John,
This was another eventful week for AFGE. Continue reading to find out more about what happened over the course of this week at AFGE.
District 9 training brings AFGE members together to learn and grow
This week we met with a group of AFGE activists in Osage Beach, Missouri for the District 9 training. It wasn’t a huge group and COVID-19 safety protocols were strictly observed. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful feeling to see AFGE members and leaders in real life rather than on a Zoom screen.
We spoke to the group about our NOW organizing plan, our legislative efforts on the 2022 pay raise, various appropriations bills that will increase staffing at almost every agency, and the fight against voter suppression bills that have passed or are being considered in numerous states. The attendees were trained on EEO, bargaining, organizing, and lobbying Congress.
NEC Organizing Committee and TSA Council meet to capitalize on big TSA victory
On Wednesday, we had a special call with the NEC organizing committee and the TSA council to make concrete plans to get the word out to TSOs across the country about the momentous AFGE achievement from last week – that is, the DHS Secretary’s order to the TSA Administrator to treat TSOs as if they had full Title 5 rights on pay, bargaining, and MSPB.
Some will debate whether this hurts or helps our momentum in Congress to get the bills that give full Title 5 rights for TSOs (H.R. 903 and S. 1856) passed into law. We believe this order should help. Implementing most of what’s in those bills will show that there are no negative security consequences of treating TSOs equitably.
It may be a phony concern, but it’s one we have to address every day. The cost of improving pay will be lower than critics fear because there will be less turnover and less overtime. It will be such a clear win for the safety of the traveling public, for the agency, and also for TSOs and their families. And, we have to organize around all these good things.
Another victory: OSHA releases new emergency temporary standard
Yesterday, OSHA finally released an “emergency temporary safety standard” for COVID-19 exposure at work, focused mainly on health care workers. You can find information about the standard here: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA4120.pdf. Two elements stand out: a requirement to communicate with affected employees and that it is the employer’s obligation to comply with the standard at no cost to the workers.
Throughout this pandemic, AFGE has joined others, including the AFL-CIO, in advocating for this standard to protect the health and safety of workers who were exposed to dangerous working conditions because of the pandemic. This temporary emergency standard should have come much earlier, but we are pleased that it is finally released.
New guidance issued on return to worksites
Agencies also received on Thursday guidance for post-pandemic re-opening that directs them to continue maximum telework, and to fulfill any and all bargaining requirements on re-opening with unionized employees. OPM is telling agencies to be flexible and not try to force one set of rules on every component of the agency, to listen to what workers tell them about their needs and priorities. You can see the guidance here https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/M-21-25.pdf.
As we move forward, negotiations will address the procedures for implementing these new policies around return to worksites, and those negotiations will take into consideration the complex issues federal employees are facing, whether they’ve been teleworking or continuing to report to their regular worksites.
It’s a welcome change of pace to see that the administration is not rushing or imposing any kind of uniform schedule but rather allowing agencies the time to work with us for a safe re-entry that incorporates the lessons learned about telework.
AFGE keeps fighting for members on the Hill and at the White House
This week AFGE testified on Capitol Hill at a hearing on the president’s budget request for 2022 for the Department of Veterans Affairs. We told them VA needs more in-house staff in order to meet the ever-growing demand for services and that improving pay and staffing is far less costly than meeting demand through privatization. We told them to hold off on the BRAC-like AIR Commission because the VA health care system, after four years of Trump trying to tear it down and the massive challenges of COVID-19, is not ready to be scrutinized by a panel bent on closing down hospitals, clinics, and departments in order to expand privatization.
We also told the House Committee that they should subject all the Mission Act privatization contracts to the same rules that Federal Employee Health Benefits contractors have to use so that they can’t just charge the VA whatever they want. Finally, in part because we knew the Secretary was there (he testified too), we talked at length about the need for Title 38 health care professionals’ full union rights to be restored.
This week was also the first meeting of the White House’s union organizing subgroup focused on the federal sector. They invited us to let them know what actions we believe would be most useful in helping federal employees who want to join their union. We have assembled an internal group of council presidents and other AFGE leaders to solicit ideas to share with the White House group. They want ideas that they can implement without having to wait for the legislative process and the goal is to increase union membership in the United States. You read that right – sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming, how about you?
Have a great union weekend!
In Solidarity,
Dr. Everett Kelley
AFGE National President
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