AP: Many in Congress' watchdog agency, the Government Accountability Office, wants a union

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/4643

Many in Congress' watchdog agency, the Government Accountability Office, wants a union
JESSE J. HOLLAND AP Labor Writer
Monday May 7th, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) - Some of the people at the Government Accountability Office think it's a good time to try to organize a union at the investigative arm of Congress now that it's being run by Democrats.

GAO analysts and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers plan to present hundreds of cards requesting a union vote for 1,500 analysts and investigators to agency officials on Tuesday.

Gay Hee Lee, a senior health care analyst as GAO, said a union would ensure the workers become part of the decision-making process at the watchdog agency. "It's something that we often recommend to other agencies, for all stakeholders to be involved. We're stakeholders in GAO," she said.

More than half of the 1,500 GAO analysts signed cards asking for a vote on becoming a local of the AFL-CIO-affiliated union. Union officials say a vote could happen in the next 45 days.

The IFPTE already represents NASA and Defense Department scientists and engineers, as well as workers at the Congressional Research Service, another legislative branch agency.

Comptroller General David Walker, head of the GAO, said he would have no comment until after a union petition is filed and reviewed by his agency.

FULL story at link.