We have estimated a 7-1/2% Increase in regular unfair labor practice work and a 1% increase in representation work in both 1971 and 1972, on top of the 12.9% increase in unfair labor practice work which occurred in 1970. In addition, we estimate the filing in 1972 of about 1,000 unfair labor practice charges and 500 representation petitions under the new Postal Service jurisdiction. This may well be conservative. Nevertheless it amounts to a total increase of 12% in unfair labor practice work, and 5% in representation work in 1972. We are committed to accomplish most of this with only a 5% increase in staff, and, further, to cut costs valued at over $600,000. With your approval, if we can further reduce our miscellaneous expenses, we propose to use those savings to increase our employment in 1972 to provide further efforts to handle the increasing case load without exacerbating delays. Our goal is to save enough so that we can increase employment by up to 20 more man-years. The average employment increases in 1972 are distributed organizationally as follows: We had estimated that 22,620 unfair labor practice charges would be filed in fiscal year 1971, an increase of 7.5% from the 21,039 filed in 1970. In fact, during the first six months of the fiscal year unfair labor practice charge filings rose by 18%. We had estimated representation filings in fiscal year 1971 at 12,670, an increase of 1% from 12,543 filed in 1970. In fact, for the first six months of the fiscal year representation filings rose by 7%. It is clear that filings are rising faster than we had estimated. Fiscal Year 1972 We have estimated a further rise in 1972 of 7.5% in unfair labor practice filings, bringing total charges filed up to 24,320; and a further increase in representation filings of 1%, raising representation filings to 12,800. In addition, we have estimated the filing of 1,000 unfair labor practice charges and 500 representation petitions in 1972 under the Postal Service Jurisdiction. This would raise total charges in 1972 to 25,320, and representation filings to 13,300. Basis for Intake Estimates We believe that our estimates are conservative. We are prohibited by statute to employ economic analysts, and our estimates, therefore, are based largely on the estimates of our field people. Those estimates have, historically, proven to be on the conservative side. 63-792 O 71 pt. 1 40 53.6% (F.Y. '69) DISPOSITION PATTERN FOR REPRESENTATION CASES (Based on Cases Closed) Fiscal Year 1970 Compared with Fiscal Year 1969 5.7% (F.Y. '69) 0.3% (F.Y. '69) (F.Y. '69) THESE CASES ALSO COUNTED UNDER REG. DIR, DECISIONS. TOTAL BD. DECS. 1.4% F. Y. '70 F.Y. '691 The source of unfair labor practice charges which has caused the most rapid rise in the last few years is filings by individuals, as contrasted with either company or union filings. Our regional offices report that many individuals are filing charges generated by fears of or actual unemployment and by those problems of inflation reflected in intensification of strike activities. We expect a less rapid rise in this type of charge as a result of the expected decline in unemployment and in the rate of inflation as forecast by the Economic Report of the President. The Report also forecasts increases in gross national product and employment, leading to operation of new plants. Additional case filings will result from increases in construction industry activity and from the problems of unions attempting to organize new plant operations. Representation cases, which have been stable for 3 years, are rising at a 7% rate in 1971, reflecting increased union activity. The areas of increased union activity of which we are aware of include: organizing by the Alliance for Labor Action and white collar and service worker organizing. WORK PROCESSING PROGRAM General The major increases in intake which began in January 1970, a full year before we had any budgetary relief, resulted in a substantial buildup in number of pending cases. This necessarily resulted in some decline in the promptness of case processing as shown in Table B. The willingness of our staff to devote extra effort to cope with the problem has meant that we have experienced a less dramatic slowdown in case handling than the statistics would have led us to expect. The belated approval of our appropriation for 1971 made available sufficient funds so that employment could be increased by about 200 people in the last six months of fiscal year 1971. This employment increase should enable us to process the heavy incoming case load and to work at again reducing the delays which have arisen. Field Office Operations filings. The Agency's field offices receive and initially process all case on pages 3 and 4.) (See Pie Charts To meet the increased case load with some, but not a proportionate Increase in staff, we will need a field productivity increase of about 6% in fiscal 1971, and an additional 3% in fiscal year 1972. This will not be easy, but we are committed to utilize our best efforts to achieve it. Trial Examiners Our 1971 program for the Trial Examiners had not anticipated any great change from the work output of the Trial Examiners in 1970. We nevertheless were able to achieve some increase in output in 1971. Our estimates provide for a substantial increase in Trial Examiner work in fiscal year 1972. Relatively small additions to the Trial Examiner staff are being projected. We nevertheless do not anticipate that time delay will increase above the levels now being experienced. We have provided for a 2% productivity increase by Trial Examiners in fiscal year 1971, and an additional 3% productivity increase in fiscal year 1972. We do not think this to be an unrealistic objective. |