As a reminder, the following NTEU-represented agencies are currently under a lapse of appropriations: IRS and other Department of Treasury Offices and Bureaus, CBP and FLETC, CFTC, EPA, FCC, FDA, FEC, NPS, PTO, SEC, and USDA.
The stalemate over reopening the government continues. There were no meetings over the weekend between the administration and congressional leaders.
During an event at the White House yesterday afternoon President Trump said that he will sign S. 24, which passed Congress last week. This NTEU-supported legislation would ensure that all federal employees are paid... Read more ...
Union News Archive
11/15/2018
WHEN: On Tuesday, December 4, 2018, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Eastern, NTEU Chapter 293 will hold a member meeting for the purpose of voting on ratification of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Any bargaining unit employee who is not a member of the union may not vote. If you are a nonmember and you would like to participate in this important vote, you can join the union by filling out a Form SF-1187 (Standard Dues Withholding Form) and submitting a PDF of the executed form to Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman at any time prior to December 4.
WHERE: Members in Headquarters will... Read more ...
Any bargaining unit employee who is not a member of the union may not vote. If you are a nonmember and you would like to participate in this important vote, you can join the union by filling out a Form SF-1187 (Standard Dues Withholding Form) and submitting a PDF of the executed form to Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman at any time prior to December 4.
WHERE: Members in Headquarters will... Read more ...
06/19/2018
Yesterday, the Senate passed its version of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 5515, by a vote of 85 to 10. Although there were several amendments filed that adversely impacted federal employees, including on official time for union representation, those amendments were successfully blocked and not considered. The bill now goes to a House and Senate Conference Committee to work out differences between the two bills.
As the union reported earlier, section 1123 of the Senate bill would increase the amount of Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIPs)... Read more ...
As the union reported earlier, section 1123 of the Senate bill would increase the amount of Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIPs)... Read more ...
06/10/2018
On June 7, the House of Representatives cleared H.R. 3, the Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act, by a vote of 210-206. Requested by the White House on May 8 using the presidential rescission authority under the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, the approximately $14.7 billion package of spending cuts, introduced and shepherded by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA), derives from unspent agency funds.
Under the 1974 budget law, the president can submit a formal rescissions proposal to Congress, for Congress to then consider the requested... Read more ...
Under the 1974 budget law, the president can submit a formal rescissions proposal to Congress, for Congress to then consider the requested... Read more ...
05/23/2018
"Unions, by and large, are democratic organizations with freely chosen leaders and policies determined by their membership. They concern themselves with individual dignity not only in their aims but in their method. We have no better example of what is worthy of emulation abroad than the workings of a good union." --Robert Kennedy
05/23/2018
The House of Representatives yesterday afternoon voted to pass S. 2155, a bill previously passed by the Senate to make certain changes to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. President Trump is expected to sign this bill. This possibly concludes an effort begun earlier this year originating with HR 10, which proponents call the “CHOICE Act.” You may recall that NTEU reported that this bill should be called the “Wrong Choice Act” because of the harm it would cause employees at financial regulatory agencies as well as consumers and depositors.
As originally reported... Read more ...
As originally reported... Read more ...
05/23/2018
This month, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent a formal legislative proposal to Speaker Paul Ryan (WI) requesting that a number of changes to the federal retirement program be acted upon by Congress. Specifically, the OPM transmittal provides Congress with the language needed to implement the administration’s standing retirement proposals contained in the Fiscal Year 2019 budget request to Congress.
As a reminder, these retirement changes would:
Increase required employee contributions to FERS by 6 to 7 percent;
Eliminate the FERS supplement;
Change the High Three to a High... Read more ...
As a reminder, these retirement changes would:
Increase required employee contributions to FERS by 6 to 7 percent;
Eliminate the FERS supplement;
Change the High Three to a High... Read more ...
05/16/2018
NTEU submitted testimony to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s first hearing on the President’s Management Agenda.
Unveiled in March, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s plan seeks to “modernize” federal personnel laws and policies, by drastically cutting federal employee compensation (in the areas of pay, retirement and health care insurance benefits, and leave), overhauling performance management and hiring, limiting collective bargaining, and making it easier to discipline and fire employees.
In its testimony, NTEU made clear our strong opposition to the... Read more ...
Unveiled in March, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)’s plan seeks to “modernize” federal personnel laws and policies, by drastically cutting federal employee compensation (in the areas of pay, retirement and health care insurance benefits, and leave), overhauling performance management and hiring, limiting collective bargaining, and making it easier to discipline and fire employees.
In its testimony, NTEU made clear our strong opposition to the... Read more ...
