Author Archives: AdminUN

About AdminUN

FEDSMILL staff has over 40 years of federal sector labor relations experience on the union as well as management side of the table and even some time as a neutral.

SF-1187 DOLLAR INCENTIVE CAMPAIGNS How much should national union leaders offer for each new SF-1187?  NTEU has offered $25.00 incentives, AFGE $50.00, and NFFE $100.00.  What is the right amount?

Posted in Membership Building, Union Administration | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

WHO ARE THE SIMILARLY-SITUATED? “All things being equal, if an employer takes an action against one employee in a protected class but not another outside that class, one can infer discrimination. The ‘similarly situated’ prong establishes whether all things are … Continue reading

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MSPB BLAMES QUICKHIRE If you have worked with any of the software packages agencies use to hire and promote applicants, you know that they have shortcomings and flaws.  All too often agencies have decided that is just a price employees … Continue reading

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FLRA FUBAR: ARBITRATING PROBATIONARY TERMINATIONS In December 2011 the Authority had a chance in NTEU, 66 FLRA 416 to fix an error it made decades ago that denied unions and agencies the right to consolidate the numerous appeal options of … Continue reading

Posted in Arbitration, FLRA, FUBAR, Probation Period | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

WE’RE HOOKING UP (FMLA and Disability Retirement) Look over to the right side of the page and you will find we have added two new links that will help you find answers quickly for your members. 

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GETTING MORE THAN 12 WEEKS OF FMLA LEAVE Despite the best efforts of the American education system to skip over the laws that will control the next 50 years of most students’ lives, generally high school graduates know that they … Continue reading

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FSIP ORDERS AGENCY TO REBUILD AFGE OFFICE AND BREAK ROOM What would you do if the agency unilateral changed a break room into a conference room, replaced the union office with a new break room that was one-third the size … Continue reading

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DAMAGE TO EMPLOYEE’S PROFESSIONAL REPUTATION COSTS AGENCY $4,000 EEOC just issued another decision awarding an employee $4,000 in damages for the “embarrassment, frustration, social isolation, and injury to his professional reputation” he suffered when his manager confronted him about his … Continue reading

Posted in Back Pay, EEO/Remedies | Tagged | Leave a comment

STATUTORY GOOD FAITH VERSUS CONTRACT GOOD FAITH The law requires that management engage in “good faith” bargaining with the union.  But the union is also permitted to argue that its contract contains a separate and additional obligation to bargain in … Continue reading

Posted in Bargaining, FLRA, ULPs | Tagged , | Leave a comment

BORDER PATROL COUNCIL SETS UNIFORM $$$ PRECEDENT The Border Patrol Council set a nice precedent for the rest of us whose members are required to purchase uniforms.  Thanks to what the arbitrator ruled was Customs and Border Protection’s rigidity, management … Continue reading

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