[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 190 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52700-52701]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-26229]


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FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE


Office of Arbitration Services; Information Collection Request

AGENCY: Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

ACTION: Publication of FMCS Seeking Comments on the following 
Information Collection.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) is 
seeking comments on the following information collection requests. FMCS 
submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for 
review of three FMCS forms. The forms are Arbitrator's Report and Fee 
Statement (R-19), Arbitrator's Personal Data questionnaire (R-22) and 
Request for Arbitration Services (R-43).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter L. Regner (202) 606-8181.

SUMMARY: This notice announces that three Information Collection 
Requests (ICR) are coming up for renewal. These ICRs are: FMCS 
Arbitrator's Report and Fee Statement (Agency Form R-19), the 
Arbitrator's Personal Data Questionnaire (Agency Form R-22), and the 
Request for Arbitration Services (Agency Form R-43). The request seeks 
OMB approval for a three-year expiration date of Forms R-19, R-22 and 
R-43 until November 30, 2001. FMCS is soliciting comments on specific 
aspects of the collections as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments identified by the appropriate agency 
form number by mail to: FMCS Desk Officer, Office of Management and 
Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Human Resources 
and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503. Copies of the complete agency forms may be obtained from the 
Office of Arbitration Services at the above address or by contacting 
the person whose name appears under the section headed, FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Comments and data may also be submitted by fax at (202) 606-4216 or 
electronic mail (e-mail) to [email protected]. All comments and data in 
electronic form must be identified by the appropriate agency form 
number. No confidential business information (CBI) should be submitted 
through e-mail.
    Information submitted as a comment concerning this document may be 
claimed confidential by marking any part or all of the information as 
``CBI''. Information so marked will not be disclosed but a copy of the 
comment that does not contain CBI must be submitted for inclusion in 
the public record. Information not marked confidential may be disclosed 
publicly by FMCS without prior notice. All written comments will be 
available for inspection in Room 707 at the Washington, DC address 
above from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter L. Regner, Director of Program 
Services, FMCS 2100 K Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20427. Telephone 
202/606-8181; Fax 202/606-4216.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of each of the agency forms are 
available from the Office of Arbitration Services by calling, faxing, 
or writing, to Mr. Regner at the above address. Please ask for the form 
by title and agency form number.

I. Information Collection Requests

    FMCS is seeking comments on the following Information Collection 
Requests (ICRs).
    Title: Arbitrator's Personal Data Questionnaire. ICR is R-22, OMB 
No. 3076-0001. Expiration date: 11/30/2001.
    Affecting entities: Parties affected by this information collection 
are individuals who apply for admission to the FMCS Roster of 
Arbitrators.
    Abstract: Title II of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 
Pub. L. 90-101) as amended in 1959 (Pub. L. 86-257) and 1974 (Pub. L. 
93-360), states that it is the labor policy of the United States that 
``the settlement of issues between employers and employees through 
collective bargaining may be advanced by making available full and 
adequate governmental facilities for conciliation, mediation, and 
voluntary arbitration to encourage employers and representatives of 
their employees to reach and maintain agreements rates of pay, hours, 
and working conditions, and to make all reasonable efforts to settle 
their differences by mutual agreement reached through conferences and 
collective bargaining or by such methods as may be provided for in any 
applicable agreement for the settlement of disputes.'' Under its 
regulations at 29 CFR Part 1404, FMCS has established policies and 
procedures for its arbitration function dealing with all arbitrators 
listed on the FMCS Roster of Arbitrators, all applicants for listing on 
the Roster, and all person or parties seeking to obtain from FMCS 
either names or panels of names of arbitrators listed on the Roster in 
connection with disputes which are to be submitted to arbitration or 
fact-finding. FMCS strives to maintain the highest quality of dispute 
resolvers on its roster. To ensure that purpose, it asks all candidates 
to complete an application form.
    The purpose of this collection is to gather information about 
applicants for inclusion in the FMCS Roster of Arbitrators. This 
questionnaire is needed in order that FMCS may select highly qualified 
individuals for the arbitrator roster. The respondents are private 
citizens who make application for appointment to FMCS roster. This 
obligation is pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 171(b), 29 CFR Part 1404. This 
notice is a request to extend the existing form which is currently 
approved collection without any change in the substance or method of 
collection.
    Burden Statement: The number of respondents is approximately 250 
individuals per year; the approximate number of individuals who request 
membership on the FMCS Roster. The time required to complete this 
questionnaire is approximately one and one/half hour to complete the 
application. Each respondent is required to respond only once per 
application, and once per year for updating the biographical sketch.
    Title: Request for Arbitration Services. ICR No. R-43, OMB No. 
3076-0002; Expiration date: 11/30/2001.
    Affected Entities: Employers and their representatives, employees, 
labor unions and their representatives who request arbitration 
services.
    Abstract: Pursuant to 29 U.S.C. s171(b) and 29 CFR Part 1404, FMCS 
offers panels of arbitrators for selection by labor and management to 
resolve grievances and disagreements arising under their collective 
bargaining

