Union News Archive
01/06/2011
1/6/11: This week, NTEU Chapter 293 filed a national grievance challenging the SEC's decision to unilaterally change the office selection policy in the Headquarters Trial Unit in violation of federal labor law.
Many employees at Headquarters will be moving into new offices in "SP3" in the near future. As part of that moving process, the agency is required to negotiate with the employees' Union representatives over certain issues, including how offices will be selected. Under the SP3 agreement that the Union reached with management, employees are permitted to select an office based upon... Read more ...
12/23/2010
12/23/10: Upon the request of Chapter 293, SEC management has now communicated to Union leadership that the mass transit benefit for SEC employees will be immediately reinstated at $230 per month. The full $230 subsidy will be available in February. The Union is also continuing to discuss with management the possibility of some form of retroactive reimbursement of the subsidy for the month of January.
Last week, when the President signed the “Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010,” that legislation included a one-year extension of the mass... Read more ...
12/23/2010
12/23/10: As you know, Congress has approved and President Obama has signed into law a continuing resolution (CR) funding government agencies, including the SEC, through March 4, 2011 at fiscal 2010 levels. This legislation contains a two-year pay freeze for federal employees under the General Schedule, which means that all federal employees, including all SEC employees, will not receive the usual across-the-board federal pay raise in January.
Based upon the President's memorandum regarding the pay freeze issued last night, it is NTEU’s understanding that the freeze will not apply to... Read more ...
12/20/2010
12/20/10: Last week, the President signed into law the “Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010.” Meanwhile, the House and Senate also both passed H.J. Res. 105, a short-term stopgap Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government running at the agencies’ 2010 levels, until midnight tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 21.
As you know, the SEC has been operating under a CR that temporarily extended last year's $1.1 billion agency budget. This has been particularly difficult for the SEC, which has seen its responsibilities increase tremendously with the... Read more ...
12/16/2010
12/16/10: Previously, the Union alerted employees to the proposal by OPM to create a new "system of records," known as a Health Claims Data Warehouse. This record-keeping system would include personal information about enrollees in the FEHBP, as well as enrollees in two new insurance programs covering employees in the private sector.
NTEU submitted comments to OPM on behalf of NTEU in which the Union expressed concern about certain aspects of its proposal. In particular, we requested more information regarding OPM's authority to undertake this initiative, its plans for using the... Read more ...
12/15/2010
12/15/10: Today the Senate passed H.R. 4853, its version of the major tax agreement under consideration in Congress by 81 yeas to 19 nays. Under the Senate bill, federal employees covered by FERS will pay 2 percent less in social security payments, or 4.2 percent for 2011. Unfortunately, the Senate did not include federal employees covered under CSRS who do not pay into social security. NTEU has lobbied for a lower contribution on their part towards their pension, in the interests of equity. All federal employees are facing hardships in the current economy just like everyone else, and NTEU... Read more ...
12/06/2010
12/6/10: The new Congress may explore the enactment of unpaid federal employee furloughs next year. In fact, Rep. Mike Coffman (R. Colo.) has already proposed legislation (H.R. 6134) to require civilian federal employees to take two weeks of unpaid furlough days next year.
According to Coffman, "Currently, at least 24 states, and nearly three quarters of a million workers, are undertaking a budget-cutting maneuver that I believe we should institute at the federal level: short term employee furloughs. These states, across the nation, along with city and county government counterparts,... Read more ...
12/06/2010
12/6/10: As the Union has previously reported, the SEC and most other federal agencies have been operating under a Continuing Resolution, or "CR," since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2011 on October 1. The current CR, which requires agencies to continue their operations at Fiscal Year 2010 funding levels, was recently extended by Congress until December 18. At present, Congress is considering its options for funding government operations beyond December 18 before the lame-duck session ends. The available options include the enactment of a FY 2011 budget, as well as the continuation of the CR... Read more ...
