Author Archives: AdminUN
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR OWN GLADYS Almost every bargaining unit has a Gladys. She works as a secretary, clerk, or clerical assistant. Although she has performed acceptably for years, suddenly management puts her on a short PIP, imposes deadlines no … Continue reading
FMLA FOR SAME-SEX FED SPOUSES In July we wrote about the pending change to OPM’s FMLA rules that would allow same-sex spouses employed by the federal government all the benefits of the FMLA. (See FMLA, DOMA and Same-Sex Spouses). OPM … Continue reading
THE “PLAINLY SUPERIOR” PROMOTION GRIEVANCE THEORY Never heard of it? It is the argument to use when grieving non-selection from a list of properly ranked and rated best qualified employees. At least this is one of the ways. Here is … Continue reading
SES MAFIA FAMILIES If the term “mafia” is defined as a culturally-based organized criminal enterprise, then a good argument can be made that there is an active one operating within the Senior Executive Service (SES)–complete with its own territories, families, … Continue reading
WHY AFGE SHOULD LEAVE THE AFL-CIO AFGE has been adding members faster than almost any other union in the country—over 100,000 the last 12 years. Obviously, it knows how to organize and how to convince employees to join. So, we want to take … Continue reading
NTEU BREAKS THROUGH CONTRACTING OUT BARRIER Unions have had a hard time even slowing agencies down in their pursuit of outside contractors. OMB removed a lot of the issues from negotiations by issuing a detailed government-wide regulation. The Supreme Court … Continue reading
HAS MSPB GUTTED ADVERSE ACTION PROTECTIONS? It sure seems like that to us. Imagine that you represent a group of ten GS-11 Claims Analysts, one GS-7 Claims Technician and one GS-5 Secretary. Then one day the group supervisor calls you … Continue reading
DREADLOCK DISCRIMINATION Although we do not hear much about agencies prohibiting dreadlocks, we doubt the issue is over forever. So, take a minute to see how to push back against an agency demand to be dredlock-free. Check out the EEOC … Continue reading
MSPB SPLITS ON EMPLOYEE FURLOUGH RIGHTS Is a furlough of 22 work days or less an adverse action or an adverse action “lite”? The three MSPB members just issued a split decision on that and it promises to be the … Continue reading
HOW TO GRIEVE TEMPORARY PROMOTION DENIALS Most Fed labor agreements require management to temporarily promote employees when it details them for more than some number of days in a year to a higher graded position, e.g., 30 days. For literally … Continue reading