NFFE Local 858 » CBA

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.

Grievance Decision on Holiday Pay Expected Soon

David — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:35:00 +0000

A union filed grievance on awarding holiday pay hours equal to normal time scheduled was filed, argued, and briefed over that last few months. We have been notified by the arbitrator to expect his decision Thursday or Friday in the mail. We will keep up updated on the latest news. Related posts:Credit Hours Boehner, GOP [...] 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.

CBA Negotiation Update

David — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:16:28 +0000

A generally productive day back at the table… although not without its share of disagreements. The discussions started with identical language found in both team’s proposals, mainly in the requirements for job announcements section, and quickly yielded results with only minor details left. After those common sections were addressed, the management team suggested something of a Socratic method of review for the remaining parts (argument followed by questions), beginning with the Union’s proposal, which seemed agreeable. However, the early successes quickly turned into fundamental questions about competitive promotion practices…

At the heart of the discussion was what, exactly, would be included in the article on competitive advancement within the Agency. In particular, the Union proposed that reassignment be competitively selected. It was argued that current practice allowed management too much subjective freedom in allocating its workforce in the form of reassignments. Instead of simply selecting someone to move from one area to another, the Union contends that those openings should be announced to all employees, and those interested could then apply, with the best candidate being selected using normal procedures. Current practices allow for potential conflict of interest in selecting employees for reassignment by handpicking an employees, as opposed to selecting the best available candidate. The management team seemed open to our argument, but no resolution was made, suggesting both sides needed a chance to review the consequences and details of such a plan. We remain optimistic that ultimately some agreement will be made that reassignments will be made competitive under the CBA.

Additional sections were reviewed, also stumbling over a Union desire for increased transparency in the hiring process, however the meeting adjourned with the discussion incomplete. All in all, progress was made and the next negotiation session has been scheduled for May 26th and 27th. Bargaining Unit Employees are allowed to attend these negotiations and observe, but must be done on their own time (lunch break or annual leave).

Please let us know your opinions on these issues because the more guidance we receive from employees, the better the final agreement will work.

CBA Negotiations Preview

David — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:30:30 +0000

After an extended break, the Agency and the Union are returning to the table to continue with creating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement today. The dispute that caused the layover had been resolved and both sides have agreed to begin negotiating on the Merit Promotion. The Union Team (Minja, Sarah Jungmeyer, Kathy Tiefel, and David Zanoni) is looking forward to discuss the issues and are optimistic that some much needed progress can be made. For those of you that have suggestions on the future CBA, please don’t hesitate to email the team (contact info is in the Officers page) or leave comments in this posts. The Union likes to hear any and all suggestions and remember, we can only propose solutions to problems we know about!!

Hopefully we will have more updates today to communicate our progress with the negotiations.