[[Page 52701]]

agreements and to deal with fact and interest arbitration issues as 
well. The need for this form is to obtain information such as name, 
address, type of assistance desired, so that the FMCS can respond to 
requests efficiently and effectively for various arbitration services 
(e.g. furnishing lists of seven arbitrators to parties). The purpose of 
this information collection is to facilitate the processing of the 
party's request for arbitration assistance. No third party notification 
or public disclosure burden is associated with this collection. This 
notice for comments refers to a revision of the current form to include 
information regarding payment for services and to note if the request 
involves Expedited Arbitration.
    Burden Statement: The current total annual burden estimate is that 
FMCS will receive requests from approximately 15,000 respondents per 
year. In most instances, the form is completed only once and takes 
about ten minutes to complete. Thus, the frequency of request for an 
arbitration panel is usually only once.
    Title: Arbitrator's Report and Fee Statement. ICR Form R-19; OMB 
No. 3076-0003. Expiration date: November 30, 2001.
    Affected Entities: Individual arbitrators who render awards under 
appointment by the FMCS procedures.
    Abstract: Pursuant to 29 U.S.C.
S 171(b) and 29 CFR Part 1404, FMCS assumes a responsibility to monitor 
the work of the arbitrators who serve on its roster. This is satisfied 
through the requirement of completion of report and fee statement which 
indicates when the arbitration award was rendered, the file number, the 
company and union, the issues, whether briefs were filed and 
transcripts taken, if there were any waivers by parties on the date the 
award was due, and the fees and days for services as an arbitrator. 
This information is then contained in the agency's annual report to 
indicate the types of arbitration issues, the average or median 
arbitration fees and days spent and cases. This notice request is for 
an extension of the form which is currently approved for collection; no 
change in the substance or method of collection is involved.
    Burden Statement: FMCS receives approximately 4000 responses per 
year. The form is only filed out once and the time required is 
approximately ten minutes. FMCS uses this form to review arbitrator 
conformance with its fee and expenses reporting requirements. This 
information is then contained in the agency's annual report to indicate 
the types of arbitration issues, the average or median arbitration fees 
and days spent on cases. This notice request is for extension of the 
form which is currently approved for collection; no change in the 
substance or method of collection is involved.

II. Request for Comments

    FMCS solicits comments to:
    (i) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility.
    (ii) Enhance the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information.
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected.
    (iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated 
electronic collection technologies or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic and fax submission of 
responses.

III. The Official Record

    The official record is the paper record maintained at the address 
in addresses at the beginning of this document. FMCS will transfer all 
electronically received comments into printed paper form as they are 
received.

List of Subjects

    Arbitration and Information collection requests.

    Dated: September 25, 1998.
Vella Traynham,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 98-26229 Filed 9-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6732-01-M