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Legislative Director Erwin Talks Federal Pay on Federal News Radio
Wednesday, June 9, 2010 (National Federation of
Federal Employees)
This morning,
NFFE Legislative Director Randy Erwin sat down with Federal News Radio's
Mike Causey to discuss the latest developments in federal pay and the
NSPS transition.
Discussing recent attempts by Republicans in Congress to freeze or even
reduce federal pay, Erwin discussed the likelihood of such a measure
passing, and what the union is doing to ensure that it does not. He also
covered the NSPS transition, and the latest news surrounding
compensation rates for those returning from NSPS to the GS system.
Click here to listen to the interview (audio begins at 27:40)
NFFE Local # 1 Members Attend Conference on Improving Medical Care
for Veterans
Friday, April 30, 2010 (National Federation of
Federal Employees)
Earlier this month, NFFE Local 1 representatives joined 3500 VA workers from across the nation at the Primary Care Medical Home Conference in Las Vegas, NV, to discuss a new model of care for our nation’s veterans. The objective of the conference was both ambitious and deliberate: To improve patient satisfaction, clinical quality, safety and efficiencies by becoming a national leader in the delivery of primary care services through transformation to a medical home model of health care delivery. Attending the conference at the personal request of Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 21 Director Sheila Cullen, was NFFE Local #1 President, Patricia La Sala RN, MS. Local # 1 members, Erlinda Palaad RN, Sharon Ezekiel, LCSW, and Linda Tawney RN and Cheryl Wenell NP, represented their clinical areas on each of the task forces and planning teams charged with seeking ways to improve and ultimately implement the new method of care. The model under consideration, referred to as the “Primary Care Medical Home” (PCMH) seeks to fundamentally alter the way the VA heals our veterans, placing the patient at the center of a “home” of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other health professionals who will work collaboratively to deliver a higher quality of care. The idea is to provide veterans with a more comprehensive and sustained method of care in a way that improves health outcomes while also improving veterans’ experience of care. “We are very excited to offer our veterans this new method of care,” said NFFE National Vice President and Local #1 President Patricia LaSala. “This plan puts veterans at the center of the model, giving every veteran a team of healthcare workers who will be available for them at all times. They deserve nothing but the best from us, and I think this plan gives them just that.”
FLRA and FMCS to Provide Regional Trainings on Partnership Order
Thursday, April 8, 2010 (National Federation of
Federal Employees)
In a press release issued yesterday, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) announced that it was partnering with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to offer training on the implementation of Executive Order 13522, Creating Labor-Management Forums to Improve Delivery of Government Services. According to the release, the training program is “designed to enhance participants’ knowledge of bargaining rights and obligations under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.” Participants must attend the program with a management counterpart so that both parties leave with a working understanding of how to implement the Executive Order. “I encourage NFFE’s Local and Council leaders to take full advantage of the opportunity to work with management to build a better workplace,” said NFFE National President William R. Dougan. The two-day training begins with a review of bargaining rights and obligations under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, particularly section 7106(b)(1), as well as pre-decisional involvement. Day two will focus on the basics of building and maintaining a partnership that meets the goals of the Executive Order. The trainings will be held in cities housing the FLRA’s seven regional offices throughout May and June of this year. Participants are strongly encouraged to attend this training, though a second offering of the program may occur between July and September.
President Obama Appoints NFFE President Dougan to National Council
on Federal Labor-Management Relations Friday,
February 26, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cory Bythrow, Communications Director Phone: (202) 255-9950
Washington,
D.C. – Yesterday, William R. Dougan, National President of the
National Federation of Federal Employees, a national union representing
110,000 workers government-wide, was appointed as a Member of the
National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations by President
Obama. Established by a December 2009 Executive Order, the Council is
tasked with advising the President on ways to improve labor-management
relations in the federal workforce. Composed of representatives from
labor, management, and the Administration, the Council will be
co-chaired by Office of Personnel Management Director, John Berry and
the Deputy Director for Management of the Office of Management and
Budget, Jeffrey Zeints. Appointed alongside a number of other employee
representatives, National President Dougan will ensure that federal
workers have a strong voice at the table. “I am honored to be given
this opportunity to serve the federal workforce,” said Dougan. “I look
forward to working alongside my fellow labor and management
representatives in developing common sense solutions that will benefit
both the federal workplace and the nation.” In the coming years, the
Council will make recommendations to the Administration on how to build
non-adversarial forums for employees, their unions, and managers to
discuss government operations and improve the productivity and
effectiveness of the Federal Government. After an era of deteriorating
labor-management relations under the previous administration, NFFE is
ready to do its part to build a better workplace for federal employees.
“We are pleased to see that President Obama is serious about
listening to the ideas and concerns of the federal employees that serve
their nation every day,” Dougan said. “Now it’s time for us to roll up
our sleeves and get to work.”
Susan Tsui Grundmann Confirmed as MSPB Chairman
Friday, November 6, 2009
Washington,
D.C. – National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) General Counsel
Susan Tsui Grundmann yesterday afternoon was confirmed by the Senate to
serve as the next Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board.
In response, NFFE National President William R. Dougan issued the
following statement:
“Over the course of her six years with NFFE, Susan has been a beloved
and well respected member of our staff – one who will not be easily
replaced.”
“Defending the legal rights of federal employees for nearly 20 years,
she brings a wealth of experience and firsthand knowledge to her new
post. I have no doubt that she will be an honest, dedicated and
exemplary public servant.”