12/05/2010
12/4/10: In this attached letter, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley shared with SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro NTEU's belief that SEC employees have earned their 2011 pay increase through solid performance over the previous year and should be excluded from any federal pay freeze. Kelley urged Schapiro to stand with NTEU in opposing the application of the pay freeze to SEC employees. “It would be extremely unfair for employees not to receive the performance-based increases that they have worked so hard to achieve,” President Kelley states in the letter.
She further noted that NTEU has a... Read more ...
12/05/2010
12/3/2010: This week, the House and Senate approved a short-term extension of the FY11 Continuing Resolution (CR) that will keep the federal government running at FY 2010 levels through December 18, 2010. The current CR, approved by Congress in late September, was set to expire on December 3 necessitating Congressional action. President Obama is expected to sign the CR extension today.
The short-term extension will provide Congressional leaders time to decide whether or not to push through an omnibus spending package or another CR that would last through the end of fiscal 2011.
You... Read more ...
12/05/2010
12/3/2010: As you know, on Monday the President proposed a federal employee pay freeze for 2011 and 2012. In keeping with that position, the President has now exercised his statutory authority under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (FEPCA) to submit an alternative plan on locality pay. The President’s plan effectively freezes locality pay at the 2010 levels as well, meaning that the portion of your pay that is allotted for locality pay at the present time will not change.
This action was not unexpected but was also disappointing. NTEU is working with our contacts on... Read more ...
12/05/2010
12/3/10: In this attached letter to every member of the House and Senate, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley today called for congressional opposition to the White House proposal for a two-year freeze on federal pay.
“Freezing wages over the next two years will not serve the interests of the taxpayers,” wrote President Kelley, “and will cost us more in reduced services and lost talent from those who choose to retire, just when the government needs them more than ever.”
In addition to this letter, the Federal-Postal Coalition, which includes unions and management groups alike, sent ... Read more ...
12/05/2010
12/3/10: A package of proposals recently voted on by the 18 members of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility would have a devastating impact on the ability of the federal workforce to provide the services Americans need and expect, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley said today.
President Kelley said the final proposals regarding federal workers advanced by the commission’s co-chairs “start from the flawed premise that federal agencies can use fewer resources to accomplish existing goals without risking a decline in essential services.”
She took issue with the proposals of... Read more ...
12/05/2010
12/3/10: Today the President’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform failed to achieve the 14 vote threshold necessary to require congressional action on their comprehensive deficit reduction proposal. The final proposal, which received 11 votes in favor and 7 against,was strongly opposed by NTEU because it contained a number of provisions that would have adversely impacted federal employees and retirees. These include a three year freeze on federal salaries; a ten percent reduction in the federal workforce; an increase in federal employee pension contributions as well as... Read more ...
11/29/2010
11/29/10: At noon today, the President announced plans to freeze annual pay increases for civilian federal employees for 2011 and 2012. NTEU National President Colleen Kelley received a call from White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina, telling her the news this morning, and she raised strong objections on behalf of NTEU.
While the Union is still working to confirm the details, the President’s proposal will call for no annual pay increases for all civilian employees for 2011 and 2012, including employees on alternative pay systems such as the SK pay system at the SEC. The proposal... Read more ...
11/18/2010
11/18/2010: Today, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley wrote to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, known as the deficit reduction commission, asking for a reconsideration of many recommendations in the Co-Chairs’ proposal that was recently circulated. These draft proposals recommend changes affecting the livelihood of federal employees and retirees, and threaten the stability of the federal workforce.
As you will note from Kelley's attached letter, the Co-Chairs’ proposal recommends harmful initiatives that would require the federal workforce to carry an... Read more ...
11/18/2010
11/18/10: With the vote by the House of Representatives today (254 in favor; 152 opposed) to approve federal telework legislation, NTEU is very pleased to report that we have achieved a major victory in our long fight for more comprehensive and effective telework policies across the federal government. The bill previously passed the Senate and will next go to President Obama, who is expected to sign it into law. The passage of this legislation is an important step forward for federal employees, their agencies and the public.
