ARTICLE

48.

Section 1 - Local Union Office Space

A. Management recognizes the importance and value of the Union's mission and purpose. Accordingly, Management agrees to furnish office space to the Union appropriate for carrying out its representational and partnership duties in locations easily accessible to employees and private citizens and of size, furnishings, and decor commensurate with other administrative offices within the facility.

B. Each office will be equipped with adequate telephone lines for FTS, fax, and computer capabilities.

C. In addition, the Department will provide District and National representatives with office space or suitable arrangements to carry out their representational responsibilities under this Agreement.

Section 2 - Meeting Space

The Department will, on an as-needed basis, provide conference rooms as available for discussions between employees and Union officials. The Department will also provide suitable space for regular Union meetings. The Union agrees to exercise reasonable care in use of such space.

Section 3 - Telephone

The Department will make internal telephones and FTS available to the Union for handling representational duties and conducting labor-management relations. The Union will use FTS in a reasonable, prudent, and cost-conscious manner. In no instance will FTS be used for internal Union business.

Section 4 - Equipment

A. The Department will provide or make available to each Union office the following:

1. Fax machine,

2. Personal computer with standard software, programs, and capabilities compatible with the Department's technology,

3. Laser printer, and

4. Access to e-mail and administrative DHCP functions in the Union office.

B. The Department agrees to furnish the Union, where available, access to photocopiers, maintenance, shuttle service, and other customary and routine services and equipment such as the VANTS system for NVAC President's or designee's conference calls. The Department will also make the public address system available to the Union for appropriate use.

Section 5 - Bulletin Boards

At each facility, the Union will be provided space on bulletin boards in areas normally used for communicating to employees. Numbers and location of bulletin boards will be determined locally.

Section 6 - Interoffice Mail System

The local and its representatives may use the interoffice mail system for regular representation communications (e.g., grievances correspondence or memos to Management).

Section 7 - Metered Mail

Consistent with postal regulations, the Union shall have use of Department metered mail limited to representational matters. It is agreed that mass mailings are inappropriate under this Section.

Section 8 - Membership Drives

Management agrees to provide adequate facilities for membership drives at location that will provide access to unit employees during break and lunch periods. Detailed arrangements will be negotiated at the local level.

Section 9 - Personnel Manuals

A. The Department will timely furnish the NVAC President a copy of the FPM, CFR, VA Directives, Circulars, and Handbooks. These publications will be updated regularly.

B. Locals will be provided a copy of MP-5, Parts I and II; MP-3, Part III, and MP-1, Part I, or equivalent successor documents.

C. The Department will also provide the local Union access to/or copies of all labor management materials currently provided.

D. The NVAC and each local union will be provided access, or copies at no charge, of Department personnel manuals, including classification standards.

Section 10 -Nonwork Space

The Department agrees that where space for meals or break periods is not readily available, Management will cooperate with the local Union in identifying locations where employees can spend these nonwork periods.

Section 11 - Transportation

A. Where travel to another location within the jurisdiction of a local Union is necessary for representation activities consistent with the provisions of this Agreement, the Union will be provided transportation on a space-available basis.

B. When a Union representative uses a privately owned vehicle (POV) because of the unavailability of a government-owned vehicle, travel reimbursement will be pursuant to travel regulations if the activity is pre-approved and is within budgetary constraints.

C. Associated travel and per diem is an appropriate subject for local bargaining.

Section 12 - Literature

A. The Department will provide space for the purpose of distributing Union material. The space will be in prominent locations as agreed upon locally.

B. The distribution of literature will be permitted provided it is done during nonduty hours of the distributor and does not interfere with the mission of the Department.

Section 13 - Copies of Agreement

A. The Department will provide to each employee on duty as of the date of this Agreement and to all unit employees entering on duty after that date at no cost, booklet copies of this Agreement, printed in type that can be read easily.

B. The Department will initially provide the Council with 250 additional copies and each local with 20 additional copies of the Agreement.

C. The Department will provide, at no cost to the Union, copies of supplemental agreement(s) sufficient to distribute to each employee in the unit covered by the supplemental agreement(s).

D. The parties will survey the need to translate the Agreement into other languages and take appropriate action.

E. The contract will be made available on disc, compatible with the Department's computer system.

F. The Department will provide sufficient advance copies of this Agreement for ratification purposes.