Union News Archive
01/28/2015
1/28/15: Last week, NTEU Chapter 293 filed a national grievance against the SEC over its latest violation of the collective bargaining agreement with the union and refusal to provide a benefit to which SEC employees are entitled. Specifically, the SEC's Office of Human Resources (OHR) has refused to implement recently enacted retroactive transit benefits and has refused to bargain over the issue. In related news, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) yesterday upheld a federal arbitrator's decision that another federal agency violated its collective bargaining agreement with NTEU by... Read more ...
01/20/2015
1/21/15: In yesterday’s edition of SEC Today, the SEC’s Office of Human Resources (“OHR”) provided an update concerning certain enhancements to the union-negotiated Student Loan Repayment Program (“SLRP”) at the SEC including: (i) allowing newer “probationary” employees to participate in the program immediately upon being hired; (ii) a new “rolling application” process that will allow employees to apply anytime during the year, commencing this April; and (iii) a new option to receive regular monthly or bi-weekly disbursements under the SLRP rather than a single lump sum payment, which can be... Read more ...
01/17/2015
1/16/15: Pointing out the fact that the U.S. lags behind almost every country in ensuring some form of paid parental leave, and that workplace flexibilities help in recruiting and retaining employees, the President issued an Executive Memorandum directing agencies to ensure that their policies offer 240 hours of advanced sick leave in connection with the birth or adoption of a child or for other sick leave eligible uses. In addition, the memo directs agencies to offer the maximum amount of advanced annual leave permitted by law for bonding with a healthy newborn or newly adopted child. Sick... Read more ...
11/13/2014
11/13/14: OPM has notified NTEU that the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) is increasing the maximum contribution to the program by $50 to $2,550, due to inflation, as authorized by the IRS. This increase will be for the 2015 benefit year. This change will occur alongside two other FSAFEDS changes: health care and limited expense flexible spending accounts (FSAs) will no longer have a grace period, instead, qualifying participants will be able to carry over up to $500 of unused funds to the next plan year; and, the minimum annual election for all three types of FSAs will... Read more ...
11/13/2014
WHEN: On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Eastern Time, 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: The majority 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... Read more ...
NONMEMBERS: The majority 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... Read more ...
08/04/2014
8/4/14: Last week, Representative Edwards (D-MD) introduced H.R. 5338, the Federal Employee Pension Fairness Act, which will repeal the increased FERS contributions for employees hired in 2012 and 2013. This legislation will return federal employee contributions to the original 0.8%. You will recall that NTEU objected to those pension increases at the time and we have continued to object. As NTEU National President Colleen Kelley wrote to Representative Edwards, “Increasing employee pension contributions with no corresponding increase in benefits is little more than a tax – a selective tax... Read more ...
08/01/2014
8/1/14: Last month, senior management in the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) reneged on an agreement with the union to implement a modest joint labor-management pilot awards program at two regional offices of the agency. The proposed pilot, which was jointly developed by both union and management officials on the SEC’s national Labor Management Forum (LMF), was intended to address longstanding problems with the SEC’s special act awards process. To date, the union has been blocked by senior management from implementing any significant proposals recommended by... Read more ...
07/17/2014
7/17/14: Last week, the SEC’s Office of Human Resources (OHR) announced that it would be offering Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and/or Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP) to eligible employees commencing this week. The union has challenged OHR’s process for determining who will receive the limited number of VERA/VSIP incentive payments, as well as OHR’s refusal to bargain with the union over how these determinations would be made.
OHR reported that it received authority for 19 VSIP “buyouts” of up to $25,000 per employee, and that they would be allotted on a first... Read more ...
OHR reported that it received authority for 19 VSIP “buyouts” of up to $25,000 per employee, and that they would be allotted on a first... Read more ...
07/07/2014
As a result of the union’s ongoing efforts, the SEC has now agreed to expand professional dues reimbursement to cover many more relevant credentials.
When the SEC’s Office of Human Resources (OHR) originally implemented the dues reimbursement program in May, it took a very narrow view of the dues that should be reimbursed, limiting it to three types of credentials. The union immediately objected and notified the agency that it would file a national grievance over the issue. Simultaneously, the union reached out to SEC employees and surveyed them on the credentials that they utilize in their... Read more ...
When the SEC’s Office of Human Resources (OHR) originally implemented the dues reimbursement program in May, it took a very narrow view of the dues that should be reimbursed, limiting it to three types of credentials. The union immediately objected and notified the agency that it would file a national grievance over the issue. Simultaneously, the union reached out to SEC employees and surveyed them on the credentials that they utilize in their... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded BRO Senior Enforcement Attorney Dave London the Excellence in Communications Award. Dave was the sole recipient of the award this year. He was honored for more than seven years of service as Chapter 293's cartoonist, producing the widely acclaimed "London's Calling" series of cartoons on our website. To see some of his work, click here.
"Dave London is an excellent enforcement attorney, but he is also an extraordinary talent as a cartoonist," Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman said this morning. "The art of the political cartoon has a storied history in... Read more ...
