GAO and its Union Reach Agreement on a New Contract That Reflects Best Practices of Both the Public and Private Sector
Best place to work in the federal government just got better
WASHINGTON -- The members of the GAO Employees Organization, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 1921, representing roughly 2,500 employees of the Government Accountability Office, announced today that they have overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new agreement, which also has been approved by the agency’s top leader, U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. The agreement is designed to improve the quality of life for GAO employees and at the same time help the agency meet its mission while ensuring the recruitment and retention of its highly skilled workforce in a very competitive marketplace. GAO, known as the investigative arm of Congress, is an independent, nonpartisan federal agency that supports Congress and works to improve the performance of the federal government through audits, evaluations, analyses, and recommendations.
“We reached an agreement that incorporates lessons learned from our pandemic work posture. It reflects the fact that for decades GAO employees have not only been located in Washington, but assigned to field offices across the country, and accounts for the wide range of work assignments that our members do,” said Benjamin Emmel, IFPTE Local 1921 President. Emmel works as a senior analyst for defense capabilities and management.
GAO employees first voted to form a union in 2007 and have improved the initial contract over the years. For example, this new agreement provides multiple flexible work options including hybrid and remote work options, along with streamlining transfers between GAO locations and providing the agency with new tools to better manage its physical space.
Members of the union’s bargaining team worked collaboratively with GAO management to craft new policies after examining best practices from both public agencies and private sector employers. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, the new agreement provides multiple options for professionals and management to structure their work life consistent with best practices at other leading organizations.
It also was important for both parties that the new agreement provide opportunities for meaningful in-person collaboration. Researching and writing a GAO report often requires being on-site to interview agency officials, conducting focus groups, evaluate evidence collected through fieldwork, and then develop the themes and messages of reports together with other GAO staff. Operations staff are also at work to make sure the agency continues running smoothly, such as conducting IT upgrades, managing records, and securing GAO facilities.
“This agreement will help GAO to continue to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars and a model federal agency,” said Emmel. “It continues the spirit of collaboration that GAO is known for, and strikes a balance that will provide expanded flexibilities for employees while we continue to meet our mission in serving the Congress.” GAO has been named number one in the Best Places to Work in the federal government rankings by the Partnership for Public Service for the past three consecutive years and among the top five agencies since 2005.
The GAO Employees Organization represents nearly 2,500 analysts, auditors, technical specialists, and support staff at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. A non-partisan, democratic union, the GAO Employees Organization is Local 1921 of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which represents over 90,000 professionals throughout the United States and Canada in the public and private sectors.
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September 18, 2023
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jamie Horwitz 202-549-4921, jhdcpr@starpower.net