“Federal employees are gaining an exceptional individual to serve as
Chairman of the Merit Systems Protection Board.”
“All of NFFE wishes her the best of luck in her new position.”
The MSPB is an independent, bipartisan agency tasked with upholding the
merit systems under which Federal employees work. The mission of the
MSPB is to protect Federal merit systems and the rights of individuals
within those systems.
Federal Employees Union Praises White House Executive Order Establishing
Labor-Management Partnerships
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Randy Erwin,
Legislative Director Phone: (202) 257-0948
Washington, D.C. – This morning President Barack Obama signed an
Executive Order
(E.O.) establishing labor-management forums, an action that will
improve the delivery of government services by tapping into the
knowledge and expertise that exists within the federal workforce.
By establishing an environment where federal workers have an opportunity
to be heard, the best ideas on how to make government run better can be
brought forward and considered by federal agencies.
A top priority for federal employee unions, the signing of the E.O.
could mark the end of an extended period of poor labor-relations at many
federal agencies. A similar labor-management partnership existed
under the Clinton Administration, but President George W. Bush abolished
the partnerships as one of his first acts in office, an action that
soured labor-management rapport from the very start of his
administration.
“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.”
The E.O. represents a clear step in the right direction, but federal
employee unions did not get everything they desired in the E.O.
Federal unions have been lobbying the Administration hard for mandatory
bargaining rights on all permissive subjects. While the E.O. does
not prevent agencies from bargaining permissive subjects if they choose
to do so, as written, the E.O. gives agencies the ability to opt out of
bargaining permissive subjects with employee unions. The
Administration has committed to testing mandatory bargaining on
permissive subject at some federal agencies through a pilot program, the
details of which are not spelled out in the E.O.
“Mandatory bargaining on permissive subjects would have been the homerun
ball for us, but we didn’t get that,” said Dougan. “Nonetheless,
we are still in a much better place today than we have been for the last
nine years. We consider this executive order a good starting point
as we move into a much anticipated era of labor-management cooperation
in the federal government. We look forward to rolling up our
sleeves and working together to tackle the many important issues before
us which impact the federal workforce.”
Click Here to View the Executive Order
Click Here for Printable Release
Grundmann Nominated to Chair Key Federal Board
President Barack Obama has nominated NFFE-IAM General Counsel Susan Grundmann to serve as chair of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). The MSPB is an independent, quasi-judicial agency with responsibility for deciding federal employee appeals from personnel actions taken against them, protecting the integrity of the civil service and other federal merit systems, and conducting studies of the civil service and other merit systems in the executive branch. On July 30, 2009, the White House issued the following statement about the nomination of Ms. Grundmann: “Since 2002, Susan Tsui Grundmann has served as General Counsel to the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), which represents 100,000 federal workers nationwide and is affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW). At NFFE, she has successfully litigated cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.” The White House also noted her service representing employees in the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Passport Services, Veterans Administration, General Services Administration and some 25 additional federal agencies. Since 2003, Grundmann has been a regular instructor on federal sector law at the William W. Winpisinger Education Center in Placid Harbor, MD.
Big changes for Oregon area codes
Changes will begin on July 12, 2009 requiring that you dial 10 digits for all calls made in the 541 area code. Additionally two new area codes are being phased in for Oregon. In the Portland and northwest regions, which have had the 503 area code, they keep 503 and have 971 added to their area. For the balance of Oregon, those of us in the 541 regions, we will see the addition of 458. The end result will be 4 area codes for Oregon. When will these become effective? July 12, 2009 start dialing the area code whenever you make a call, including calls to other 541 telephone numbers. There are grace periods, so if you forget and dial just 7 digits, your call will still be completed until the effective date of January 10, 2010: After that date you must dial the area code – 10 digits.
Public-private pay gap rises in 2009
By Alyssa Rosenberg GovExec.com October 19, 2009
Obama appoints new members to labor-management panel
By Alyssa Rosenberg GovExec.com September 22, 2009
Pentagon suspends NSPS conversions
Government Exec March 16, 2009
NFFE supports bill to attract former federal employees
NFFE news release Feb. 4, 2009
Federal unions praise Obama labor directives
Government Executive January 30, 2009
Obama Sworn In, Pledges Bold Action
iMail News January 22, 2009
Obama halts all regulations pending review
Associated Press January 20, 2009
More Love for John Berry
By Alyssa Rosenberg Government Executive January 13, 2009
GSA cracks down on smoking in and around federal buildings
By Elizabeth Newell Government Executive December 23, 2008
Bush issues order implementing 3.9 percent pay raise
By Alyssa Rosenberg Government Executive December 19, 2008
Rep. Hilda Solis Obama's pick for labor secretary
The Huffington Post, Dec. 18, 2008
Lawmakers urge Pentagon to weigh alternatives to furloughs
By Brittany R. Ballenstedt Government Executive December 13, 2007
Bush gives federal employees extra day off
By Brittany R. Ballenstedt Government Executive Dec. 12, 2008
IAM Blames GOP Trio for Killing Auto Rescue
IAM News Dec. 12, 2008
Lawmakers press Bush to rescind order curbing collective bargaining
By Alyssa Rosenberg Government Executive Dec. 9, 2008
Furlough threat hangs above Defense employees
By Megan Scully CongressDaily Dec. 5, 2007
Lawmakers weigh in on executive order
By Alyssa Rosenberg Government Executive Dec. 3, 2008
Executive order curtailing bargaining rights draws fire
By Alyssa Rosenberg Government Executive Dec. 2, 2008
Third Quarter 2009