ARTICLE

4.

Section 1 - Union Sponsored or Requested Labor-Management Relations Training

A. The parties agree that Union sponsored labor-management relations (LMR) training is of mutual benefit when it covers appropriate areas (examples are: contract administration, grievance handling and information relating to Federal personnel/labor relations laws, regulations, and procedures). Training which relates to internal union business will not be conducted or attended on official time.

B. Scheduling arrangements for the use of official time for training will be determined locally. Management personnel responsible for work scheduling will be given appropriate and adequate notice, to include specific agendas, of scheduled LMR training for maximum attendance.

C. The amount and use of official time for labor-management relations training, other than joint labor-management relations training, is an appropriate subject for local negotiation.

Section 2 - Joint Master Agreement Training

The parties will jointly provide Master Agreement training. The cost of the Master Agreement joint training will be paid by the Department. Training will be done jointly; however, this does not preclude additional training by each party. Any training document will be prepared jointly.

Section 3 - Joint Labor Management Training

A. Each field facility will have a joint LMR training program. The ongoing program will have equal representation between labor and management and decisions will be made by consensus consistent with interest-based bargaining principles. The local joint LMR training activity will develop a local LMR training plan which could consist of Interest Based Bargaining, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Total Quality Improvement, Partnership, communication skills, local supplements, district or regional training, etc.

B. LMR training will be recorded in each employee's individual training record.

C. Participants in joint LMR training will be on duty time. LMR training will normally be presented jointly unless training is conducted by a mutually agreed upon third-party. The parties may develop a joint train-the-trainer/facilitator program.

D. Local facilities are encouraged to give recognition to individuals or groups who materially advance the process of LMR training.

E. Normally, local facilities will ensure that appropriate resources are made available at the local level for joint LMR training.

F. The parties are encouraged to share training materials or experiences to nurture better LMR training.

G. The provisions of this article apply to joint training at all levels from local through national.

Section 4 - Third-Party Sponsored Training

Third-party sponsored training may be considered duty time or official time, as appropriate