John,
Where did this week go? It seems so often that we look up and it’s Friday and we have to pause and wonder if we’ve accomplished all we hoped to accomplish throughout the week.
Amidst the busyness and constant flow of meetings I know we all strive to solve the problems of the past, plan for the future, and do our very best to improve the lives of AFGE members.
As we say in the NOW program, no single person can build this union by themselves. No one person is the answer or has the answer. It is every AFGE member’s duty to give their best, and together we can grow in strength and purpose to achieve all our goals.
White House Taskforce on Worker Organizing and Empowerment
But of course, NOW is also about grabbing this moment and taking the most from it that we can. This week was a reminder of the extraordinary opportunities this moment presents. I am referring to the White House taskforce on “worker organizing and empowerment.” We had a couple of meetings this week about AFGE’s role in this taskforce. The taskforce is soliciting our ideas on what it can do within the existing legal framework to help AFGE increase our numbers and our density. The taskforce will be making its recommendations to President Biden in late October. AFGE staff is working to create a document with their ideas and very soon you all will receive a survey so we can get your best ideas too.
EO Implementation
Speaking of surveys, we’re preparing one now that will help us get more information about your experiences with the executive order that restored our collective bargaining rights, official time, office space, and more. We want to know where there is resistance and foot-dragging and where things are going well. We’ve been pressuring agencies at the national level where appointees tell us that they have clear direction from the president, but we are well aware that at the local level there are HR departments that will do whatever they can to retain the policies of the previous administration. So as soon as you see that survey, please fill it out and let us know what’s happening at your location.
We don’t want to overwhelm your inbox with surveys, but they are such a good way to quickly find out what your priorities are and what obstacles you’re facing in bargaining, representation, or organizing. They allow us at the national office to be responsive to what matters to you, and that is another important foundation of the NOW program. So, we will be putting out surveys regularly to stay on top of issues and help guide us on how best to use our union resources.
Federal Worksite Reopening
OPM and OMB are taking the first steps toward planning for the reopening of federal offices so that those who have been teleworking during the pandemic can go back to their regular worksites. Last week’s CDC guidance on mask-wearing for vaccinated people is the basis for these initial steps. The new CDC guidance must be followed by all agencies, it’s not discretionary as it was under the previous administration. Of course, there are large exceptions that involve a major portion of our membership – health care settings, prisons, shelters, public travel like buses, trains, and planes. Nevertheless, the notion that vaccinated people can safely go without a mask in many settings is important news.
Federal worksites, however, will include both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Thus, it will be our responsibility to bargain for the safety of both segments of the population. In the meantime, if you’re on social media, please look for a short video we made encouraging everyone to get vaccinated. We are well-aware of the reasons many people have been hesitant to get the shot, but these vaccines are safe and effective and they protect not only you, but also the people around you, including your family, your community, and your fellow union members. And now that the warm weather is here, they let you take off the mask and breathe some fresh air!
I mentioned the White House push for organizing, and it is amazing and welcomed. But we cannot wait for the White House taskforce to do its work. We must organize NOW, and every day moving forward. The clock is ticking on this Congress, this administration, this opportunity. Our potential members need union membership and we need their voice, their energy, and their commitment as well. So please take advantage of all the NOW resources on our AFGE website and please don’t forget to ask your co-workers to join our great union so we can all work together to improve everyone’s lives.
Have a great union weekend!
In Solidarity,
Dr. Everett Kelley
AFGE National President
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