Union News Archive
07/25/2007
7/25/07: Yet another approval by a key congressional body—the House Appropriations Committee—of a 3.5 percent 2008 pay raise for members of the military is further evidence of the strong bipartisan support for pay parity and a pay increase higher than proposed by the administration. NTEU strongly supports this latest action, in the markup of the 2008 Defense Appropriations bill, to provide a 3.5 percent military pay raise in 2008, and calls upon the full House to approve the measure. At each step of the legislative process thus far dealing with both military and federal civilian pay, both... Read more ...
07/17/2007
7/17/07: Last week, Rep. Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, sent a letter to SEC Chairman Christopher Cox expressing his support for the implementation of supplemental retirement benefits for SEC employees, and requesting information regarding why such benefits have not been established by the agency. The Financial Services Committee oversees, among other things, the SEC and other entities, such as the New York Stock Exchange and the NASD, that police the securities markets.
Chapter 293 reported last month on NTEU's continuing efforts to convince the SEC to... Read more ...
Chapter 293 reported last month on NTEU's continuing efforts to convince the SEC to... Read more ...
07/12/2007
7/12/07: NTEU President Colleen Kelley told a key House subcommittee today that current efforts to reform guidelines governing employee rights and merit protections are “misguided” and threaten the entire foundation of a strong, nonpartisan and professional federal career civil service.
The credibility of both the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is under attack, Kelley said in written testimony submitted to a hearing of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce. If the agencies’ basic mission — protecting the workplace... Read more ...
The credibility of both the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is under attack, Kelley said in written testimony submitted to a hearing of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce. If the agencies’ basic mission — protecting the workplace... Read more ...
07/10/2007
7/10/07: A Senate Appropriations Subcommittee today approved a 3.5 percent pay raise in 2008 for federal civilian employees in its final markup of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.
NTEU has been strongly supporting a minimum 3.5 percent boost, citing the importance of fair pay to recruiting and retaining quality federal employees. NTEU President Colleen Kelley noted that the vote "is welcome recognition in Congress of the importance of a fair pay raise to the ability of federal agencies to recruit and retain the high-quality employees they need and depend upon... Read more ...
NTEU has been strongly supporting a minimum 3.5 percent boost, citing the importance of fair pay to recruiting and retaining quality federal employees. NTEU President Colleen Kelley noted that the vote "is welcome recognition in Congress of the importance of a fair pay raise to the ability of federal agencies to recruit and retain the high-quality employees they need and depend upon... Read more ...
06/28/2007
President's Perspective, June 2007: Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report to Congress reviewing how several federal financial regulatory agencies have implemented key performance management practices. The agencies reviewed by the GAO included the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as nine other agencies: the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC); the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA); the Farm Credit Administration (FCA); the Federal... Read more ...
06/27/2007
6/27/07: As previously reported at www.secunion.org, a number of NTEU’s hard-fought legislative priorities were included in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal 2008. Today the House of Representatives is expected to begin consideration. The measure contains the 3.5 percent federal employee pay raise, the reduction in the IRS’s private tax collection program to $1 million, and the A-76 contracting reform provisions.
It is important that the provisions that NTEU has worked hard for remain intact during House consideration. In an effort to educate Members... Read more ...
It is important that the provisions that NTEU has worked hard for remain intact during House consideration. In an effort to educate Members... Read more ...
06/22/2007
In April, NTEU Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman and Vice President Veronica Lewis, joined by NTEU Field Representative and Counsel Tim Welsh, made representational visits to both the Atlanta Regional Office (ARO) and the Miami Regional Office (MIRO).
At both offices, Gilman made a luncheon presentation to a large group of employees regarding various issues, including the current status of the CBA negotiations, compensation issues, and issues related to performance appraisal and merit pay. Gilman and Lewis also responded to a number of questions from employees.
In addition to these lunch and... Read more ...
At both offices, Gilman made a luncheon presentation to a large group of employees regarding various issues, including the current status of the CBA negotiations, compensation issues, and issues related to performance appraisal and merit pay. Gilman and Lewis also responded to a number of questions from employees.
In addition to these lunch and... Read more ...
06/22/2007
Over the past few months, Chapter 293's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiating team has continued to work hard towards the goal of obtaining a new agreement with the SEC. During the multi-day negotiating sessions that have taken place at Headquarters in Washington each month this year, the progress has been slow but steady.
During the past few months, the parties have reached tentative agreements on several issues that will be important to employees. For example, the SEC has agreed to the inclusion of a new 4-10 work schedule in Article 7 (Work Schedules), which will afford... Read more ...
During the past few months, the parties have reached tentative agreements on several issues that will be important to employees. For example, the SEC has agreed to the inclusion of a new 4-10 work schedule in Article 7 (Work Schedules), which will afford... Read more ...
