The Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) serves as the arbiter of disputes betw

Question

The Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) serves as the arbiter of disputes between federal agencies and unions that arise from the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations statute and the Federal Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act. The panel steps in if the agency and union cannot come to an agreement after bargaining or mediation.

President Trumps 7 member pick for this panel range from people who publicly campaign against unions to people that actively litigate against unions. None of the new panel members have arbitration or mediation experience. None have ever represented a union or people who have always been actively against unions. Past Presidents have always chosen members that have had extensive arbitration or mediation of Labor law experience.

Do you think this panel can properly evaluate a dispute without inherent bias or personal ideology interfering? What are your thoughts behind these picks?

Explanation / Answer

I don't think that the panel can evaluate disputes properly. The Federal Service Impasses Panel is the statutory authority to resolve negotiation impasses over conditions of employment in the federal sector. The panel is responsible to take decisions that will help to bring an end to the dispute. It would have been easy for the panel to take decisions if few of the panel members have experience in arbitration. Moreover the panel should not show any discrimination towards the parties during arbitration. The panel chosen by President Trump does not have any experience in arbitration and also have always worked against unions. Hence there are more chances that the panel member’s decision may be affected by their personal ideologies and inherent bias which would make the decision mostly against the unions. In my opinion President Trump has taken this move to help the agencies. Otherwise he would have chosen some members who support unions. Rather than taking impartial decisions analyzing the evidence and situation, the President is expecting decisions that would help the agencies to grow if the union is not ready for negotiation.

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