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 ...
Union News Archive
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 ...
02/14/2014
Over Six Months...
02/14/2014
3/3/14: We regret to inform you that, this week, the union is seeking intervention from a federal mediator at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) regarding the merit salary increase for the FY 2013 rating period that ended on September 30, 2013. This increase should have been paid in January, 2014. If the issue is not resolved through mediation at FMCS, the union will be required to seek the intervention of the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP).
The SEC's current merit pay offer is materially less than what the parties agreed upon last year. Furthermore, management is ... Read more ...
The SEC's current merit pay offer is materially less than what the parties agreed upon last year. Furthermore, management is ... Read more ...
02/14/2014
3/3/14: The SEC recently briefed union officials on the status of the 1% retirement match that the agency promised to put in place by June 2013, retroactive to January 2013. The agency informed the union that the Office of Human Resources still hopes to have the new match in place prior to April 15, 2014, so that the match can still be made for 2013 contributions under IRS rules. The SEC is attempting to get SEC employees the additional retirement match in accounts that would be managed by another federal agency that already has a similar program set up for its own employees.
At the union’s... Read more ...
At the union’s... Read more ...
01/17/2014
1/17/14: Last week, NTEU won a national grievance against the IRS for its refusal to provide retroactive transit benefits to its employees under the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (ATRA). The independent arbitrator ordered the IRS to pay retroactive transit benefits to IRS employees for each month in 2012. NTEU has a similar case pending against the SEC, which is scheduled for an arbitration hearing in early 2014. Furthermore, other financial regulators, such as the FDIC and NCUA, voluntarily provided this retroactive transit benefit to their employees. Nevertheless, we have remained... Read more ...
01/16/2014
1/17/14: NTEU and the SEC are entering into a new agreement this week to provide parking subsidies and bicycle expense reimbursement benefits to SEC employees.
Under the new parking program, eligible employees will be permitted to elect to have money deducted from their bi-weekly pay on a pre-tax basis to cover qualified parking expenses up to the maximum amount permitted by law (currently $245 per month). “Qualified parking” is parking provided to an employee by the SEC, or on or near the SEC office, or on or near a location from which the employee commutes to work (including by carpool,... Read more ...
Under the new parking program, eligible employees will be permitted to elect to have money deducted from their bi-weekly pay on a pre-tax basis to cover qualified parking expenses up to the maximum amount permitted by law (currently $245 per month). “Qualified parking” is parking provided to an employee by the SEC, or on or near the SEC office, or on or near a location from which the employee commutes to work (including by carpool,... Read more ...
12/18/2013
1/17/14: Last month, the Partnership for Public Service (“PPS”) released its Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings for 2013. The PPS rankings are based on the results of the Office of Personnel Management-administered Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), which SEC employees completed in early 2013.
The SEC continued to perform poorly in the rankings. This year it placed 15thof 23 agencies in its category of Mid-Size Agencies. The SEC was ranked 3rd on the list as recently as 2006.
The SEC’s scores remained relatively unchanged since 2012. It appears that the single... Read more ...
The SEC continued to perform poorly in the rankings. This year it placed 15thof 23 agencies in its category of Mid-Size Agencies. The SEC was ranked 3rd on the list as recently as 2006.
The SEC’s scores remained relatively unchanged since 2012. It appears that the single... Read more ...
12/04/2013
12/4/13: This afternoon, the union filed a national grievance against the SEC for its failure to implement the new professional dues reimbursement program provided in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The new CBA contains a provision requiring the SEC to reimburse SEC employees for their eligible professional dues, “up to $400 per year.” Eligible dues include dues for maintaining licenses or memberships that are required in order to be employed in an SEC position (for example, attorneys’ and CPAs’ dues), or that, as a practical matter, the SEC encourages employees to hold (for example,... Read more ...
The new CBA contains a provision requiring the SEC to reimburse SEC employees for their eligible professional dues, “up to $400 per year.” Eligible dues include dues for maintaining licenses or memberships that are required in order to be employed in an SEC position (for example, attorneys’ and CPAs’ dues), or that, as a practical matter, the SEC encourages employees to hold (for example,... Read more ...
