On Mon, 4 Sep 2006 15:11:16 -0400, "John Gaquin"
wrote in
:


"Newps" wrote in message

The first thing to determine is whether or not unrestricted freedom of
dress is a matter of contract under the present agreement.

It was under the old agreement, which expired. We were not under any
contract after that.


You clarify that position further later in this thread, in that after a
breakdown of negotiations, management may impose their offered contract
subject to approval of Congress, which approval was granted de facto by
inaction. So the question becomes whether or not unrestricted freedom of
dress is a matter of contract under the *present* agreement.


So management's power trumps collective bargaining for government
employees. Terrific. :-(

I suppose, that if you agree to accept that sort of heavy handedness
as a condition of employment, there's little use for a union; it just
functions as window dressing for the government without true power.