"Dave London is an excellent enforcement attorney, but he is also an extraordinary talent as a cartoonist," Chapter 293 President Greg Gilman said this morning. "The art of the political cartoon has a storied history in... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded TM steward Margaret Smith the Excellence in Membership Recruitment Award. Margaret was one of the top membership recruiters in Chapter 293 last year, in addition to her exemplary work representing employees.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including the new CBA, compensation matters, performance management,... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including the new CBA, compensation matters, performance management,... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded OIT steward Joyce Segura the Excellence in Membership Recruitment Award. Joyce was one of the top membership recruiters in Chapter 293 last year, in addition to her exemplary work representing employees as a steward as well as her service as a member of the Collective Bargaining Unit negotiating team.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded FWRO stewards Janie Frank and Jody Moore the Excellence in Representation Award. They were honored for their successful representation of several employees, including one management was seeking to terminate on purported "AWOL" grounds.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including the new CBA, compensation matters,... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including the new CBA, compensation matters,... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded San Francisco Regional Office steward Jeff Lyttle the Excellence in Representation Award. Jeff was honored both for his representation of SFRO employees as well as for his work on issues that were national in scope, including his continuing work on the OCIE union task force.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded Atlanta Regional Office stewards Deborah Shaw and John O'Halloran Excellence in Courage Awards. They were honored for their exemplary representation of employees on a host of issues in an extremely difficult work environment in Atlanta over the past year.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including the new CBA,... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received training on a wide range of issues, including the new CBA,... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded three SEC Headquarters Enforcement stewards awards for their exemplary work. Drew Panahi and Cate Whiting received the Excellence in Crisis Management Award and Noel Gittens received the Excellence in Representation Award.
Drew and Cate were honored for their successful work in two crisis situations, both of which involved management's efforts to remove employees, purportedly for "AWOL." Noel received his award for representing employees in a number of difficult cases, including a matter in which he was able to obtain thousands of dollars of backpay for... Read more ...
Drew and Cate were honored for their successful work in two crisis situations, both of which involved management's efforts to remove employees, purportedly for "AWOL." Noel received his award for representing employees in a number of difficult cases, including a matter in which he was able to obtain thousands of dollars of backpay for... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded Chicago Regional Office steward Dee O'Hair the Excellence in Crisis Management Award. She was honored for her work representing a CHRO employee who faced a situation with a particularly difficult manager. Dee was able to obtain a swift response from senior management to deal with the manager and resolve the situation.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they received... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded NYRO stewards Alix Biel, Carol Fava, Azam Riaz and John Graubard the Excellence in Representation Award and James Hanson the Excellence in Crisis Management Award. They were honored for their tireless representational work on behalf of NYRO employees on a wide range of issues, including the NYRO office restacking, several employee removals, a variety of individual grievances and the egress pad negotiations. John Graubard also received a ten-year union service award.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded OIEA steward and Chapter 293 Secretary April Keyes the Excellence in Commitment and Contribution Award. She was honored for her tireless work behind the scenes on behalf of SEC employees, organizing our annual meetings and lunch and learns and coordinating various other programs. Also receiving this award were Corp Fin stewards James Giugliano, Kay Reid and Dean Suehiro. April also received a ten-year service award.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards,... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards,... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded Corp Fin stewards James Giugliano, Kay Reid and Dean Suehiro the Excellence in Commitment and Contribution Award. They were honored for their tireless work behind the scenes on behalf of SEC employees, organizing our annual meetings and lunch and learns and coordinating various other programs. Also receiving this award was OIEA steward April Keyes. Dean and Kay also received ten-year service awards.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with... Read more ...
04/15/2014
4/16/14: Last week, the union awarded Chapter 293 Vice President Pat Copeland the Excellence in Leadership Award. She was honored for her tireless work on behalf of SEC employees, at the bargaining table in both the CBA and compensation negotiations, as well as on behalf of countless individuals in a myriad of matters. Pat also received a ten-year service award.
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they... Read more ...
The awards ceremony took place during the National Treasury Employees Union's National Steward Training Conference. Dozens of SEC stewards, along with stewards from many other federal agencies, attended the conference, where they... Read more ...
04/02/2014
4/2/14: Yesterday, the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Paul Ryan (WI) released his version of a FY 2015 Budget. As with previous budget proposals authored by Chairman Ryan, it again calls on the federal workforce to assume hugely disproportionate burdens. The legislation calls for $125 billion in savings from the federal retirement system, including higher pension contributions (or the equivalent of pay cuts) for all federal employees which could amount to 5 to 6% of salary and the end of the FERS supplement, which substitutes for Social Security payments for employees eligible to... Read more ...
03/28/2014
3/28/14: Legislation (H.R. 4306) was introduced in the House this week by Representatives Gerry Connolly (Va.), Jim Moran (Va.) and Elijah Cummings (Md.) that would provide federal employees with a 3.3% pay increase effective January 2015. NTEU proposed the 3.3% increase several months ago and strongly supports the bill.
As you know, federal employees endured three years of a pay freeze before the meager 1% increase that went into effect this past January. Due to the union's compensation contract at the SEC, this 1% increase was also applied to SEC employees. SEC management has not yet... Read more ...
As you know, federal employees endured three years of a pay freeze before the meager 1% increase that went into effect this past January. Due to the union's compensation contract at the SEC, this 1% increase was also applied to SEC employees. SEC management has not yet... Read more ...
03/03/2014
3/3/14: March 3 through March 7 is Telework Week 2014, a global effort to encourage agencies and individuals to pledge to work from home. This year we at the SEC are celebrating over a decade of union-won telework rights at the agency – including a recent expansion of 3, 4 and 5-day per week telework. The union is extremely proud of its track record of expanding telework opportunities for SEC employees, affording them greater flexibility to balance their work and family lives. We wanted to take a moment to trace the history of this important benefit at the SEC, which culminated in an... Read more ...
02/28/2014
2/28/14: Late Thursday night, the House of Representatives voted on HR 3193, a bill that would reduce the rate of pay for employees of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to that of the General Schedule. The bill would also make the agency subject to the appropriations process and make other detrimental and unneeded changes to its function and structure. The result of this would be disruption and harm to CFPB’s ability to protect consumers.
NTEU strongly opposed this legislation,which constituted an unprecedented attack on the pay and benefits of a federal financial... Read more ...
NTEU strongly opposed this legislation,which constituted an unprecedented attack on the pay and benefits of a federal financial... Read more ...