(a) An agency shall accord national consultation rights to a labor organization that:

(1) Requests national consultation rights at the agency level; and

(2) Holds exclusive recognition for either:

(i) Ten percent (10%) or more of the total number of civilian personnel employed by the agency and the non-appropriated fund Federal instrumentalities under its jurisdiction, excluding foreign nationals; or

(ii) 3,500 or more employees of the agency.

(b) An agency's primary national subdivision which has authority to formulate conditions of employment shall accord national consultation rights to a labor organization that:

(1) Requests national consultation rights at the primary national subdivision level; and

(2) Holds exclusive recognition for either:

(i) Ten percent (10%) or more of the total number of civilian personnel employed by the primary national subdivision and the non-appropriated fund Federal instrumentalities under its jurisdiction, excluding foreign nationals; or

(ii) 3,500 or more employees of the primary national subdivision.

(c) In determining whether a labor organization meets the requirements as prescribed in paragraphs (a)(2) and (b)(2) of this section, the following will not be counted:

(1) At the agency level, employees represented by the labor organization under national exclusive recognition granted at the agency level.

(2) At the primary national subdivision level, employees represented by the labor organization under national exclusive recognition granted at the agency level or at that primary national subdivision level.

(d) An agency or a primary national subdivision of an agency shall not grant national consultation rights to any labor organization that does not meet the criteria prescribed in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this section.

(a) Requests by labor organizations for national consultation rights shall be submitted in writing to the headquarters of the agency or the agency's primary national subdivision, as appropriate, which headquarters shall have fifteen (15) days from the date of service of such request to respond thereto in writing.

(b) Issues relating to a labor organization's eligibility for, or continuation of, national consultation rights shall be referred to the Authority for determination as follows:

(1) A petition for determination of the eligibility of a labor organization for national consultation rights under criteria set forth in § 2426.1 may be filed by a labor organization.

(2) A petition for determination of eligibility for national consultation rights shall be submitted on a form prescribed by the Authority and shall set forth the following information:

(i) Name and affiliation, if any, of the petitioner and its address and telephone number;

(ii) A statement that the petitioner has submitted to the agency or the primary national subdivision and to the Assistant Secretary a roster of its officers and representatives, a copy of its constitution and bylaws, and a statement of its objectives;

(iii) A declaration by the person signing the petition, under the penalties of the Criminal Code (18 U.S.C. 1001), that its contents are true and correct to the best of such person's knowledge and belief;

(iv) The signature of the petitioner's representative, including such person's title and telephone number;

(v) The name, address, and telephone number of the agency or primary national subdivision in which the petitioner seeks to obtain or retain national consultation rights, and the persons to contact and their titles, if known;

(vi) A showing that petitioner holds adequate exclusive recognition as required by § 2426.1; and

(vii) A statement as appropriate: (A) That such showing has been made to and rejected by the agency or primary national subdivision, together with a statement of the reasons for rejection, if any, offered by that agency or primary national subdivision;

(B) That the agency or primary national subdivision has served notice of its intent to terminate existing national consultation rights, together with a statement of the reasons for termination; or

(C) That the agency or primary national subdivision has failed to respond in writing to a request for national consultation rights made under § 2426.2(a) within fifteen (15) days after the date the request is served on the agency or primary national subdivision.

(3) The following regulations govern petitions filed under this section:

(i) A petition for determination of eligibility for national consultation rights shall be filed with the Regional Director for the region wherein the headquarters of the agency or the agency's primary national subdivision is located.

(ii) An original and four (4) copies of a petition shall be filed, together with a statement of any other relevant facts and of all correspondence.

(iii) Copies of the petition together with the attachments referred to in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section shall be served by the petitioner on all known interested parties, and a written statement of such service shall be filed with the Regional Director.

(iv) A petition shall be filed within thirty (30) days after the service of written notice by the agency or primary national subdivision of its refusal to accord national consultation rights pursuant to a request under § 2426.2(a) or its intention to terminate existing national consultation rights. If an agency or a primary national subdivision fails to respond in writing to a request for national consultation rights made under § 2426.2(a) within fifteen (15) days after the date the request is served on the agency or primary national subdivision, a petition shall be filed within thirty (30) days after the expiration of such fifteen (15) day period.

(v) If an agency or primary national subdivision wishes to terminate national consultation rights, notice of its intention to do so shall include a statement of its reasons and shall be served not less than thirty (30) days prior to the intended termination date. A labor organization, after receiving such notice, may file a petition within the time period prescribed herein, and thereby cause to be stayed further action by the agency or primary national subdivision pending disposition of the petition. If no petition has been filed within the provided time period, an agency or primary national subdivision may terminate national consultation rights.

(vi) Within fifteen (15) days after the receipt of a copy of the petition, the agency or primary national subdivision shall file a response thereto with the Regional Director raising any matter which is relevant to the petition.

(vii) The Regional Director shall make such investigations as the Regional Director deems necessary and thereafter shall issue and serve on the parties a Decision and Order with respect to the eligibility for national consultation rights which shall be final: Provided, however, That an application for review of the Regional Director's Decision and Order may be filed with the Authority in accordance with the procedure set forth in § 2422.17 of this subchapter. A determination by the Regional Director to issue a notice of hearing shall not be subject to the filing of an application for review. The Regional Director, if appropriate, may cause a notice of hearing to be issued to all interested parties where substantial factual issues exist warranting a hearing. Hearings shall be conducted by a Hearing Officer in accordance with §§ 2422.9 through 2422.15 of this subchapter and after the close of the hearing a Decision and Order shall be issued by the Regional Director in accordnce with § 2422.16 of this subchapter.

(a) When a labor organization has been accorded national consultation rights, the agency or the primary national subdivision which has granted those rights shall, through appropriate officials, furnish designated representatives of the labor organization:

(1) Reasonable notice of any proposed substantive change in conditions of employment; and

(2) Reasonable time to present its views and recommendations regarding the change.

(b) If a labor organization presents any views or recommendations regarding any proposed substantive change in conditions of employment to an agency or a primary national subdivision, that agency or primary national subdivision shall:

(1) Consider the views or recommendations before taking final action on any matter with respect to which the views or recommendations are presented; and

(2) Provide the labor organization a written statement of the reasons for taking the final action.

(c) Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to limit the right of any agency or exclusive representative to engage in collective bargaining.