Employer) and the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Local 2505 (hereinafter referred to as the Union).
1. This agreement deals with appropriate arrangements for the bargaining unit employees in the OKLAHOMA CITY District Office for the retrofit of ergonomic furniture in the OKLAHOMA CITY District Office and the relocation of the OKLAHOMA CITY District Office to ???
2. It is understood that any prior benefits, practices, and understandings which were in effect on the effective date of this agreement and which are not covered by this agreement and do not detract from it shall not be changed except as required by 5 USC.71. All past practices regarding microwaves, refrigerators, coffee pots, etc., will remain the same at the new location.
3. No rights of any bargaining unit members or the Union are being waived or compromised, either explicitly or implicitly by the signing of this agreement. Any prior benefits and/or practices which were not specifically covered by this agreement and do not detract from it shall not be changed except in accordance with the National Agreement and applicable law, rules and regulations.
4. This agreement shall be subject to all provisions of 5 USC 71 and to all the provisions of the National Agreement.
5. The Agency will post a copy of the agreed-upon floor plan in the multi-purpose room, within 30 days of the signing of this agreement.
6. Bargaining Unit employees will be free to communicate their views to the Union without fear of reprisal or interference at any time both before and after the retrofit and relocation. The Agency will give full and fair consideration to all such employee views presented on their behalf by the Union.
7. Management will follow the same conditions of employment regarding eating at desk and decorating workstation that currently exist in the OKLAHOMA CITY District Office.
8. Employees may move their personal belongings or pack them for SSA’s movers to move.
9. Employees will not be required to take leave during the disassembling and reassembling which may be necessitated by the retrofit and relocation.
10. Management and Union will jointly survey the OKLAHOMA CITY staff asking employees to identify any “special needs” parking issues, including but not limited to oversized vehicles, bicycles, employees with special state issued handicapped parking licenses or placards, so that employee parking spaces can be identified.
11. Employees who have previously been provided with special equipment (keyboards, foot rests, a special mouse, etc) will be permitted to retain that equipment.
12. The Employees will be provided with a reasonable amount of duty time to pack and unpack personal materials.
13. Management will provide the Union with appropriate advance notice of any subsequent changes concerning the scope of this agreement, and the Union will be afforded an opportunity to bargain any changes per 5 USC 71.
13. Management will meet with the Union Steward to discuss any issues that may come up during the retrofit and relocation process. Such issues include but are not limited to:
- Workload considerations
- Cubicle work station reinstallation
- Employee time for packing and unpacking of materials
- Movement of furniture, computer terminals and other office equipment.
15. Management will provide the Union steward with the dates of the retrofit in a timely manger, including the date when the new cubicles will be delivered and where they will be stored prior to installation.
16. Management will provide the Union Steward with the dates of the relocation, including when the movers will start the packing process.
17. The agency will conduct one of the semi-annual evacuation drills and health and safety inspections specified in Article 9, Section 14.A of the National Agreement within 30 days of relocation. The Union will be notified of the health and safety inspection and be given an opportunity to accompany the Employer pursuant to Article 9 of the National Agreement.
18. Management will comply with Article 9, Section 7 in regards to notifying and inviting the Union steward to inspections of the new space.
19. Management will comply with the guidelines in Article 9, Section 12 of the National Agreement regarding office security.
20. Management will comply with the National Agreement under Health and safety Article 9 with respect to onsite security.
21. After the install of the retrofit, employees will be asked if there are any needed furniture adjustments. Management will make every effort to accommodate such requests.
22. Employees will be notified of the location of all office first aid kits at the new location and their locations will be indicated on the evacuation plan.
23. Management will follow the accessibility requirements in Article 18, Section 10.I of the National Agreement.
24. Management agrees to follow Article 9, Section 20 of the National Agreement concerning volunteers to stay at the current locations.
25. Management will follow OSHA guidelines for lighting in the workplace.
26. Each interviewing window will be equipped with rolling shutters. The shutter track will be constructed so that it will not obstruct or impeded the work surface (i.e., no overhang or lip on the employees’ side of the barrier wall).
27. Management will provide the Union with copies of the results of the air and water tests conducted at the new office location.
28. If an employee is adversely affected by air flow or other environmental problems, including but not limited to fume from carpets, adhesives, paint, etc, the Agency will follow Article 9, Section 4 of the National Agreement.
29. Management will provide rest room facilities for employees that are separate from the public.
30. Employee parking and public parking will be separated.
31. Management will request that employee parking spaces have some type of barrier to separate employee parking spaces from the public’s parking spaces.
32. Management will provide sparking spaces for handicapped employees.
33. Appropriate washroom necessities will be provided for employees.
34. In the event that redistribution of workloads is necessary due to the retrofit and relocations, management will give proper notification to the Union and the opportunity to discuss impact and implementation of the changed.
35. The multipurpose room will be furnished with sufficient and appropriate tables, chairs, electrical outlets, wiring and wall space to accommodate the existing appliances / refrigerator, dispensers, etc.
36. The Agency will make every effort to minimize any inconvenience to employees during the move.
37. During the first week of relocation, leave approving officials shall be as liberal as possible in approving leave requests, in accordance with Article 31 of the National Agreement, as employees adjust to new travel routes.
38. The location of the private interviewing room will be annotated on the new floor plan.
39. This MOU will be posted to the AFGE-SSA Intranet site.
40. The Decorating Committee for the new Oklahoma City District Office shall consist of 8 employees, four of whom will be appointed by AFGE Local 2505 and four of whom will be appointed by management. The decorating committee will be responsible for decisions on colors, wall coverings, flooring and colors, decorations, etc. The decorating committee shall operate by consensus with disputes being referred to a management designee and Ralph de Juliis, President, AFGE Local 2505.
41. SSA will clean all the panels prior to reinstallation. SSA will make sure that the cleaning solution fume smell has dissipated before the employees report to work at the new location.
For the Social Security Administration For the American Federation of Government Employees (AFL-CIO),
Local 2505
____________________________ ________________________________
La Verna Williams, District Manager Ralph C. de Juliis, Local President
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DATE