04/27/2018
The House of Representatives considers several budgets with differing points of view in its formation of a budget resolution. By design, the budget resolution is the first step in the overall congressional budget cycle, and is to provide a comprehensive plan to Congress for addressing the government’s fiscal challenges. A budget resolution serves to outline policy goals and overall spending targets for the subsequent consideration of specific appropriations and authorization measures for agencies and programs.
This week, the Republican Study Committee, a caucus of House conservatives with... Read more ...
This week, the Republican Study Committee, a caucus of House conservatives with... Read more ...
04/20/2018
Last week, the House of Representatives voted on a balanced budget amendment (H.J. Res. 2) that would amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit annual federal outlays (spending) from exceeding revenue, unless Congress were to approve exceptions by a significant threshold (a 3/5 vote in each chamber). The amendment would also require the President to submit a fully balanced budget request to Congress annually. As designed, the measure would dramatically clamp down on funding for federal programs, and as an amendment to the Constitution must also be ratified by 3/4 of the states, following... Read more ...
04/20/2018
Representatives Loudermilk (GA) and Connolly (VA) recently introduced the Government Customer Service Accountability and Improvement Act of 2018, H.R. 5402, which would require the establishment of customer service standards at federal agencies and encourage agencies to measure the public’s experience and interaction with agencies.
The bill would also require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to select certain agencies to assist in the development of customer experience standards and agency performance plans. Under the bill, the senior management official for customer... Read more ...
The bill would also require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to select certain agencies to assist in the development of customer experience standards and agency performance plans. Under the bill, the senior management official for customer... Read more ...
02/12/2018
The President’s proposed budget to Congress for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 has been officially released. As a reminder, an administration’s budget request serves as a spending blueprint and guide to Congress, and additional legislation is then needed to enact the majority of its specific recommendations and proposals.
The federal workforce is under attack from all sides in the President’s budget request—including in the areas of pay, performance management, retirement, health insurance, workers’ compensation, leave, labor-management relations and due process rights.
Pay and Performance... Read more ...
The federal workforce is under attack from all sides in the President’s budget request—including in the areas of pay, performance management, retirement, health insurance, workers’ compensation, leave, labor-management relations and due process rights.
Pay and Performance... Read more ...
02/05/2018
At this time, Congress does not have a deal to fund federal agencies past Thursday night, and the current Continuing Resolution (CR) expires February 8 at midnight. The House of Representatives is currently scheduled to be in session only three days this week.
House Republican leadership is writing a CR to run through March 22, and it is reported that votes could take place on Tuesday, February 6. However, without an overall agreement on defense and non-defense spending levels, as well as other outstanding policy issues, such as immigration, it remains unclear if there are enough votes to... Read more ...
House Republican leadership is writing a CR to run through March 22, and it is reported that votes could take place on Tuesday, February 6. However, without an overall agreement on defense and non-defense spending levels, as well as other outstanding policy issues, such as immigration, it remains unclear if there are enough votes to... Read more ...
01/30/2018
In October 2017, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) to dismantle the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations. The “Presidential Executive Order on the Revocation of Executive Order Creating Labor-Management Forums” overrides both the Obama Administration’s EO 13522, issued in December 2009 to re-establish the Clinton era created agency labor-management forums, and its subsequent EO 13708 issued in September 2015 that extended the authority for the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations, co-chaired and operated by the Office of Management and Budget... Read more ...
12/05/2017
Last week, bills were introduced in the House and Senate to cut the pay and benefits by as much as one-third of NTEU-represented employees working at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) by moving them to the General Schedule (GS) pay system. NTEU had previously voiced our objection to this legislation when it was introduced in the House of Representatives in prior sessions of Congress and remains opposed. This bill would significantly harm CFBP’s ability to hire and retain knowledgeable and experienced professionals. No other financial regulatory agency is under the GS schedule. ... Read more ...
11/08/2017
Federal employees will soon have more flexibility to manage their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts under legislation that has passed both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan support and now awaits the president’s signature.
“Passage of this legislation is a victory for NTEU members and all federal employees and retirees,” said Tony Reardon, National President of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).
The TSP Modernization Act, endorsed by NTEU, was approved by the House in October and unanimously passed the Senate this week. It is a noncontroversial and common-sense proposal to... Read more ...
“Passage of this legislation is a victory for NTEU members and all federal employees and retirees,” said Tony Reardon, National President of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).
The TSP Modernization Act, endorsed by NTEU, was approved by the House in October and unanimously passed the Senate this week. It is a noncontroversial and common-sense proposal to... Read more ...
