[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 93 (Friday, May 13, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28034-28035]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-11727]
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FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE
Labor-Management Relations Information Collection Requests
AGENCY: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
ACTION: 60-Day Notice and Request for Comments.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden of arbitrators and
parties that request arbitration services in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites the general public and other
Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following
information collection requests. The information collection requests
are FMCS forms: Arbitrator's Report and Fee Statement (Agency Form R-
19), Arbitrator's Personal Data Questionnaire (Agency Form R-22), and
Request for Arbitration Services (Agency Form R-43). These information
collection requests were previously approved by the Office of
Management Budget (OMB), and we are requesting a reinstatement without
change to the collections. These information collection requests were
assigned the OMB control numbers 3076-0001, 3076-0002, and 3076-0003.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 12, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments by mail to the Office of Arbitration
Services, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, 2100 K Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20427 or by contacting the person whose name
appears under the section headed FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Comments may be submitted also by fax at (202) 606-3749 or
electronic mail (e-mail) to [email protected]. All comments must be
identified by the appropriate agency form number.
No confidential business information (CBI) should be submitted
through e-mail. Information submitted as a comment concerning this
document may be claimed confidential by marking any part or all of the
information as ``CBI''. Information so marked will not be disclosed but
a copy of the comment that does contain CBI must be submitted for
inclusion in the public record. Information not marked confidential may
be disclosed publicly by FMCS without prior notice. All written
comments will be available for inspection in Room 704 at the
Washington, DC address above from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Friday, excluding legal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vella M. Traynham, Director of
Arbitration Services, FMCS, 2100 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20427.
Telephone (202) 606-5111; Fax (202) 606-3749.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of each of the agency forms are
available from the Office of Arbitration Services by calling, faxing or
writing Vella M. Traynham at the address above. Please ask for the form
by title and agency form number.
I. Information Collection Requests
FMCS is seeking comments on the following information collection
[[Page 28035]]
requests contained in FMCS agency forms.
Agency: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Form Number: OMB No. 3076-0001.
Name of Form: Arbitrator's Personal Data Questionnaire (FMCS form
R-22).
Type of Request: Reinstatement of a collection without change in
the substance or method of collection.
Affected Entities: Individuals who apply for admission to the FMCS
Roster of Arbitrators.
Frequency: Individuals complete this form once, which is at the
time of application to the FMCS Roster of Arbitrators.
Abstract: Title II of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947
(Pub. L. 90-101) as amended in 1959 (Pub. L. 86-257) and 1974 (Pub. L.
93-360), states that it is the labor policy of the United States that
``the settlement of issues between employers and employees through
collective bargaining may be advanced by making available full and
adequate governmental facilities for conciliation, mediation, and
voluntary arbitration to aid and encourage employers and
representatives of their employees to reach and maintain agreements
concerning rates of pay, hours, and working conditions, and to make all
reasonable efforts to settle their differences by mutual agreement
reached through conferences and collective bargaining or by such
methods as may be provided for in any applicable agreement for the
settlement of disputes'' 29 U.S.C. 201(b). Under its regulations at 29
CFR part 1404, FMCS has established policies and procedures for its
arbitration function dealing with all arbitrators listed on the FMCS
Roster of Arbitrators, all applicants for listing on the Roster, and
all person or parties seeking to obtain from FMCS either names or
panels of names of arbitrators listed on the Roster in connection with
disputes which are to be submitted to arbitration or fact-finding. FMCS
strives to maintain the highest quality of dispute resolution experts
on its Roster. To ensure that purpose, it asks all candidates to
complete an application form. The purpose of this collection is to
gather information about applicants for inclusion in the Roster of
Arbitrators. This collection is needed to evaluate applicants and to
select among the applicants highly qualified individuals for inclusion
on the Roster. Without this collection, FMCS will be unable to maintain
or expand its Roster. The respondents are private citizens who make
application for appointment to the Roster.
Burden: The number of respondents is approximately 150 individuals
per year, which is the approximate number of individuals who request
membership on the FMCS Roster. The time required to complete this
questionnaire is approximately one hour. Each respondent is required to
respond only once per application and to update the information as
necessary.
Agency: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Form Number: OMB No. 3076-0003.
Name of Form: Arbitrator's Report and Fee Statement (FMCS Form R-
19).
Type of Request: Reinstatement of a collection without change in
the substance or method of collection.
Affected Entities: Individual arbitrators who render decisions
under FMCS arbitration policies and procedures.
Frequency: This form is completed each time an arbitrator hears an
arbitration case and issues a decision.
Abstract: Pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 171(b) and 29 CFR part 1404, FMCS
assumes a responsibility to monitor the work of the arbitrators who
serve on its Roster. This is satisfied by requiring the completion and
submission of a Report and Fee Statement, which indicates when the
arbitration award was rendered, the file number, the company and union,
the issues, whether briefs were filed and transcripts taken, if there
were any waivers by parties on the date the award was due, and the fees
and days for services of the arbitrator. FMCS publishes this
information in the agency's annual report, to inform the public about
the arbitration services program and certain national trends in
arbitration.
Burden: FMCS receives approximately 3,000 responses per year. The
form is filled out each time an arbitrator hears a case and the time
required is approximately ten minutes. FMCS uses this form to review
arbitrator conformance with its fee and expense reporting requirements.
Agency: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
Form Number: OMB No. 3076-0002.
Type of Request: Reinstatement of a collection without change in
the substance or method of collection.
Name of Form: Request for Arbitration Panel (FMCS Form R-43).
Affected Entities: Employers and their representatives, and labor
unions, their representatives and employees, who request arbitration
services.
Frequency: This form is completed each time an employer or labor
union requests a panel of arbitrators.
Abstract: Pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 171(b) and 29 CFR part 1404, FMCS
offers panels of arbitrators for selection by labor and management to
resolve grievances and disagreements arising under their collective
bargaining agreements and to deal with fact finding and interest
arbitration issues as well. This form is used to obtain information
such as the parties' names, addresses, and the type of assistance
needed. FMCS uses this information to compile panels, selecting
arbitrators based in part on such factors as dispute location and issue
expertise. The purpose of this information collection is to facilitate
the processing of the parties' request for arbitration assistance. No
third party notification or public disclosure burden is associated with
this collection.
Burden: The current total annual burden estimate is that FMCS will
receive requests from approximately 16,000 respondents per year. The
form takes about 10 minutes to complete.
II. Request for Comments
FMCS solicits comments to:
(i) Evaluate whether the proposed collections of information are
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility.
(ii) Enhance the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden
of the proposed collection of information.
(iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected.
(iv) Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those
who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated,
electronic collection technologies or other forms of information
technology.
III. The Official Record
The official record is the paper electronic record maintained at
the address at the beginning of this document. FMCS will transfer all
electronically received comments into printed-paper form as they are
received.
List of Subjects
Labor-management relations, employee management relations, and
Information collection requests.
Dated: May 9, 2011.
Jeannette Walters-Marquez,
Attorney Advisor.
[FR Doc. 2011-11727 Filed 5-12-11; 8:45 am]
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