[Implementation of Arbitration Award]

A labor union requested a GAO decision concerning the implementation of an arbitration award. The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) determined that preshift and postshift activities of certain Federal correctional employees were hours of work; however, FLRA made no determination as to how much, if any, compensation was due the employees and stated that such a determination must be made in accordance with applicable regulations and is for resolution in a manner deemed appropriate by the parties involved. The union submitted the matter to GAO because the parties had been unable to reach agreement as to the amount of compensation due. GAO was asked to determine the amount of overtime pay per day to which the employees were entitled and whether the entitlements were retroactive. The Department of Justice objected to the submission of this matter to GAO because a number of factual issues needed resolution before a determination could be made, and because this matter concerned a dispute over the implementation of a FLRA decision. Absent a request for an advisory opinion or a joint request from the involved parties, based upon a mutually recognized statement of facts, the matter was not appropriate for a GAO decision. Accordingly, GAO declined to assert jurisdiction.