Section 9701.517 - Unfair labor practices(a) For the purpose of this subpart, it is an unfair labor practice for the Department- (1) To interfere with, restrain, or coerce any employee in the exercise by the employee of any right under this subpart;(2) To encourage or discourage membership in any labor organization by discrimination in connection with hiring, tenure, promotion, or other conditions of employment;(3) To sponsor, control, or otherwise assist any labor organization, other than to furnish, upon request, customary and routine services and facilities on an impartial basis to other labor organizations having equivalent status;(4) To discipline or otherwise discriminate against an employee because the employee has filed a complaint or petition, or has given any information or testimony under this subpart;(5) To refuse, as determined by the HSLRB, to consult or negotiate in good faith with a labor organization, as required by this subpart;(6) To fail or refuse, as determined by the HSLRB, to cooperate in impasse procedures and impasse decisions, as required by this subpart; or(7) To fail or refuse otherwise to comply with any provision of this subpart.(b) For the purpose of this subpart, it is an unfair labor practice for a labor organization- (1) To interfere with, restrain, or coerce any employee in the exercise by the employee of any right under this subpart;(2) To cause or attempt to cause the Department to discriminate against any employee in the exercise by the employee of any right under this subpart;(3) To coerce, discipline, fine, or attempt to coerce a member of the labor organization as punishment, reprisal, or for the purpose of hindering or impeding the member's work performance or productivity as an employee or the discharge of the member's duties as an employee;(4) To discriminate against an employee with regard to the terms and conditions of membership in the labor organization on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, preferential or nonpreferential civil service status, political affiliation, marital status, or handicapping condition;(5) To refuse, as determined by the HSLRB, to consult or negotiate in good faith with the Department as required by this subpart;(6) To fail or refuse, as determined by the HSLRB, to cooperate in impasse procedures and impasse decisions as required by this subpart;(7)(i) To call, or participate in, a strike, work stoppage, or slowdown, or picketing of the Department in a labor-management dispute if such picketing interferes with an agency's operations; or(ii) To condone any activity described in paragraph (b)(7)(i) of this section by failing to take action to prevent or stop such activity; or(8) To otherwise fail or refuse to comply with any provision of this subpart.(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(7) of this section, informational picketing which does not interfere with the Department's operations will not be considered an unfair labor practice.(d) For the purpose of this subpart, it is an unfair labor practice for an exclusive representative to deny membership to any employee in the appropriate unit represented by the labor organization, except for failure to meet reasonable occupational standards uniformly required for admission or to tender dues uniformly required as a condition of acquiring and retaining membership. This does not preclude any labor organization from enforcing discipline in accordance with procedures under its constitution or bylaws to the extent consistent with the provisions of this subpart.(e) The HSLRB will not consider any unfair labor practice allegation filed more than 6 months after the alleged unfair labor practice occurred, unless the HSLRB determines, pursuant to its regulations, that there is good cause for the late filing.(f) Issues which can properly be raised under an appeals procedure may not be raised as unfair labor practices prohibited under this section. Except where an employee has an option of using the negotiated grievance procedure or an appeals procedure in connection with an adverse action under subpart F of this part, issues which can be raised under a grievance procedure may, in the discretion of the aggrieved party, be raised under the grievance procedure or as an unfair labor practice under this section, but not under both procedures.(g) The expression of any personal view, argument, opinion, or the making of any statement which publicizes the fact of a representational election and encourages employees to exercise their right to vote in such an election, corrects the record with respect to any false or misleading statement made by any person, or informs employees of the Government's policy relating to labor-management relations and representation, may not, if the expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit or was not made under coercive conditions- (1) Constitute an unfair labor practice under any provision of this subpart; or(2) Constitute grounds for the setting aside of any election conducted under any provision of this subpart.