10/26/2017
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has received notice from the IRS that the annual employee pretax contributions allowed under Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (HCFSA) and Limited Expense Health Flexible Spending Accounts (LEXFSA) will increase from $2,600 to $2,650. The increases for HCFSAs and LEXFSAs are effective for plans beginning on or after January 1, 2018. The annual maximum for Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts has not been increased. It will remain at $5,000.
Please note that OPM indicates that the educational materials and the brochure language for the... Read more ...
Please note that OPM indicates that the educational materials and the brochure language for the... Read more ...
10/26/2017
Today, the House of Representatives passed the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Resolution, H. Con. Res. 71, by a vote of 216 to 212. Unlike the initial House-passed version, the Senate-passed budget resolution does not contain instructions for the committee with jurisdiction over the federal workforce to cut federal employee retirement benefits. This means that the final FY18 Budget Resolution does not include the required $32 billion in cuts to federal employee retirement benefits that initially passed the House. Congressional leadership hopes to use this budget resolution... Read more ...
10/19/2017
According to the recently published 2017 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) results, the SEC has continued its impressive upward progress in the FEVS rankings. This progress over the past few years is directly attributable to a large scale, multi-year, joint labor-management initiative at the agency specifically designed to improve the agency’s previously poor showing in the FEVS. Over the past several years, literally hundreds of managers and frontline staff union representatives have teamed up in each office and division at the SEC, collaborating together to improve employee... Read more ...
10/06/2017
Yesterday, the union reported about the attacks on federal employee retirement. The budget is accompanied by a report that also contains additional policy options regarding proposed reductions in spending, including changes and cuts for the federal workforce, as well as for employees at FIRREA agencies. Referred to as “illustrative policy options,” these proposals merely serve as recommended changes, and do not on their own amend law.
These recommended policy options to the House Financial Services Committee include putting all employees at FIRREA agencies under the GS pay system. This... Read more ...
These recommended policy options to the House Financial Services Committee include putting all employees at FIRREA agencies under the GS pay system. This... Read more ...
10/05/2017
Yesterday, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) briefed NTEU on the premium rate increases in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) for 2018 that covers approximately 8.3 million federal employees, retirees, and eligible family members. In plan year 2018, the FEHBP will consist of 262 health plans government-wide. Overall, premium increases for FEHBP plans in 2018 will average 4%; 3.2 % for the government and 6.1% for enrollees. Rate increases for the 1.9 million participants in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program will be 1.26% for dental... Read more ...
10/05/2017
Today, the House passed a Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 budget resolution (H. Con. Res. 71) by a vote of 219-206 that directs the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to produce at least $32 billion in cuts. This committee primarily has jurisdiction over federal employee benefit programs, which is where these cuts would need to come from, translating into federal employee benefit reductions. While separate legislation would be required to make actual changes to these benefit programs, the budget recommends to lawmakers to substantially increase FERS employee contributions (an approximate 6%... Read more ...
09/28/2017
WHEN: On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Eastern, NTEU Chapter 293 will hold its annual member meeting. Union members in Washington, D.C., may want to arrive between 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM to ensure that their names are checked prior to 12:00 PM. After the meeting, we will serve a barbecue lunch to all members in the Multipurpose Room in Headquarters.
NONMEMBERS: 70% of bargaining unit (non-management) employees at the SEC are members of the union. Any bargaining unit employee who is not yet a member of the union who would like to attend the meeting and luncheon may join... Read more ...
NONMEMBERS: 70% of bargaining unit (non-management) employees at the SEC are members of the union. Any bargaining unit employee who is not yet a member of the union who would like to attend the meeting and luncheon may join... Read more ...
08/29/2017
As Hurricane Harvey continues to threaten parts of Texas and Louisiana, NTEU’s thoughts are with the thousands of NTEU members in the storm's devastating path.
When crisis hits, federal employees are often the first responders, and NTEU is working on multiple fronts to help those impacted by the hurricane’s powerful winds and flooding.
NTEU is in close contact with our chapters in the affected areas and is working with agencies to ensure all employees are accounted for. We stand ready to deal with any workplace issues employees may encounter as a result of the storm, including administrative... Read more ...
When crisis hits, federal employees are often the first responders, and NTEU is working on multiple fronts to help those impacted by the hurricane’s powerful winds and flooding.
NTEU is in close contact with our chapters in the affected areas and is working with agencies to ensure all employees are accounted for. We stand ready to deal with any workplace issues employees may encounter as a result of the storm, including administrative... Read more ...