06/13/2007
6/13/07: NTEU President Colleen Kelley offered her view of telework in the federal sector in the wake of a hearing yesterday by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia assessing telework policies and initiatives among government agencies. The subcommittee is examining NTEU-supported bipartisan legislation — S. 1000, the Telework Enhancement Act of 2007, introduced by Senators Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) — which would require over the next year that... Read more ...
06/12/2007
6/12/07: Late yesterday the full House Appropriations Committee passed the recommendations of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government which contained a number of NTEU’s priority legislative issues. These measures, included in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of FY 2008 are expected to be considered on the House Floor next week.
First, the federal employee pay raise of 3.5 percent for 2008 was approved. This amount is one half percent higher than the President recommended and is equal to the 2008 military pay raise approved by the House and... Read more ...
First, the federal employee pay raise of 3.5 percent for 2008 was approved. This amount is one half percent higher than the President recommended and is equal to the 2008 military pay raise approved by the House and... Read more ...
06/06/2007
6/6/07: Late yesterday the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government of the House Appropriations Committee approved a number of NTEU’s priority legislative issues. While specific language will not be available until the full Appropriations Committee takes up the measure next week, the subcommittee took the following action.
First, a federal employee pay raise of 3.5 percent for 2008 was approved. This amount is one half percent higher than the President recommended and is equal to the 2008 military pay raise approved by the House and reported in the Senate. NTEU has advocated... Read more ...
First, a federal employee pay raise of 3.5 percent for 2008 was approved. This amount is one half percent higher than the President recommended and is equal to the 2008 military pay raise approved by the House and reported in the Senate. NTEU has advocated... Read more ...
05/25/2007
5/25/07: In a development that is significant to the federal employees' pay raise for 2008, the Senate Committee on Armed Services approved S. 567, its version of the Department of Defense’s Authorization Act which includes the 3.5 percent military pay raise. Earlier, on May 17, 2007, the House of Representatives passed its bill with the 3.5 percent raise. The Senate bill will be scheduled for action on the Senate Floor after the Memorial Day recess.
NTEU worked diligently with congressional committees on both the House and Senate sides in favor of the 3.5 percent level. This is ½ percent... Read more ...
NTEU worked diligently with congressional committees on both the House and Senate sides in favor of the 3.5 percent level. This is ½ percent... Read more ...
05/24/2007
5/24/07: On Wednesday, May 23, at the end of the SEC's 52nd Annual Awards Celebration, NTEU Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman and OHR Associate Executive Director Jeff Risinger jointly accepted an award presented to the SEC in recognition of its recent ranking as the "third best place to work" in the federal government. This award was presented by John Palguta from the Partnership for Public Service. The Partnership, together with American University's Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation, created the "Best Places to Work" rankings based on the results from last year's OPM... Read more ...
05/22/2007
5/22/07: Today, NTEU President Colleen Kelley submitted a statement to the Subcommittee on the Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia, a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The subcommittee has been reviewing growth trends in health care premiums under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). In her statement, President Kelley expressed support for three measures to help keep the program affordable for federal employees, retirees, and their dependents in the future. These measures... Read more ...
05/20/2007
5/20/07: In recent weeks, Chapter 293 leadership at the SEC has grown stronger through the addition of new stewards in several offices and divisions:
Office of Financial Management: Danny Gay
Division of Enforcement: Lisa Ivory
New York Regional Office: Fred Haberfeld
Division of Enforcement: Cory Kirchert
Office of Administrative Services: Betty Perry
New York Regional Office: Azam Riaz
New York Regional Office: Belinda Rodriguez
Division of Corporation Finance: Dean Suehiro
Office of Information Technology: Luis Toledo
These individuals bring their unique backgrounds,... Read more ...
Office of Financial Management: Danny Gay
Division of Enforcement: Lisa Ivory
New York Regional Office: Fred Haberfeld
Division of Enforcement: Cory Kirchert
Office of Administrative Services: Betty Perry
New York Regional Office: Azam Riaz
New York Regional Office: Belinda Rodriguez
Division of Corporation Finance: Dean Suehiro
Office of Information Technology: Luis Toledo
These individuals bring their unique backgrounds,... Read more ...
05/18/2007
5/17/07: In a vote of 397-27, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1585, the Department of Defense’s Authorization Act for fiscal year 2008 which includes the 3.5 percent military pay raise. This is ½ percent above the administration’s recommended increase of 3 percent and significant for federal employees who have received pay parity with the military in recent years. The Senate Armed Services subcommittees will begin marking up their version of the authorization bill next week.
While the military pay raise still needs to be considered by the House and Senate appropriations committees... Read more ...
While the military pay raise still needs to be considered by the House and Senate appropriations committees... Read more ...
05/15/2007
5/15/07: On Wednesday, May 16, the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee will begin work on fiscal 2008 funding for the Securities and Exchange Commission, which will have a significant impact upon your compensation. Chairman Christopher Cox is scheduled to testify. In March, he testified in support of the president's $905.3 million budget request for SEC before the House Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. To read Chairman Cox's House testimony, click here.
