NFFE Local 858 » President’s Blog

This year’s second edition of NFFE’s quarterly newsletter, the Federal Employee, is now available!

Minja — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 14:47:43 +0000

http://www.nffe.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/23431

Federal Employee Seminar

National President Dougan Joins President Obama, Business Leaders, for Forum on Modernizing Government

Minja — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:39:48 +0000

Friday, January 15, 2010

(National Federation of Federal Employees)

Thursday, William R. Dougan, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees, attended the White House Forum on Modernizing Government, an afternoon event focused on improving the efficiency of government services. Participating were some of the greatest minds in the federal and private sectors, including federal labor leaders, high-level agency executives, and more than 50 of the country’s top CEO’s.

Held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the event began with a speech by President Obama, who stressed the need to embrace emerging technologies as a means for increasing government productivity while reducing costs. The President urged participants to discuss practices that have worked well for their organizations.

“I want us to ask ourselves every day, how are we using technology to make a real difference in people’s lives,” said President Obama. “Improving the technology our government uses isn’t about having the fanciest bells and whistles on our websites – it’s about how we use the American people’s hard-earned tax dollars to make government work better for them.”

Participating in a workgroup designed to review customer service, National President Dougan worked alongside CEO’s of major corporations such as Angie’s List, Rosetta Stone, and Kelly Services. During the group exercise, Dougan emphasized the importance of agency workers who actually provide the services to the American people.

“Any conversation about improving the delivery of government services has to start with the employees who are actually doing the work,” said Dougan. “Robust and constructive labor-management relations are just as important as technology when it comes to delivering quality and efficient customer service.”

The event, lasting nearly four hours, was just the beginning of an ongoing dialogue the White House wishes maintain with federal and private sector leaders. In the coming weeks, months, and years, NFFE will continue to work with the White House and Industry on this task in a concerted effort make the federal workplace an example that every American can be proud of.

Labor-Management Council

Minja — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:41:37 +0000

In our constant endeavor to provide the best possible representation to the RMA-KC bargaining unit members, we have sent the following email to the Associate Deputy Administrator in Kansas City:

“We are very pleased about President Obama’s initiative to establish labor-management councils and build and develop cooperative relationship between Management and the Unions in the Federal Government. RMA is a relatively small agency with the potential to provide an example of how, through effectively engaging employees, Agencies can work more efficiently and improve the service they provide to American public. We look forward to establishing a labor-management council as directed by the Executive Order of December 9, 2009.

We believe our Agency is an ideal candidate for the pilot programs outlined in Section 4 of the Executive Order, and we hope that we can prove to be the leaders in this initiative of the President through participating in it.

Please let us know what steps the Agency is taking in order to comply with the Executive Order.”

We shall keep you posted on Agency’s reply and the progress of forming the Labor-Management Council.

Labor-Management Forums Executive Order

President Obama’s executive order creating labor/management forums

Minja — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:50:05 +0000

You may have noticed the new look of our Local’s bulletin board on the first floor, and the executive order posted on it. In case you wondered what it means, here is some of the response that NFFE released:
“We are very pleased to see the Obama Administration take meaningful strides to engage the federal workforce,” said William R. Dougan, national president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. “Federal employees care deeply about the service they provide to the American people, but for almost a decade they have lacked an avenue to contribute ways to make the agencies they work for more efficient and effective. Going forward, federal workers will have the ability to contribute their ideas, and the American people will benefit because of it.”

What does it mean to you? It means that now, through your Union you can have a voice in all your workplace matters before the Management implements changes that affect you as a federal employee and as a taxpayer. The last time we had a chance for this kind of involvement in our workplace, after years of failed attempts the Union negotiated a 4/10 compressed schedule.

Remember, the management is not there because you chose them to lead you. You now have a chance to be the leader in your workplace. Take advantage of it by joining the Union and becoming an active member.

