July 3, 2007
NTEU Chapter 275 Newsletter
Five representatives of Chapter 275 (JaRue Addison, Richard Atkinson, Fred Brown, Lee Vogt, and me) attended the recent NTEU training conference. The training is very helpful and informative for our chapter representatives. The travel expenses were paid for by the FDIC and did not involve an expenditure of Chapter funds.
Prior to the training the chapter presidents met with National President Colleen Kelley and National Executive Vice President Frank Ferris. Unfortunately, I missed the meeting due to a four-hour flight delay. From discussion with the attending chapter presidents, I learned that the topics of the meeting centered around recent communications between President Kelley and Chairman Bair. The chapter presidents present stated they were appreciative of the concern Chairman Bair has publicly expressed over the low morale experienced by FDIC employees; however, there does not appear to be a lot of progress in alleviating the problems that have caused the morale problems. The Chairman continues to blame the low morale problems on downsizing that occurred during Don Powell’s tenure. We all know that is not the reason. However, Chairman Bair has stated that she would be agreeable to improving the PFP program as long as any changes are budget neutral.
The top two concerns discussed with President Kelley were the PFP (a lack of objectivity and transparency between an employee’s performance and pay) and the “anti-employee” stance still demonstrated by some managers, which seems to be a holdover from the Powell regime. The chapter presidents asked President Kelley to again meet face-to-face with the Chairman to discuss these issues and attempt to get some movement toward their resolution. President Kelley promised that she would try to schedule a meeting in the near future.
In addition, the chapter presidents asked for President Kelley’s assistance in seeking a raise in the mileage reimbursement rate as gasoline prices were hovering around the $3 a gallon mark.
LEGISLATION
We were briefed on NTEU legislative activities. Even though NTEU, working with Congress, stymied Powell’s “Workforce 21” legislative proposal (that would have stripped us of many of our protections and allowed management to dismiss an employee at will); the proposal is still on the table. When President Kelly first met with Chairman Bair she received a commitment that this odious piece of legislation would not be pursued.
There are many other fronts in which NTEU is waging a fight against proposed legislation. One is government privatization. While this may appear to affect other agencies, if successful, it could, and probably would, become more widespread and encompass the FDIC. Cost savings and efficiency apparently are not major considerations in privatizing federal jobs. The IRS has contracted out its tax collection function to private collection agencies. The head of the IRS has admitted that for an IRS employee to collect $100 it costs approximately 50 cents. The collection agency will get to keep $25. The IRS has also contracted out its file maintenance function to the same contractor who was responsible for scandalous facility maintenance at Walter Reed Army Hospital. After several serious delays, the database is still not up and running.
ARBITRATIONS
The national 2005 (increase received in 2005) CSA pay discrimination arbitration has concluded and final briefs have been filed. We hope to hear the results this summer. There are two other pay discrimination arbitrations still in the pipe-line for the subsequent years.
Locally, Chapter 275 is currently in the middle of the grievance process for the second year (2006 rating period) of the PFP program. There were thirteen PFP grievances filed this year compared to twelve filed last year. All three steps of last year’s (2005 rating period) PFP grievance process is complete and as you might guess no grievances were upheld. We are proceeding to arbitration with five cases. The first arbitration hearings are scheduled for September. Several of these cases revolve around the grievant receiving higher job performance criteria ratings and more corporate contribution credit than employees who were placed in a higher pay group than the grievant. One would think that we will be successful in arbitrating these cases; however, performance related arbitrations are hard to win. Hopefully, the arbitrators will see how management hides behind the flaws in the PFP program when employees grieve unfair performance ratings, corporate contributions, and lower than deserved pay group assignment. The FDIC Deciding Officials deny grievance after grievance despite evidence that our grievants have higher job performance ratings and more corporate contribution boxes checked than several (comparators) employees assigned to a higher pay group. When questioned, the Deciding Officials will state the pay group assignment is determined is not solely by job performance ratings and corporate contributions, but Total Performance. We then inform the Deciding Official that the Compensation Bargaining Agreement defines Total Performance as the combination of the employee’s job performance ratings and corporate contributions. We have yet to hear an intelligent response to our argument.
Currently, we are in the process of completing the Step Three PFP grievance meetings for the 2006 rating period. I will be surprised if any of this year’s PFP grievances are upheld despite again having several strong cases. My feeling is that management denies all PFP grievances regardless of their merit in hopes that the long process will dissuade future PFP grievances. However, the large number of PFP grievances filed the past two years combined with criticism of the PFP program from President Kelley and the NTEU chapter presidents has forced Chairman Bair to entertain the idea that PFP is the main driving force behind low employee morale. I would like to personally thank the twenty-plus individuals who filed PFP grievances the past two years. The PFP grievances reflect that this program is terribly-flawed in design and pathetically administered by management.
ELECTIONS
In August or September of this year we will vote for the positions of President, Executive Vice President, two Area Vice Presidents, Treasurer, and Secretary for our Chapter. If you have moved, the NTEU will not have your new address. The newly elected officers will take office on October 1, 2007. The FDIC does not forward employee changes of address to NTEU. If you are not receiving mail from NTEU it is likely that NTEU Headquarters does not have your correct address. You will only receive ballots at your address of record. If you need to change your address, e-mail Vice President JaRue Addison the following information:
- Name
- Work e-mail
- Home e-mail (optional if you wish to receive NTEU news at home)
- Old address including zip code
- New address including zip code
I’m told that if you are registered on the NTEU National web-site (www.nteu.org,) that you can do this yourself by going to UNION Office and to Change Address via E-mail.
CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP
As of April 30, 2007, the chapter has 89 members which represent 39.4% of a possible 226 bargaining unit employees (BUEs). We are currently the smallest NTEU chapter in the FDIC and have the second lowest percentage of BUE membership. Since inception in 1997, our chapter has always hovered around the 40% membership level. NTEU National’s goal is at least 70% for each chapter.
A large portion of each member’s dues go to NTEU National for national grievances / arbitrations and to keep NTEU operating. The remaining portion of your dues goes into the chapter checking account. The majority of this money is used to pay our portion of arbitration expenses. Currently, most of our arbitrations are PFP related. Arbitrations regardless of their nature are expensive; a recent one cost the chapter $1,361. This amount represents approximately 30% of the total dues the chapter receives in a year. As you can see, at this rate it will not take many arbitration cases to break the chapter.
Over the past ten years we have made many gains thanks to NTEU. For example, some agencies are still trying to get a travel stipend program where they can get paid after 50 nights out. In addition, many Federal agencies would love to have the pay scale that the FDIC has. Although the current Compensation Agreement is not a step forward we are still way ahead of most Federal agencies in pay and benefits thanks to NTEU negotiations.
New members are needed to give us a place at the bargaining table during the next contract negotiations. Only six of the ten chapter presidents are selected to serve on the bargaining team. The NTEU makes the selections based mainly on chapter membership. I ask that each of you encourage your nonmember co-workers to join NTEU. Many of our nonmembers are NTEU friendly, but for some reason or another they are not members. Please let these individuals know that we need their support through membership. The strength of a union is in our membership. The larger we are the stronger voice we have.
Ralph Stanley
President - NTEU Chapter 275