12/03/2013
12/3/13: The current transit subsidy of $245 per month is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2013. Unless Congress takes action, the subsidy will drop back to $130 per month on January 1, 2014. NTEU supported legislation pending in the House by Representative Grimm (NY), H.R. 2288, the “Commuter Parity Act of 2013,” and in the Senate by Senator Schumer (NY), S. 1116, the “Commuter Benefits Equity Act of 2013,” which would prevent a reduction in the transit benefit by creating permanent parity between the transit and parking portions of the commuter benefit.
As you may remember, earlier this... Read more ...
As you may remember, earlier this... Read more ...
10/24/2013
10/24/13: This week, the union requested assistance from a mediator at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) concerning the SEC’s plan to substantially increase surveillance of SEC employees. The SEC plans to activate “egress pads” at all Regional Offices which will require SEC employees to “card out” whenever they exit the building. This egress pad system will collect exit data, in effect creating a “time clock” system at the SEC. The union and SEC management have a fundamental disagreement over the use of this data to discipline employees for alleged “time and attendance”... Read more ...
10/22/2013
10/22/13: Last week, union members attending Chapter 293's Annual Meeting voted overwhelming, by a 99.5% margin, to ratify the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The contract is now subject to "agency head review" by Chair White for a thirty-day period. We expect it to be in effect in mid-November.
10/22/2013
10/22/13: Last week, union members who were present at NTEU Chapter 293's Annual Meeting voted overwhelming, by a 99.5% margin, to ratify the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The contract is now subject to "agency head review" by Chair White for a thirty-day period. We expect it to be in effect in mid-November.
10/07/2013
10/9/13: Early this summer, the SEC stated that, beginning this year, new employees would be granted a waiver from the one-year service requirement for participating in the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). These waivers would have permitted new employees to participate in the program during their first year at the SEC. The SEC has now reversed course. In new guidance issued just a few weeks ago, the SEC is now instructing managers that an SLRP waiver may only be granted if: (i) the employee was offered a waiver “as a recruitment incentive prior to joining the SEC”; or (ii) in... Read more ...
10/07/2013
10/9/13: Last week, the SEC reported to the Union that the implementation of the 1% retirement match that the agency agreed upon in the FY 2013 compensation agreement will be delayed until at least the end of 2013. Union officials expressed their frustration with the continuing delays. Today, the Union filed a national grievance to compel compliance with the parties’ 2012 memorandum of understanding (MOU) on this issue.
The SEC signed the FY 2013 compensation MOU almost one year ago, in December of 2012. This contract included a new 1% retirement match, to be implemented in June 2013,... Read more ...
The SEC signed the FY 2013 compensation MOU almost one year ago, in December of 2012. This contract included a new 1% retirement match, to be implemented in June 2013,... Read more ...
09/24/2013
9/24/13: The Union was pleased to participate in today's announcement to OCIE staff of the new SK-14 examiner position. The creation of this new position has been something the Union has pushed for since 2011.
In 2011, the Union was notified by several employees of an issue within OCIE that impacted attorneys working as Compliance Examiners. Although these employees had a JD, the SEC was unwilling to reclassify them to an SK-14 Attorney Advisor position, despite their experience. At the time, the only sure path to an SK-14 position was to seek reclassification to a Grade 14 Staff Accountant... Read more ...
In 2011, the Union was notified by several employees of an issue within OCIE that impacted attorneys working as Compliance Examiners. Although these employees had a JD, the SEC was unwilling to reclassify them to an SK-14 Attorney Advisor position, despite their experience. At the time, the only sure path to an SK-14 position was to seek reclassification to a Grade 14 Staff Accountant... Read more ...
09/24/2013
9/24/13: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) today announced an average increase of 3.7 percent in 2014 health premiums for federal employees and retirees.
“Higher health premiums are yet another financial hardship for federal employees and retirees in these tough economic times,” said NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley. “Any increase in premiums places an undue burden on federal employees given the freeze on federal pay, unpaid furloughs and now the threat of a government shutdown.”
In announcing the 2014 premium rates for plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program... Read more ...
“Higher health premiums are yet another financial hardship for federal employees and retirees in these tough economic times,” said NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley. “Any increase in premiums places an undue burden on federal employees given the freeze on federal pay, unpaid furloughs and now the threat of a government shutdown.”
In announcing the 2014 premium rates for plans under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program... Read more ...