|
http://afge-local3529.org/ 325 MCDONNELL BLVD., MAILCODE S3064290 HAZELWOOD, MO. 63042-2598 Telephone: (314) 233-3752 Fax: (314) 233-6648 August 21, 2003
Members: National Convention Bob McCarthy and I are here representing the Union. There is a bombshell. Bobby Harnage was defeated in his bid for reelection. The votes went like this:
Women’s Director:
National Secretary-Treasurer:
National President 1st Ballot:
National President 2nd Ballot: Bob and I both voted for T.J. Bonner on the 1st ballot and John Gage on the 2nd ballot. Harnage gave an “elect me for 3 more years and then I’ll retire” speech. Gage gave a great speech about how we should get “in the face” of the Bush administration and congress and quit taking it on Homeland Security etc. The perception is that Harnage “fiiddled while Rome burned” ala Nero. On the Consolidation of Units issue, I spoke with Gage and told him about the issue. He said he would work with me on it. I believe he will follow through on it or tell me to get lost rather than sitting on his thumb as Harnage did. I also spoke with Don Hale, the Chairman of the Defense Conference (DEFCON) about the issue. He pledged his support. I am a member of the 12 member DEFCON steering group. DEFCON controls about 40% of the total AFGE votes. However, they have not been a cohesive unit as is the VA, Social Security, Border Patrol, and Prison Guard caucuses have been. I hope that will change. We are currently working on resolutions. The big ones concern per capita dues increases and/or assessments for a media campaign to get our message out to the American people. John Sweeney, President of AFL-CIO, gave a great speech at a Monday Luncheon. He called the Bush administration a “band of thugs.” He pledged to work on Bush’s defeat in 2004. We also heard from Linda Chavez Thompson, Executive Vice President AFL-CIO at the Women’s Fair Practice breakfast as well as at an overall delegate luncheon. Contract Negotiations These negotiations are still at the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) stage. We submitted our final Statements of Position on 2/14/03. We filed an Unfair Labor Practice over Management’s refusal to provide information crucial to the Statement of Position. The Dallas FLRA office issued a complaint on the issue. I petitioned the FSIP to grant a reconsideration of our position after we get the data. The FSIP has so far refused. Official Time Issue: I filed a ULP over Management’s unilateral change in past practice concerning the approval of official time for Steve Schwartzberg, Bob McCarthy and me. Steve Schwartzberg recently retired rather than put up with the hassled caused by Frank Summers and his henchpersons. The FLRA representative felt the case for the Union President was particularly strong since the President has been 100% official time for me entire tenure (10/1/98 forward) and most of Bob Wiesmann’s Presidency (10/1/90 – 9/30/98). My supervisor had issued a CAS 418 assignment with varying due dates for the risk assessment as well as the overall assignment. Last Friday, my supervisor withdrew the assignment and assigned it to someone else. This was one day after the FLRA representative told Management they were ready to issue a complaint on the issue. Management has offered to not assign more assignments unless “exigencies of the public business” occur. They also want to negotiate over the issue in hopes of bringing the practice in line with the collective bargaining agreement. I will not settle unless Management pays me back for work I did at home. I would accept 24 credit hours. So far Management has not accepted that offer.
Mid-term Bargaining:
1. DoD Child Care issue
2. OPM based Child Care:
3. IT/OPS audit reorganization: Other issues:
Recruiting My supervisor gave me a written reprimand for alleged violations of the “Use of Government Equipment” agreement by sending e-mails to the Western and Mid-Atlantic regions during the FLRA election process as well as “failure to follow a directive” in that I sent a mass mailing in violation of an Ed Nelson letter. The grievance hearing is August 29th (next Friday). Pat Faul will be representing me at the hearing. The agency has assigned a Defense Legal Services attorney Delduco. We have various other arbitrations scheduled for the near future. They include such topics as Team awards, inclement weather in Wichita and the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
President AFGE Local 3529
|