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Washington, D.C.--The head of the union representing most Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees said today he is pleased that proposed government regulations "don't limit the joint discretion" of his union and the agency "to craft a broadbanding program that fits their needs."

President Robert M. Tobias of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) offered

1 his union's "cautious agreement" with proposed Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

regulations dealing with broadbanding. The OPM regulations are open for comment through

August 16. NTEU represents more than 98,000 IRS employees. i

Broadbanding, which is essentially a congressional initiative, is a system which groups positions for pay, job evaluation and certain other purposes in a manner that is different from the General Schedule pay and classification system which covers most federal jobs.

Tobias said the most important aspects of an effective broadbanding program, and the ones that will be primary objectives in NTEU discussions with the IRS on the subject, focus on proven employee skills development and reward for proven performance.

The NTEU leader also expressed his approval of the fact that the proposed regulations make no direct reference to a requirement that any broadband system in IRS be revenueneutral?that is, having to be paid for without additicv~l funding?which he called "a frequent problem" in broadbanding plans, particularly during periods of tight or shrinking agency budgets.

In essence, broadbanding provides for the promotion and higher pay of employees within a "band," or range of what previously had been several or more job grades classified as General Schedule positions in accordance with the development of their skill levels and proven performance.

Under the proposed regulations, IRS would be obligated to negotiate with NTEU and, prior to implementing any broadbanding system, develop written plans, policies and implementing procedures to address such vital matters as the broadbanding structure to be put in place, classification criteria, positions covered, method of pay progression within a band, paysetting policies, and policies for converting positions into a broadbanding system.

Tobias said that OPM's proposed regulations "provide an acceptable framework and structure for the negotiability" of these important issues within the IRS, and that NTEU looks forward to continuing to advance the interests of those it represents and their ability to perform the mission of the agency in a broadband system.