The notes below are from Chapter 274 President Bob Hoshaw.
Craig S. and Bob H. having some fun at breakfast while attending the KC conference in Phoenix.
May 20, 2004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Yesterday I sat in on a conference call with the chapter presidents and Steve Keller to discuss Chairman Powell's speech at the Exchequer Club, taxation of travel on intervening weekends, and the DIRM C2 project.
PERSONNEL FLEXIBILITIES AND THE CHAIRMAN POWELL'S SPEECH
Management has approached NTEU about the personnel flexibilities and changes they wish to bring before Congress. FDIC’s intent (or what has been conveyed at this point) is that they are willing to sit down and draft joint changes which could be sold to Congress. Steve suspects they have gotten battered a bit in the press lately (ABA articles over Executive Pay/Bonus and other programs) and are experiencing problems with finding support. Because this is an election year, our legislative personnel feel the proposed personnel flexibilities would not make it to the Congress or the Senate during the current session. They base this on two things...first until the issues with DOD and Homeland Security personnel changes are cleared up this would be too contentious an issue for anyone to sponsor. Secondly the session is shorter this year because of the election and the Chairman has admitted that he was not prepared to submit anything to Congress at this point. We were told the package had been sent to OMB and OPM as required by statue. However, neither agency had done much with the proposal and probably will not until the issues with Homeland Security and DOD are cleared up. The consensus was that this probably does not stand a chance of making it to the hill this year let alone being implemented.
NTEU has agreed to meet with management within the next two to three weeks to discuss the proposed personnel flexibilities. Steve stated, in some respects changes were needed and we, if the changes were beneficial to the members we would support those. However, many of their requested changes do not fare well with NTEU. Until management backs off most of the egregious changes they will not receive any support from NTEU and we would fight their efforts to make the changes we do not support. The consensus is this probably does not stand a chance of making it to the hill this year let alone being implemented.
I am sure most of you have been asked what the union is going to do about this. At this point it is a bit difficult to start a PR campaign to fight something that has not even been proposed on the hill. Yes, we are all aware of the proposal, as is most of America, but the fact remains this has not made it any farther than OMB and OPM. Neither OPM nor OMB will devote too much time to this as they are currently embroiled in the DOD and Homeland Security personnel changes. However, our legislative staff has already been speaking with key Congressional personnel who chair committees and sub-committees of the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees about our opposition to the flexibilities proposal. The position we are taking at this point is to work through our contacts to educate them on our position prior to FDIC finding sponsors (House/Senate) and getting the ultimate bill before the respective committees (House/Senate). It serves no purpose to start throwing rocks at management or initiate a pro-active PR campaign until we have sat down with management to discuss what they truly want to accomplish with personnel flexibilities and see the proposal submitted to OPM/OMB.
TAXATION ON TRAVEL – INTERVENING WEEKENDS
Steve has finally come up with tax law supporting our contention we are exempt. He has sent the information to management for review. Steve felt management did not like having to do this anymore than we did but felt compelled to do so because of the circumstances they were put in. He also felt management had not adequately researched the tax law and were waiting for NTEU to come up tax law supporting our position, therefore, helping them get out of the situation they were placed in by the ex-DOF travel guru, Ed B.
Management has not responded to the information submitted. However, until this is resolved travel on intervening weekends remains “status quo.”
DIRM C2 PROJECT
This is a continuation of the Deloitte Touché project started last year. The newest twist to this on-going never-ending process is to ask the DIRM employees to respond to a survey explaining just what they do. My understanding is that once the survey is completed and been analyzed, DIRM would be able to contract out any future positions created (either through attrition or created by qualified need). Steve thought the survey was designed to eliminate positions in DC. However, it could have possible side effects in the field as it might be the catalyst for phasing out the FOR position.
Chapter 274 President Bob Hoshaw
September 2003
January
Negotiations on the Collective Bargaining and Compensation Agreements are finalized and the agreements signed by NTEU and FDIC officials. The Collective Bargaining Agreement is for a five year term ending in December of 2008. The Compensation Agreement is for a term of three years ending in December 2005.
The agreements often considered the premier agreements in the federal sector give the membership virtually the same protections and rights found in the previous agreements. The major differences were found in the Compensation Agreement. Pay for the first time was set a level which remained constant in years two and three. Year one was set at 3.2% plus an additional 1.2%. The additional 1.2% was awarded because year one was a transition year from the old pay for performance program to the new pass/fail system which included the Corporate Success Award. Years two and three is set at 3.2%. If the Presidents proposed 2004 pay increase passes in the House and Senate, the remainder of the federal government will receive a 2.0% pay increase (1.5% merit and .5% cost of living) in 2004. If this holds true, NTEU did a great job in negotiating the 3.2% per year pay increase for 2004.
