OPM establishes collective bargaining database

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The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is photographed Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016, in Washington. It was time to purge the hacker from the U.S. government’s computers. After secretly monitoring the hacker’s online movements for months, officials worried he was getting too close to critical information and devised a plan to expel him. Trouble was, with all their attention focused in that case, they missed the other hacker entirely. A new congressional report provides previously undisclosed details and a behind-the-scenes chronology of one of the worst-ever cyberattacks on the United States, laying out missed opportunities before the break-in at the OPM exposed security clearances, background checks and fingerprint records. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The Office of Personnel Management launched a database Jan. 9 containing collective bargaining agreements.

Federal agencies will now be able to submit collective bargaining agreements and arbitration awards directly to OPM. A portal is available for agency labor relations staff to submit information directly to OPM.

The database was directed by President Donald Trump in executive order 13836, titled “Developing Efficient, Effective, and Cost Reducing Approaches to Federal Sector Collective Bargaining,” signed May 25.

“This database is about transparency in government,” said OPM Director Dale Cabaniss. “OPM is committed to implementing President Trump’s workforce reforms so the American people can have a more effective and efficient government.”

Under the executive order, federal agencies must submit information within 30 days of the CBA’s effective date. Agencies must also submit arbitration award agreements to OPM within 10 days of receipt.

According to the news release from OPM, the database will allow users to sort through uploaded CBA entries by agency, union, expiration dates and by keyword, while also allowing users to run reports.

Correction: A previous version of this story stated that users could sort through CBA entries and arbitration awards. Users can only sort through CBA entries.

About 

Andrew Eversden covers all things defense technology for C4ISRNET. He previously reported on federal IT and cybersecurity for Federal Times and Fifth Domain, and worked as a congressional reporting fellow for the Texas Tribune. He was also a Washington intern for the Durango Herald. Andrew is a graduate of American University.