October 2006: During the first week of October, NTEU and SEC negotiators met once again in Washington to continue bargaining over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NTEU bargaining team, which is comprised of NTEU negotiator Jurmell James and volunteers Greg Gilman, Veronica Lewis, Katie Nix, Dean Suehiro and Simmenetta Williams, continued their work on a number of issues of importance to SEC bargaining unit employees.

During the negotiations the parties reached a tentative agreement concerning the creation of a new Leave Sharing Program. This new program, which was proposed by the NTEU team, will enable enrolled employees who face a medical emergency, but who have exhausted their paid leave, to apply for and use annual leave that has been previously donated to a “leave bank” by their fellow co-workers.

NTEU negotiators believe that this program, which will go into effect at some point in 2007, will prove to be an important tool to help alleviate the potentially dire consequences that may result when a serious medical condition of an employee or his or her family member requires the employee’s absence from work for a prolonged period of time.

NTEU negotiators also continued to press for implementation of a 4/10 alternative work schedule which would afford employees the option of working four ten-hour days each week, as well as for expansion of the telework program. Other issues that the parties continued to negotiate included the Employee Recognition Program, the conditions under which an employee may apply for advanced sick leave, and the use of official time by Union officials.

The CBA negotiations are scheduled to continue in November. Bargaining on the new CBA has been ongoing since May of this year. The 2002 CBA, which had a three-year term, remains in force and effect until the approval of any new agreement.