Labor-Management Forums Executive Order

Federal Employee Seminar

Minja — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:49:29 +0000

Sarah, Minja and David with Frank Carelli, IAM Government Employees Director

Last week Sarah, David and I attended a Federal Employee Seminar at Winpisinger Education & Technology Center in Placid Harbor, Maryland. The seminar covered a variety of issues that affect federal employees at all levels, from personal, such as worker’s compensation and venues of pursuing grievances to government-wide, such as legislative topics that affect federal employees. Please make sure that you visit Local 858 website regularly for update on such issues and learn about the ways to make your vote count in them.

Credit Hours

Minja — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:58:19 +0000

At the end of last year, RMA employees in Kansas City were informed that the Agency will begin implementing the law that prohibits pay in excess of 8 hours on holiday for employees who are on flexible schedule. All employees who worked compressed schedule and varied their time of arrival were consequently informed that, if they ordinarily worked more than 8 hours on a holiday, they would have to either take leave or work additional one or two hours in that pay-period in order to recieve full pay. Alternatively, they could choose to start work every day at the same time, and receive holiday pay. This kind of schedule would require them to take leave every time they deviate from their schedule work starting time.

While there is a law that states that employees on flexible schedule are not entitled to more than 8 hours pay on holiday, in this Union’s view, it is questionable whether employees who are on compressed schedule and vary their time of arrival within designated work hours, are on a flexible schedule. There is no law that prohibits such flexibility on compressed schedules. Through the years and evolution of flexible schedules, OPM developed a regulation that compressed schedules have fixed times of arrival. One has to look at the spectrum of all available schedules to understand where this regulation comes from.

With introduction of credit hours, OPM made available the schedule that allows employees to work less than 10 days in a pay period, and vary their times of arrival. Credit hours allow employees to work hours in excess of their scheduled tour of duty, and later use them to take the time-off of work, without having to use leave.

With credit hours employees who want to work compressed schedule and vary their time of arrival would be able to continue to do so, and be able to earn credit hours that they can use when they need time off for odd doctor’s appointments, kid’s sports events, illness… , not only to make up hours they loose on holidays. Employees who typically work 10-8 hour days would also have the ability to work less then 10 days in a payperiod without having to use leave.

As a Union we are guaranteed, by law, the right to negotiate changes to schedules. Albeit, we had to seek arbitration to be able to exercise this right.

Once negotiations actually commence, we will be proposing credit hours for all employees on flexible schedule.

More detailed information on credit hours can be found at: http://www.opm.gov/oca/worksch/HTML/Cred_hrs.htm

Please feel free to comment or make suggestions on this website or in person with any of your union representatives.

WELCOME BACK SHAWN

Minja — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:17:41 +0000

Good news! Shawn Beach is back at the Risk Management Agency and is currently in the Topeka office. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Shawn. Related posts:Labor-Management Council Related posts:

Labor-Management Council

News from the President

Minja — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:03:14 +0000

Good news on the EEO front. Carl Frazier has won his EEO case. Justice is sometimes slow, but always sure. Carl will be selecting the location of his choice. Congratulations Carl!

No related posts.

Negotiation Updates

Minja — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:43:39 +0000

In an effort to provide transparency to the CBA negotiation process, we will be posting regular updates on contract negotiations. After all, it is yours, bargaining unit’s, conditions of employment that are being decided at the negotiation table. You can also come and observe negotiations in person, just let someone from the Union negotiation team know about it.

New window into NFFE Local 858

Minja — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:05:09 +0000

For all of you in the bargaining unit, welcome, and I hope you visit often for a look at how your Union is representing you, and grace us with comments and thoughts (only well-thought-out ones, please) on anything of interest or concern to you as a member of the bargaining unit.

We are working hard (especially David) on making this not only a window into our little local Union activities, but into the world of organized labor everywhere.

I hope we all recognize, despite our daily inconveniences and complaints, that we are blessed with more than most employees in other agencies and organizations can dream about. This is, in no small way, fruit of the labor of a small group of current and former RMA employees who joined the Union and have worked countless hours to make RMA the great and flexible place to work for that it is today.

My hope is that we can use this window to expand our horizons, and learn about labor issues and struggles across the nation, across organizations, and worldwide and do what we can as both individual voters and as a Union in advancing those issues.

For our Union members, look for a new feature on the website that will allow you to log on as a member and check on meetings, agendas and ongoing activities.