When this legislation becomes law, federal taxpayers will save... Read more ...
11/04/2010
11/4/10: The SEC today unilaterally commenced distribution of a highly subjective and unscientific opinion survey as the chief metric for assessing the success of the Expanded Telework Program. This survey was created "in house" by HR employees at the SEC. Last year NTEU filed a national grievance to prevent the SEC from utilizing this flawed opinion survey, or any data derived therefrom, in this fashion, and as a result, the agency agreed not to do so without Union agreement. The agency has now moved ahead unilaterally with the survey. The Union will once again file a national grievance,... Read more ...
10/19/2010
10/19/10: The most instructive finding in a new Washington Post poll of public attitudes toward the federal workforce is that nearly three in four respondents said their interactions with federal employees over the past year have been positive, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley said today.
“When respondents were asked about a specific experience with a federal employee, it is clear they understand and appreciate the direct connection between the work of federal employees and the quality of their lives,” said President Kelley. “Being asked a general question in a survey is very... Read more ...
10/02/2010
10/2/10: Last week, NTEU received a briefing at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on the 2011 health insurance premium rates for federal employees and retirees. At the briefing, OPM announced the rates for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP).
The overall average employee premiums will rise by 7.2 percent. The most popular program Blue Cross/Blue Shield will also see some increases. The BC/BS self-only coverage will increase an average of 6.9 percent while family coverage has a 7.6 percent hike. Premium increases for the accompanying dental and vision plans were... Read more ...
10/02/2010
10/1/10: NTEU has extended the $100 dues rebate program through the end of 2010. For each new member of Chapter 293 that you recruit from September 26, 2010, through December 31, 2010, the Union will continue to provide you with a $100 dues rebate. You may accept the $100 or, if you prefer, you may instead request that the Union donate the $100 to to the CFC:
Combined Federal Campaign: The mission of the CFC is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the... Read more ...
10/01/2010
10/1/10: The results of the 2010 Office of Personnel Management Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey are now available broken out by unit.
Click on the following links to review reports containing response data for particular offices and divisions:
Headquarters Offices and Divisions
Regional Offices
OCIE by Regional Office
Enforcement by Regional Office
Overall SEC Report
Note: In the breakout reports for OCIE and Enforcement in the Regional Offices, when there are fewer than ten responses to a particular question from a particular office, that office's responses to that question... Read more ...
09/28/2010
9/27/10: NTEU has won an important victory in a case involving the right of an employee in NTEU’s bargaining unit at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to union representation in a security clearance-related investigatory interview, and the appropriate role of the union representative during such interviews.
Under 5 U.S.C. § 7114(a)(2)(B), bargaining unit employees have a statutory right to union representation, upon their request, during investigatory interviews. This is commonly referred to as the Weingarten right. In his decision arising from a grievance filed by NTEU, the... Read more ...
09/28/2010
9/27/10: The Office of Personnel Management has issued this Benefits Administration Letter which describes implementation of the age 26 dependent care provisions for FEHBP and provides other guidance on changes under the Affordable Care Act relevant to the upcoming Open Season period.
OPM has sent this letter to federal agency human resources personnel. It provides some useful information on the logistics of implementing the dependent care coverage provisions for child dependents up to age 26, for which NTEU successfully fought earlier this year.
In addition, the letter discusses other... Read more ...
08/20/2010
8/20/10: Last week, the Office of the General Counsel of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) commenced an investigation into whether the SEC has complied with the FLRA’s order directing the SEC to make whole all employees who suffered monetary losses as a result of the SEC’s violation of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute when it illegally ceased awarding “within grade increases” (WIGIs) to hundreds of employees in 2002 in connection with its unilateral implementation of a new pay system. To date, only a small handful of these employees’ payments have been... Read more ...