ARTICLE 41
EXPEDITED GRIEVANCE/ARBITRATION

SECTION 1 - GENERAL

We recognize the seriousness of certain personnel actions,
which may be appealed through grievance procedures. Such actions
are properly handled as expeditiously as possible. To that end,
we agree to the following expedited grievance/arbitration
procedure.

SECTION 2 - CONDITIONS

A. The Union may choose to place the following issues in the
expedited grievance/arbitration process in lieu of appealing
through the normal steps of the grievance procedure:

1. Removal under Section 4303 of 5 U.S.C. as a result of
unacceptable performance.

2. Removal under Section 7512 of 5 U.S.C. as a result of
conduct.

SECTION 3 - TIMING

The Parties agree that a notice of decision to remove an
employee under Section 4303 of 5 U.S.C. or Section 7512 of 5
U.S.C. will be delivered to the employee and the employee's
designated Union representative at least 20 workdays prior to the
effective date of the removal. This advance notification does
not apply in any case where the crime provision is invoked.

SECTION 4 - NOTIFICATION

If the Union desires to invoke the expedited grievance/
arbitration procedure, it will notify, in writing, the Human
Resources Director not later than one (1) workday after receipt
of the notice of decision to remove. The Union may withdraw its
request for the expedited grievance/arbitration procedure at
anytime prior to the setting of the hearing date.

SECTION 5 - PROCESS

A. Upon receipt of the written request from the Union
invoking the expedited procedure, the Human Resources Directorate
will:

1. With the Union, jointly contact an arbitrator from
the list maintained solely for this expedited procedure (as
described in Section 6 below). The arbitrator will be informed
that he or she may be called upon to conduct an arbitration
hearing under this expedited procedure pending a decision from
the Final Administrative Authority.

2. Arrange, as soon as possible, but not later than five
(5) workdays after receipt of the Union request for the expedited
procedure, a meeting of the Union and affected employee(s) with
the Final Administrative Authority and appropriate management
officials for the purpose of resolving the grievance. The Final
Administrative Authority will render a decision not later than
one (1) workday after the meeting. The employee's designated
Union representative will be allowed a reasonable amount of time
to interview witnesses and for research purposes prior to the
meeting with the Final Administrative Authority and, if
necessary, prior to the arbitration hearing.

3. Notify the employee and the Union that the removal
action is canceled if the Final Administrative Authority so
decides.

4. With the Union, jointly contact the arbitrator
immediately and confirm a date for the arbitration hearing if the
Final Administrative Authority sustains the removal action and if
the Union desires to proceed to arbitration.

SECTION 6 - ARBITRATORS

A list of 5 to 7 arbitrators will be mutually agreed upon and
jointly retained by the Parties at all times for this expedited
procedure. All of the arbitrators will be contacted in advance
to ensure that each agrees to comply with the procedures
specified in this Article. The arbitrator list will be arranged
in reverse alphabetical order and they will be called in
sequential order from the list.

SECTION 7 - INFORMATION REQUESTS

A request for information by the Union under the provisions
of Section 7114(b)(4) of 5 U.S.C. will be processed by the Human
Resources Directorate within one (1) workday following receipt of
the request, unless the nature of the information requires more
time, in which case the Union will be notified.

SECTION 8 - ARBITRATOR PROCEDURES

A. Procedural requirements for the arbitrator:

1. The hearing must be conducted within five (5)
workdays after notification of his or her selection to hear the
case.

2. The arbitrator will have the obligation of ensuring
that all necessary facts and considerations are heard from the
representatives of the Parties.

3. Post-hearing briefs will not be submitted.

4. The arbitrator must render a decision within three
(3) workdays of the hearing.

SECTION 9 - REMOVAL

Removal will be delayed pending receipt of the arbitrator's
decision.