NMBs Ernie Dubester appointed to position at Federal Labor Relations Authority
(The Federal Labor Relations Authority issued the following on August 26, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. Carol Waller Pope, Chairman of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), announces that, on August 17, 2009, Ernest DuBester and Julia Clark were sworn in as Member and General Counsel, respectively, of the FLRA. Member DuBester joins Chairman Pope and Member Thomas Beck, thereby completing the membership of the Authority component of the FLRA. General Counsel Clark fills the Presidential appointment in the FLRAs Office of the General Counsel, which includes the FLRAs seven Regional Offices. Chairman Pope expressed her pleasure at the prospect of working with individuals possessing such a wealth of experience in labor-management relations and dispute resolution.
Member DuBester has 35 years of experience in labor-management relations. Nominated by President Clinton, Member DuBester served as Chairman and Member of the National Mediation Board (NMB) from 1993-2001. He began his career at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) serving as counsel to former Chairman and Member John Fanning. He also served as a Union attorney with the firm of Highsaw & Mahoney, and as legislative counsel to the AFL-CIO. In addition, Member DuBester served as Professor and Director of the Dispute Resolution Program at George Mason University School of Law, and taught collective bargaining and arbitration at the Catholic University of America School of Law. Since July of 2005, he has worked as a mediator at the NMB. Member DuBester received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, his law degree from the Catholic University of America School of Law, where he was Recent Developments Editor of the Law Review, and his Masters of Law in Labor Law from the Georgetown University Law Center.
General Counsel Clark joins the FLRA after serving as General Counsel of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, AFL-CIO. She received her J.D. from the American University, Washington College of Law, and her B.A. from Oklahoma Baptist University. General Counsel Clark started her legal career as an Honors Program trial attorney in the United States Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. For the past 20 years she has practiced labor and employment law before federal courts and agencies, including the FLRA, the NLRB, the NMB and the Personnel Appeals Board of the Government Accountability Office.
The FLRA administers the labor-management relations program for 1.9 million non-Postal Federal employees worldwide, approximately 1.1 million of whom are represented in 2,200 bargaining units. It is charged with providing leadership in establishing policies and guidance related to Federal sector labor-management relations and with resolving disputes under and ensuring compliance with the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.
