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Washington, D.C.—The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) has reached agreement with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on a first-ever agency-wide telework program that will extend the opportunity to work offsite to the majority of ATF’s more than 920 employees.

The agreement was reached during a marathon, 12-hour conference the parties held with the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP). ATF’s final offer prior to the session with the FSIP was to allow a mere nine employees to telework, and then for less than 50 percent of the time.

NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley, who applauded the outcome, said that while she believes a similar agreement could have been reached some time ago, she nonetheless appreciates ATF’s “willingness at the final hour to stop its resistance to NTEU’s common-sense perspective and to negotiate a fair deal for both managers and employees.”

Under the agreement, 650 ATF investigators will be able to telework on a full-time basis; 98 employees—forensic auditors, information technology specialists, supply systems analysts and management program analysts—can choose to telework on a part-time schedule. Other employees will be able to telework on a situational basis.

Detailed information from ATF employees about specific aspects of their duties played a key role in helping win this agreement, President Kelley said, as did the testimony before the FSIP of NTEU members in the Internal Revenue Service, Patent and Trademark Office and Treasury’s Tax and Trade Bureau—all of whom enjoy effective, productive telework programs.

The two sides are still involved in negotiations about the equipment to be provided by the agency to those teleworking. NTEU and ATF have been directed by the FSIP to submit their written positions on this question by the end of the month, after which the panel will decide on a solution.

Kelley called the ATF agreement “a giant step forward” to align ATF’s telework policies with those of other federal agencies and companies in the private sector, but noted that NTEU will continue to use various tools—including growing congressional support for teleworking—to try to improve the ATF program.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 federal workers in 30 agencies and departments.