NTEU urges Chairman Cox to seek sufficient funding for... Read more ...
NTEU urges Chairman Cox to seek sufficient funding for... Read more ...
05/11/2007
5/11/07: The Full Armed Services Committee unanimously accepted the recommendations of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel to increase the military pay raise to 3.5 percent, one-half percent higher than the administration’s budget submission and reported its bill this week. This NTEU-promoted measure is good news for federal civil servants who have received pay parity with the military in recent years.
In addition, the committee passed an amendment to require that future military pay raises be based on the Employment Cost Index plus one half percent for the years 2009 through 2012. This... Read more ...
In addition, the committee passed an amendment to require that future military pay raises be based on the Employment Cost Index plus one half percent for the years 2009 through 2012. This... Read more ...
05/11/2007
5/11/07: We have all experienced the chaos that ensues when moving. Even a local move entails a long list of address changes involving driver’s licenses, utilities, and notification to friends, family, and your agency of your new address. Entering a change of address with an agency does not result in an address change in NTEU’s records. If you do not notify NTEU of a new address, it will prevent you from receiving a membership card, the Bulletin, and other written communications from NTEU that get mailed via U.S. Mail.
Since the moving process is so hectic, NTEU has devised a way for members... Read more ...
Since the moving process is so hectic, NTEU has devised a way for members... Read more ...
05/03/2007
5/3/07: Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the House Armed Services Committee reported legislation to increase the military pay raise to 3.5 percent, one-half percent higher than the Administration’s budget requested. This measure, which was promoted by NTEU, passed with unanimous bipartisan support. It will be considered next week by the Full House Armed Services Committee.
As previously reported on this website (here), on March 20, 2007, NTEU President Colleen Kelley wrote to every member of the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel urging them to add one-half percent... Read more ...
As previously reported on this website (here), on March 20, 2007, NTEU President Colleen Kelley wrote to every member of the House Subcommittee on Military Personnel urging them to add one-half percent... Read more ...
04/27/2007
4/27/07: In last October's SEC compensation decision from the Federal Service Impasses Panel, the Panel imposed a new rule that would cap all SEC pay increases at 6 percent, or to the minimum salary for the next grade, when an employee is promoted to the next grade.
However, for employees whose minimum pay in grade has been set as a Step 14 (those who were previously identified as “Securities Industry” or “SI”), NTEU negotiated a "grandfather" clause requiring the SEC to continue its past practice regarding career ladder promotions for all such employees who were hired by the SEC prior to... Read more ...
However, for employees whose minimum pay in grade has been set as a Step 14 (those who were previously identified as “Securities Industry” or “SI”), NTEU negotiated a "grandfather" clause requiring the SEC to continue its past practice regarding career ladder promotions for all such employees who were hired by the SEC prior to... Read more ...
04/27/2007
4/27/07: The Partnership for Public Service and American University’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation recently released biennial rankings of the “best places to work in the federal government.” These rankings were based upon a survey of federal employees at a number of agencies across the government. The SEC ranked third among federal agencies overall, in large part due to NTEU's efforts. The agency, however, has work ahead to improve the work environment for all of its employees.
The survey that these rankings were based upon is the OPM Federal Human Capital Survey,... Read more ...
The survey that these rankings were based upon is the OPM Federal Human Capital Survey,... Read more ...
04/27/2007
President's Perspective, April 2007: SEC employees and managers alike have a strong interest in ensuring that the SEC succeeds in its mission of regulating and protecting the financial markets of the United States. For that reason, SEC management and SEC employees’ union representatives both have a mutual stake in working cooperatively to enhance the agency’s effectiveness and efficiency, increase employee morale, and reduce employment-related disputes. Constructing an effective labor-management relationship at the agency is a two-way street. It requires both management and union leaders to... Read more ...
04/25/2007
On April 17, 2007, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued its long-awaited final regulations regarding the administration of a new benefit for employees — compensatory time for official travel. The final regulations correct some, but not all, of the problems identified in comments submitted by NTEU in March 2005 to the interim regulations.
In 2004, NTEU was instrumental in securing the passage of legislation that for the first time provided payment in the form of compensatory time to employees required to travel for government business at times when they were not otherwise... Read more ...
In 2004, NTEU was instrumental in securing the passage of legislation that for the first time provided payment in the form of compensatory time to employees required to travel for government business at times when they were not otherwise... Read more ...
04/25/2007
4/25/07: The 2008 federal pay raise is one of the important issues under consideration on both sides of Congress. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees continue to hold hearings on federal agencies’ budgets for fiscal year 2008 and, in the upcoming weeks, legislation addressing federal employees’ and military pay will be proposed. In addition to deliberations by the subcommittees with jurisdiction over federal employees’ pay, the military pay raise is being considered by the House and Senate Subcommittees on Defense Appropriations and by the Armed Services authorizing committees.... Read more ...