January 6 - John Bovenzi, Deputy of the Chairman announces in a global e-mail that a Reduction in Force will be implemented in June of 2003. Over 700 employees took advantage of a generous buy out program but the Corporation states that it has not reduced the number of employees to the desired levels and therefore a RIF of those positions identified as surplus will take place.
January 9 - President Colleen Kelley responds in a letter to Chairman Powell informing him that the corporation has violated their contractual duty to provide NTEU with a 30-day advance notice.
January 22 - Negotiations on the implementation of the Corporate Success Award begin. After two days of negotiations no agreement is reached. The parties agree to meet the week of February 10.
January 30 – The first list of surplus employees is published. The Kansas City Region has 12 positions identified as surplus. The 12 positions are 5 Case Managers, 3 Administrative Assistants, 2 Grade 6 Secretaries, 1 Paralegal, and 1 Legal Technician.
Organizing continues of National Credit Union Employees. Campaign began in September of 2002. Approximately 30% of NCUA employees have signed 1187’s.
February
Informational RIF notices sent to employees identified as surplus in January.
February 10 - Negotiations on the Corporate Success Award are resumed. After two days of negotiations again no agreement on implementation of the program is reached. The parties agree to meet again on March 13 with a mediator to assist in the negotiations.
February 24 - Mediation begins on the Space Utilization Policy for field office build outs. This section of the Collective Bargaining Agreement was not ratified and negotiations have been ongoing.
February 27 – Bovenzi notifies Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, and Memphis Regional Offices of the corporation’s intentions to consolidate Regional Offices with nearby field offices when the field office leases expire. The Overland Park field office would be affected by this when its lease expires in May 2004.
March
March 7 – Regional Management meets with the Overland Park staff to discuss the consolidation of the Overland Park field office and the Regional Office.
March 10 - NTEU’s annual Legislative Conference begins. Visits were made to the Congressional and Senate Offices of all seven states in the Kansas City Region. Legislative Coordinator Craig Speece and I attended the conference representing Chapter 274.
March 13 - the NTEU negotiating team, management, and Lynn Sylvester (Mediator from the Federal Mediation Services) sit down to complete negotiations on the Corporate Success Award. After six hours of intense negotiations an agreement is reached. For the year of 2003 the program will run from April through December to allow the program to become fully implemented.
April
Specific RIF notices sent to employees remaining on the surplus list. The number of surplus employees in the region is reduced to 5. Those positions include 3 Administrative Assistants and 2 Secretaries.
April 28/May 1 – Executive Board members attend NTEU’s annual Training Conference.
May
May 16 – Stewards Jeff Talley and Mike Chancellor begin negotiations on the proposed consolidation of the Overland Park Field Office and Kansas City Regional Office. Union requests information on parking, allocation, and use of space in the Regional Office. Next meeting scheduled for June 20.
June
Employees of the Office of the Comptroller unionize and become NTEU’s newest chapters.
June 19 – Negotiations scheduled for June 20 cancelled by management and rescheduled for July 31.
Corporate RIF continues. Employees in Washington and Dallas are let go. In Kansas City the majority of the positions declared surplus have been taken off the surplus list through buy-outs or promotions. All positions previously on the surplus list have been eliminated except one secretary position. That position has been extended until December 2002.
NCUA organizing continues. Current enrollment of members is 42% of the employees.
June 30 - NCUA management files brief requesting a hearing to have examiners taken out of the proposed bargaining unit because they are considered in “management” positions. Examiners constitute roughly 50+% of the NCUA employees and the majority of those who have signed 1187’s. Hearing is scheduled for September 19.
July
July 14 – Steward Jolene Muscha begins negotiations on the renovation of the existing Fargo Field Office. Executive Vice President Scott Duffney begins negotiations on the proposed move of the Minneapolis Field Office. Agreements on the renovation of the Fargo Field Office and proposed move of the Minneapolis Field Office are reached.
July 17 – Steward John Ledgerwood begins negotiations on the proposed move of the Springfield Field Office. Negotiations continue and are on going as of August 31.
July 31 – Stewards Jeff Talley and Mike Chancellor resume negotiations on the Overland Park co-location. Proposals exchanged between the parties. Negotiations tentatively scheduled resume in August.
August
NTEU’s 49th National Convention is held the week of August 4. Elections for National President, National Executive Vice President, and District 12 Vice President are held. National President Kelley, National Executive Vice President Ferris, and District 12 Vice President White are all re-elected by substantial majorities. President Kelley received 99% of the vote and National Executive Vice President Ferris received 95% of the vote. District 12 National Vice President Randy White (Randy is an FDIC DRR employee in the Dallas Office) ran unopposed.
Stewards Jeff Talley and Mike Chancellor continue negotiations on the proposed Overland Park – Regional Office consolidation. Two meetings are held during the month of August. Proposals are exchanged between the parties and the next negotiation meeting scheduled for the third week of September.