Federal Register: August 6, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 152)
DOCID: fr06au08-22 FR Doc E8-17674
FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
CFR Citation: 29 CFR Part 1404
RIN ID: RIN 3076-AA12
NOTICE: PROPOSED RULES
DOCID: fr06au08-22
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Arbitration Services
DATES: Comments must be submitted to the office listed in the address section below on or before October 6, 2008.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) proposes to amend its rules relating to arbitrators' inactive status, removal, appointment, referral and obligation to provide FMCS with information. The proposed rules also address the appointment of arbitrators where a party has failed to pay fees in previous cases. In addition, the proposed rules raise the annual listing fee for arbitrators on the FMCS Roster. The changes will promote more efficient and effective procedures involving arbitrator retention and arbitration services. The increased cost of listing arbitrator biographical data more accurately reflects FMCS' costs of maintaining and administering this information.
SUMMARY:
Arbitration Services,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 171(b) and 29 CFR Part
1404, FMCS maintains a Roster of qualified labor arbitrators to hear
disputes arising from collective bargaining agreements and to provide
fact finding and interest arbitration. FMCS proposes to amend its rules
pertaining to arbitration services by revising: the arbitrator
complaint process; circumstances applicable to inactive arbitrator
status; procedures for the request of arbitration panels; the
obligation of arbitrators to provide FMCS with designated information; and
[[Page 45661]]
methods for selecting an arbitrator panel. These changes are intended
to make FMCS arbitration procedures more efficient and effective.
FMCS also proposes in the Appendix to Part 1404 to increase the listing fee for an arbitrator's first business address from $100 to $150. Increasingly, parties are requesting more individualized panels based on their requirements and arbitrator experience. The increased listing fee reflects the additional FMCS staff time and effort necessary to be responsive to these requests as well as that associated with updating arbitrator biographies.
This rule is not a significant regulatory action for the purposes of Executive Order 12866 and has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act, I certify that this rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. This regulation does not have any federalism or tribal implications.
List of Subjects in 29 CFR Part 1404
Administrative practice and procedure, Labor management relations.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, FMCS proposes to amend 29 CFR part 1404 as follows:
PART 1404ARBITRATION SERVICES
1. The authority citation for part 1404 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 172 and 29 U.S.C. 173 et seq.
2. In Sec. 1404.5, revise paragraph (d) to read as follows:
Sec. 1404.5 Listing on the roster; criteria for listing and retention.
* * * * *
(d) Listing on roster, removal. Listing on the Roster shall be by
decision of the Director of FMCS based upon the recommendations of the
Board or upon the Director's own initiative. The Board may recommend
for removal, and the Director may remove, any person listed on the
Roster for violation of this Part or of the Code of Professional
Responsibility. FMCS will provide to the affected arbitrator written
notice of removal from the Roster. Complaints about arbitrators should
be in writing and sent to the Director of OAS. The complaint should
cite the specific section of the Code or the FMCS rule the arbitrator
has allegedly violated. The following criteria shall be a basis for the
Board to recommend and/or the Director to initiate a member's removal from the Roster:
* * * * *
3. Revise Sec. 1404.6 to read as follows:
Sec. 1404.6 Inactive status.
(a) A member of the Roster who continues to meet the criteria for
listing on the Roster may request that he or she be put in an inactive
status on a temporary basis because of ill health, vacation, schedule or other reasons.
(b) Arbitrators whose schedules do not permit cases to be heard
within six months of assignment are encouraged to make themselves
inactive temporarily until their caseload permits the earlier scheduling of cases.
(c) An arbitrator can remain on inactive status without paying any
annual listing fee for a period of two (2) years. If an arbitrator is
on inactive status for longer than two (2) years, the arbitrator will
be removed from the Roster unless he or she pays the annual listing fee.
