American Federation of Government Employees Local 1164 v. Federal Labor Relations Authority

**Union Loses Fight Over Office Layout at Social Security Administration** This case involved a dispute between a federal employees' union and the Social Security Administration over office space arrangements. The union wanted to negotiate a "hybrid floor plan" for how workspaces would be organized, but the Social Security Administration refused to discuss it with the union. The union filed a complaint with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, arguing they had the right to negotiate over workplace arrangements. When the Authority sided with the Social Security Administration, the union appealed to federal court. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the union. The court found that the Social Security Administration was not required to negotiate over the office layout proposal because it would give the union too much control over how management organizes work operations and chooses work methods. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling reinforces that federal agencies have broad authority to make decisions about how work gets done, including office layouts and workspace design. While unions can negotiate over many workplace issues, they cannot force employers to bargain over matters that significantly interfere with management's ability to organize operations. Federal workers should understand that workplace design decisions may be outside the scope of union negotiations.