EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) MEO (Military Equal Opportunity) Merger

 24 June 2008

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA)

On

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Military Equal Opportunity (MEO)

Merger

1. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 214 and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), hereafter referred to as the Union and Management, hereby enter into this Memorandum of Agreement regarding subject training as it applies to bargaining unit members covered by the Master Labor Agreement (MLA) between the parties.

1. The EEO/MEO Merger is an initiative to co-locate and integrate the civilian and military equal opportunity offices into a single organization responsible for processing both EEO and MEO complaints. The intent is to reduce costs.  The merged offices will share a single management chain, a single facility (where feasible) and a cross-trained staff capable of working both EEO and MEO complaints.

1. The merger will not modify the EEO complaint process as established by 29 CFR 1614.  Any changes in practices and/or procedures will be subject to bargaining in accordance with the MLA. Complaints will be handled according to established EEO guidelines, regardless of whether the counselor is civilian or military.  Complainants will not be turned away or be discouraged in any other way from filing an informal or formal complaint.  The counselor for a particular informal complaint shall not be the deciding official for accepting or dismissing the same complaint at the formal stage.

1. Counselors will be fully trained in the EEO process before processing a civilian case.  Training may include co-working cases with an experienced counselor for a period of four weeks or until deemed capable of handling cases independently by the EO director.

1. The parties recognize that some civilian complainants may feel intimidated or uncomfortable discussing such matters with a uniformed military counselor.  In the event a complainant specifically requests a civilian counselor, Management agrees to honor that request, to the extent possible.  However, in the event a civilian counselor is not available within a reasonable amount of time, it is understood that a request for a different or specific counselor does not extend the timeline for a complainant to file an EEO complaint.

1. All remedies available under the MLA or 5 U.S.C. 71 will remain available to the parties if concerns cannot be cooperatively resolved.

FOR MANAGEMENT                                              FOR THE UNION

//SIGNED//                                                                 //SIGNED//

STACY LEWIS                                                         TOM ROBINSON

HQ AFMC/A1KQ                                                      Executive Assistant, AFGE Council 214

//SIGNED//                                                                 //SIGNED//

MSgt JOSEPH NEWTON                                         KRISTINE KEELER

AFMC/A1KQ                                                             Executive Assistant, AFGE Council 214

//SIGNED//

STEPHANIE PETERANGELO

AFMC/A1KL