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Washington, D.C.-Members of a dozen chapters of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) from around the country who work for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have overwhelming ratified a five-year collective bargaining agreement between NTEU and the agency. The agreement covers more than 5,000 FDA employees.

NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley applauded the decision of FDA employees to accept the agreement, and reminded them that a labor contract "is only a beginning." In order to create the best possible working environment, "all parties to the contract need to read it, know it and work with it."

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing more than 155,000 workers in 21 agencies and departments. In a successful campaign last year, the union expanded to more than 5,000 the number of FDA employees it represents nationwide;

NTEU had represented some 500 FDA employees in Atlanta and Kansas City, Kan., prior to the organizing effort which resulted in a large number of professionals, including doctors, lawyers and scientists, deciding in favor of NTEU representation. FDA is an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Kelley called the newly-ratified agreement, which is expected to be signed at a mid-September ceremony and to become effective Oct. 1, "a strong, comprehensive package which addresses serious issues in the lives of FDA employees."

Among its provisions, she said, are "extremely broad" alternative work schedule and flexiplace programs; a gainsharing program in which 50 percent of any travel expense saved or frequent flyer miles earned are shared with the employee; a transit subsidy providing for reimbursement of actual commuting costs up to $65 per month; a new professional "difference of opinion" clause which protects employees from having to concur with a scientific finding with which they disagree; and a peer review contract program establishing a wide range of employee rights, including the right to self-nominate.

"This contract," Kelley said, "is the result of NTEU listening to the voices of those we represent, and of the hard work of chapter leaders in helping negotiate it."

She noted, however, that the implementation phase will be "another difficult stage of the journey," in which continued good will between the union and agency will be required "to address the numerous and varied issues that will inevitably arise during the roll-out of the contract."

These include, for example, she said, the application of the contract's peer review article and the process to be used to ensure that records are not only kept but are accessible to the individual who was reviewed.