Annual Membership Meeting NTEU Chapter 128

1. Annual Membership MeetingNTEU Chapter 128 Holiday Inn—Rosslyn, VA September 11, 2013 John Hiller, Chapter President, Presiding

2. Our mission: • To organize federal employees to work together to ensure that every federal employee is treated with dignity and respect. • Who we are • NTEU is widely known as a smart, tough organization, well-respected for its knowledge of federal employee issues. And for its determination to work with federal agencies, with Congress, and in the courts to protect, promote and expand the rights of those it represents. • Since 1938, NTEU has been driven by the principle that every federal employee should be treated with dignity and respect. In that time, NTEU has grown to represent some 150,000 bargaining unit employees in 32 federal agencies and departments. • NTEU members are represented by an experienced and professional staff in Washington, D.C., seven field offices across the nation and highly-trained, dedicated local leaders in their workplaces.

3. Agenda • Introduction of Elected Officers and Stewards • Introduction of vendor • Accomplishments • Budget • Summer recruiting program • TEPAC • Open discussion • Close

4. Officers and Stewards

5. Chapter Accomplishments • Chapter has about doubled in size over past two years—national recognition • Success in major disciplinary actions • Television and newspaper presence to combat furloughs • New Employee Orientation • Newsletter

6. Bargaining—Local Works in Process • Challenges to a CBP plan to implement a sign in sheet • Bid, Rotation, and Placement in the Office of International Trade • About a dozen local moves • Walker Lane is the biggest • Cancellation of Red/Blue/Green shuttle

7. Bargaining—National • Employee preferences during furloughs • Multi-level performance plan (vs. Pass/Fail) • Mobile Workforce in Office of Administration

8. National Presence • NTEU National Legislative Advisory Council • CBP Representative, DHS Labor/Management Forum • Negotiation Teams • Performance review • Mobile Workforce

9. The Regular Battles • Telework and AWS • Sick leave, advanced sick leave, leave restrictions • Local leave policies • Letters of reprimand • Unilateral change in working conditions • Failure to notify NTEU

10. NTEU National Legislative Issues • Furloughs • Pay • Preservation of current health insurance program • Preservation of current retirement program • Adequate staffing, all government agencies • Drug coverage • Contracting out and contractor compensation

11. The Big Battles • Removal from the bargaining unit for “national security” reasons • CBP has expanded the use of the law from rare positions (e.g., NSA) to other positions less tied to national security • Has involved 0343, and 2210 (INFOSEC) so far • Unfair labor practices • Wired promotions • Assertion to employees that the Union membership is career-limiting • Failure to follow negotiated memoranda of understanding • Promote, then remove • Arbitrary removal of probationary employees, usually veterans

12. National Notables • Major back pay awards for overtime • Trainees at FLETC • Homework • Suffered overtime • Wrongly coded under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) • One auditor in the BU won $14,000 • Fought off CBP furloughs

13. Chapter Goals • Do everything necessary to make sure that there are no furloughs • Increase chapter membership by at least 100 • Web site

14. Budget and Cash Flow • Revenue • Dues, about $500 per pay period • Recruiting award (last summer, $500) • Expenses • Election • Newsletter • Lunch and Learns • Annual meeting • National convention • National training • Contingent expense • Arbitrations, currently planning for two, at $5000 each • Bank balance, approximately $12,000

15. Upcoming Event--Voluntary Employee Benefit Systems (VEBS) • Thoroughly vetted by NTEU • VEBS provides • Employee benefits and retirement workshops • Personalized service from a local VEBS representative (yellow sheets) • Supplemental retirement counseling • Personalized employee benefits summaries • Retirement planning • General overview of employee benefits with emphasis on insurance, retirement, and annuities • Two duplicate sessions, October 15 • Ronald Reagan Building, Room B1.5-10, 0900-1100 • Bureau of Land Management, Large Conference Room, 1400-1600

16. Rank and File Opportunities • Legislative Committee • Communication Committee • Web site • Membership Committee • Election Committee (2015)

17. Summer Incentive Program • Most CBP Chapters have more than 75% membership, we have only 21% • The program • For the recruiter, $25 • For the recruit, $25 plus a backpack • Rules • Recruiter must be a union member • Recruit must be bargaining unit • Form 1187 signed by September 21 • Last year, we took second place

18. NTEU’s Political Action Committee TEPAC

19. Open Forum