GAO Union and Management Reach Interim Collective Bargaining Agreement

Washington, DC (September 26, 2008) - Tentative agreement on the first ever interim collective bargaining agreement between the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the GAO Employees Organization, the agency's new union, was reached this morning after four months of negotiation.

The agreement, which would be in effect from the time it is ratified by the Union and approved by the Agency Head until a master collective bargaining agreement is negotiated, covers analysts employed by GAO and represented by the GAO Employees Organization, IFPTE (International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers) Local 1921.

We have worked hard to build and maintain union and management relations here at GAO and I am very pleased we were able to reach a good agreement and reach it quickly, said Acting Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, head of the GAO.

We are pleased with the developing relationship between the union and management and feel this agreement achieves some significant gains for GAO employees, said Interim Council Chairman Ronald La Due Lake. A ratification vote by employees in the union bargaining unit is expected by mid-October.

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