4. Amend Sec. 1404.9 by revising paragraphs (b) and (d) to read as follows:
Sec. 1404.9 Procedures for requesting arbitration lists and panels. * * * * *
(b) The OAS will refer a panel of arbitrators to the parties upon
request. The parties are encouraged to make joint requests. FMCS will
abide by language in the parties' collective bargaining agreement
specifying the conditions under which a panel of arbitrators will be
referred. If the parties' collective bargaining agreement requires that
the request for a panel of arbitrators be jointly submitted, FMCS will
not proceed with an arbitrator selection if one party communicates to
FMCS that it does not concur in the request. In the event, however,
that the request is made by only one party without objection, the OAS
will submit a panel of arbitrators. The issuance of a panelpursuant
to either a joint or a unilateral requestis nothing more than a
response to a request. It does not signify the adoption of any position
by the FMCS regarding the arbitrability of any dispute or a ruling that an agreement to arbitrate exists.
* * * * *
(d) The OAS reserves the right to decline to submit a panel or to
make an appointment of an arbitrator if the request submitted is overly
burdensome or otherwise impracticable. The OAS, in such circumstances,
may refer the parties to an FMCS mediator to help in the design of an
alternative solution. The OAS may also decline to service any request
from a party based on the party's nonpayment of arbitrator fees or
other behavior that constrains the spirit or operation of the arbitration process.
* * * * *
5. Revise Sec. 1404.12 to read as follows:
Sec. 1404.12 Selection by parties and appointment of arbitrators.
(a) After receiving a panel of names, the parties must notify the
OAS of their selection of an arbitrator or of the decision not to
proceed with arbitration. Upon notification of the selection of an
arbitrator, the OAS will make a formal appointment of the arbitrator.
The arbitrator, upon notification of appointment, shall communicate
with the parties within 14 days to arrange for preliminary matters,
such as the date and place of hearing. Should an arbitrator be notified
directly by the parties that he or she has been selected, the
arbitrator must promptly notify the OAS of the selection and of his or
her willingness to serve. The arbitrator must provide the OAS with the
FMCS case number and other pertinent information for the OAS to make an
appointment. A pattern of failure by an arbitrator to notify FMCS of a
selection in an FMCS case may result in suspension or removal from the
Roster. If the parties settle a case prior to the hearing, the parties
must inform the arbitrator as well as the OAS. Consistent failure to
follow these procedures may lead to a denial of future OAS services.
(b) If the parties request a list of names and biographical
sketches rather than a panel, the parties may choose to contact and
select an arbitrator directly from that list. In this situation,
neither the parties nor the arbitrator is required to furnish any
additional information to FMCS and no case number will be assigned.
(c) Where the parties' collective bargaining agreement is silent on
the manner of selecting arbitrators, FMCS will accept one of the following methods for selection from a panel:
(1) A selection by mutual agreement;
(2) A selection in which each party alternately strikes a name from the submitted panel until one remains;
(3) A selection in which each party advises OAS of its order of
preference by numbering each name on the panel and submitting the
numbered list in writing to OAS. If the parties separately notify OAS
of their preferred selections, OAS, upon receiving the preferred
selection of the first party, will notify the other party that it has
fourteen (14) days in which to submit its selections. Where both
parties respond, the name that has the lowest combined number will be
appointed. If the other party fails to respond, the first party's choice will be honored.
(d) Where the parties' collective bargaining agreement permits each party to separately notify OAS of its preferred
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selection, OAS will proceed with the selection process as follows. When
the OAS receives the preferred selection from one party, it will notify
the other party that it has fourteen (14) days in which to submit its
selections. If that party fails to respond within the deadline, the
first party's choice will be honored unless prohibited by the
collective bargaining agreement. Where both parties respond, the name
that has the lowest combined number will be appointed. If, within
fourteen (14) days, a second panel is requested, and is permitted by
the collective bargaining agreement, the requesting party must pay a fee for the second panel.
(e) The OAS will make a direct appointment of an arbitrator only
upon joint request or as provided by paragraphs (c)(3) or (d) of this section.
(f) A direct appointment in no way signifies a determination of
arbitrability or a ruling that an agreement to arbitrate exists. The
resolution of disputes over these issues rests solely with the parties.
6. Amend the Appendix to 29 CFR Part 1404 by removing ``$100'' and adding ``$150'' in its place.
Michael J. Bartlett,
Deputy General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E817674 Filed 8508; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 673201P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Vella M. Traynham, Director, Office of Arbitration Services, FMCS, 2100 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20427. Telephone: (202) 6065111.