Union News Archive

06/30/2011

6/30/11: Under a proposal being discussed as part of the debt ceiling negotiations, federal employees could see a 5 to 6 percent reduction in their pay to increase employees' contribution to their pension plans. This proposal, which NTEU is strongly opposing, is already part of the House budget for FY 2012.

Budget talks led by Vice President Biden broke off last week when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Senator Jon Kyl refused to continue the discussions. Both are adamantly opposed to tax increases. President Obama met with both top Senate leaders this week. In a speech yesterday,... Read more ...
06/29/2011

6/30/11: The SEC this week provided notice that it will be proposing cutting the SEC’s Student Loan Repayment Program as a “savings opportunity” in the agency's budget. The Union opposes this proposal, which would further diminish SEC employees' work-life benefits while saving the agency only a small fraction of one percent of its budget.

The Student Loan Repayment Program for SEC employees has been part of SEC employees' Collective Bargaining Agreement for almost a decade. Under this highly popular and successful program, participating SEC employees receive up to $10,000 per year as a... Read more ...
06/25/2011

6/25/11: Last fall, the Union alerted federal employees about a proposal by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create a new "system of records" known as a Health Claims Data Warehouse. This record-keeping system would have included personal information about enrollees in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), as well as enrollees in two new insurance programs covering employees in the private sector. NTEU objected at the time, in particular to the absence of adequate protections against disclosure of personal identifying information about enrollees.

OPM responded... Read more ...
06/25/2011

6/25/11: Last April, NTEU launched an effort to obtain a mid-year increase in the mileage deduction for business-related travel to account for rising fuel prices. While it is unusual to have a mid-year adjustment, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley wrote to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who in his policy capacity has the authority to make a mid-year adjustment in the mileage reimbursement rate. She pressed the point that we are in unusual circumstances and that the current allowable level is inadequate for business and for government employees who use their vehicles for work. 

The... Read more ...
06/21/2011

 6/22/11: Last month, NTEU Chapter 293 reported that the SEC had notified the Union that 1.9% merit pay awards, retroactive to January 2, 2011, would be processed by pay period 14, and that all employees who were employed at the SEC by August 31, 2010 and who received an "acceptable" rating would receive these merit-based awards. The SEC again confirmed that it would make these merit pay awards in communications to the Union last week. However, management also reported to the Union that there may be a further delay in the processing of these awards and the agency would not commit to a date... Read more ...
06/21/2011

6/20/11: This letter sent on June 16th to the Vice President was signed by NTEU and other leaders of 12 labor organizations. The Unions were united in standing against the idea of increased contributions that unfairly target federal workers. They reminded the Vice President that federal employees are already under a two-year pay freeze, a significant sacrifice for our members.  They reiterated what they have said repeatedly — they fully support shared sacrifice. 

We will vigorously oppose any further selective benefit cuts or tax increases that are borne only by federal employees. ... Read more ...
06/21/2011

 6/22/11: A funding measure marked up by an important House subcommittee late last week fails   fails to recognize the need for sufficient funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) according to NTEU National  President Colleen Kelley, who was sharply critical of the fiscal 2012 financial services appropriations bill.

Under the proposal, the SEC budget would be frozen at $1.185 billion, some $222 million below the president’s request. The Union fought hard for an increase. While we were... Read more ...
06/21/2011
6/22/11: In an unexpected shift, SEC management has opened the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations pursuing an aggressive new strategy intended to achieve give-backs and reductions in many of the important work-life benefits and rights that are currently enjoyed by SEC employees. The SEC’s management negotiating team, under the direction of Chairman Schapiro’s new Chief Operating Officer, Jeffrey Heslop, is currently comprised of Rufus Beatty (OGC), Lacey Dingman (Enforcement), Merri Jo Gillette (CHRO), Amanda Ravitz (Corp Fin), John Walsh (OCIE) and Barry Walters (FOIA).
The... Read more ...
06/08/2011

6/8/11: Another anti-federal employee bill (H.R. 2114) has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Chairman Darrell Issa. Joining him as cosponsors of the bill are Representatives Dennis Ross (R-FL), Chairman of the Federal Workforce Subcommittee, and Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), former chair of that subcommittee. The measure arbitrarily seeks to slash the size of the federal workforce by 10 percent by 2015, claiming that this will somehow make government more efficient and save the taxpayers’ money. While the bill claims work will not be shifted to contractors, it opens an enormous... Read more ...
06/05/2011

6/5/11: The failure to consider that federal agencies will have to shift the work of the public to unaccountable private contractors if their staffs are slashed significantly undercuts proposals to freeze or reduce the federal workforce, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley told a House subcommittee last week.

“The fact is,” said President Kelley, “that any savings generated (by such cuts) would simply be shifted to private contractors who generally cost more, are less accountable, and are unable to do the work of the federal government as well or as effectively as federal workers.”... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of these Leadership Awards was Attorney Adviser Ronesha Butler from the Division of Trading and Markets.
Ronesha was recognized for her service as a Union representative on the SEC's Diversity Council, which was formed as part of Chapter 293's settlement of the national Merit Pay arbitration to address diversity issues at the agency.
"The employees in Trading and Markets should be very proud to have among... Read more ...
05/22/2011

5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards was PLRO Staff Accountant Michael Nally.

