It's Your Right
y law, agency employees and managers have specific rights that have formed the foundation of labor-management relations. Here's how the rights break down:
![B](/graphics/initials/b.gif)
Federal employees have the right to:
- Form, join or assist any labor union, or refrain from such activity, freely and without fear of penalty or reprisal.
- Act as a representative of a labor union and, in that capacity, present the union's views to agency heads, Congress and other authorities.
- Through an elected representative, engage in collective bargaining on conditions of employment-personnel policies, practices and issues, whether established by rule, regulation or otherwise, that affect working conditions.
Federal managers have the right to:
- Determine an agency's mission, budget, organization, number of employees and internal security practices.
- Hire, assign, direct, lay off and retain employees, or suspend, remove, reduce in grade or pay, or take other disciplinary actions against employees.
- Assign work, make determinations on contracting out and determine personnel needed to operate agency.
- Take any necessary actions to carry out agency mission during emergencies.
Management rights-known as (b)(1) subjects-that management may elect to negotiate with unions:
- Numbers, types and grades of employees or positions assigned to any organizational subdivision, work project or tour of duty.
- Technology, methods and means of performing work.
Source: Title 5 of the U.S. Code
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