Michael was recognized for his work on Chapter 293's National OCIE Reorganization Team, which is regularly meeting with management to address employee issues related to the reorganization of OCIE. The team's work will have a substantial impact upon OCIE employees across the country.

"PLRO employees should be proud to have among them such a... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs during this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards was MIRO Attorney Terry Tennant.
Terry was recognized for his work on Chapter 293's Legislative Committee. As a member of that committee, he and several other SEC employees traveled to DC for NTEU's 2011 Legislative Conference in March, where they helped to deliver a strong message on the Hill to support the SEC's critical mission as well as implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act.... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs during this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards was CHRO Securities Compliance Examiner Tom Conroy.
Tom was recognized for his work on Chapter 293's Legislative Committee. As a member of that committee, he and several other SEC employees traveled to DC for NTEU's 2011 Legislative Conference in March, where they helped to deliver a strong message on the Hill to support the SEC's critical mission as well as implementation of the... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards was SFRO Securities Compliance Examiner Jeff Lyttle.
Jeff was recognized for his work on Chapter 293's National OCIE Reorganization Team, which is regularly meeting with management to address employee issues related to the reorganization of OCIE. His work and that of the team will have a substantial impact upon OCIE employees across the country.
"SFRO employees should be very proud to... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards was OIA attorney Michael Moore.
Michael serves as Chapter 293's Chief Steward. He was recognized for his work on a team of representatives addressing computer forensics issues in disciplinary cases at the SEC. As a direct result of the important work of this team, the Union has been able to identify critical errors that have been made in some computer use cases, ensuring fundamental... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards were Olga Cruz-Ortiz, Cate Whiting and Ken Wijesinghe from the Division of Enforcement. These three individuals have made myriad contributions as Union representatives at the SEC during the past year.
Cate Whiting serves as one of five Union members on the SEC Labor Management Forum, which was formed as a result of President Obama's Executive Order last year on labor-management... Read more ...
05/22/2011

5/22/11: During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of these Leadership Awards was Al Capute of the Office of General Counsel.

In addition to his representational work as a steward, Al was recognized for his service as a Union representative on the SEC's Diversity Council, which was formed as part of Chapter 293's settlement of the national Merit Pay arbitration to address diversity issues at the agency.

"The employees in OGC should be very proud to... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11:  During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards were Joel Crepea and Azam Riaz from the New York Regional Office.
 Azam was recognized for serving as a Union representative on the SEC's Diversity Council, which was formed as part of Chapter 293's settlement of the national Merit Pay arbitration to address diversity issues at the agency.
Joel, who was not present at the training last week, was recognized for his work on several... Read more ...
05/22/2011
 5/22/11:  During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards were James Giugliano, Corey Jennings, Veronica Lewis, Kate McHale, Kevin Stertzel, Dean Suehiro from the Division of Corporation Finance. These individuals have made myriad contributions to SEC employees as Union representatives.
Kevin Stertzel is currently serving as one of five members of the SEC Labor Management Forum, which was formed as a result of President Obama's Executive... Read more ...
05/22/2011
5/22/11:  During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs this past year. Among the recipients of these Leadership Awards was Pat Copeland of the Division of Investment Management.
Pat was recognized for her participation on a number of national teams. She is currently serving as one of five members of the SEC Labor Management Forum, which was formed as a result of President Obama's Executive Order last year on labor-management partnership. As a Forum member, Pat meets regularly with senior... Read more ...
05/22/2011

5/22/11:  During NTEU's steward training conference last week, several Chapter 293 leaders were recognized for their important work on national programs during this past year. Among the recipients of Leadership Awards were Dan Barry, James Fay, Lawrence Pisto and Paul Prata from the Boston Regional Office.

Dan Barry was recognized for serving as a co-chair of Chapter 293's Legislative Committee. In that capacity, he traveled to DC this year for NTEU's 2011 Legislative Conference, where he helped to coordinate and deliver a strong message on the Hill in support of the SEC's critical... Read more ...
05/14/2011

5/13/11: In a letter to every member of the Senate Budget Committee, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley called on that key body to reject efforts to impose drastic cuts to the federal workforce, enact a further freeze on federal pay and take other similar steps that would harm the government’s ability to provide needed services.

President Kelley criticized the disproportionate impact such proposals would have on federal employees in the name of deficit reduction. “These types of cuts will produce small savings, but will have a large and harmful effect on the civil service of our... Read more ...
05/14/2011

Click here to review updated stats from the "Evidence Based" Performance Management System ratings, including Enforcement/OCIE breakdowns by office. 
05/14/2011

5/14/11:  Negotiations between the Union and the SEC on the Collective Bargaining Agreement have commenced. The parties have met and reviewed the various articles of the agreement that will be on the table during the discussions. Further negotiating sessions have been scheduled through the end of the summer.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement or "CBA" is an important 200-page contract between NTEU and the SEC that sets forth a number of rights and benefits that the Union has negotiated for SEC employees. Our CBA has a three-year term that expired last fall. Upon the expiration of the... Read more ...

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