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.

AFGE HAS A VERY NICE SECRET AFGE membership has grown by 40% since 2003, which puts its growth curve  way, way ahead of all the other federal sector unions.  NTEU increased by only 11% during the same time, NATCA and … Continue reading

Posted in Membership Building | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

RELIGIOUS REFUSALS TO DO WORK QUESTION: When can an employee demand that he or she not be required to perform certain tasks?  ANSWER: When performance of the work conflicts with the employee’s religious convictions and it is reasonable for the … Continue reading

Posted in EEO/Religion, Employee Rights, Performance | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

BARGAINING OVER KITCHEN FACILITIES The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA) posted a recent decision that should be copied into whatever file the union’s negotiators keep to prepare for the next round of bargaining.  In the Matter of Harry John … Continue reading

Posted in Bargaining, Regulations, Travel/Per Diem | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

IRS PROBATIONER’S REINSTATEMENT A LESSON FOR ALL STEWARD ALERT!     Managers constantly tell probationary employees they have no appeal rights if terminated, but that is just not true.  FEDSMILL.com is working on a longer article about probationary employee appeal rights, but here … Continue reading

Posted in EEO/Discrimination, Probation Period | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

AGENCY CAN BE ORDERED TO PAY EMPLOYEE INCOME TAXES STEWARD ALERT!     When the employer is ordered to give an employee a back pay lump sum amount, it can also be required to compensate the employee for any extra income taxes … Continue reading

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

FIVE UNION RIGHTS YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER STEWARD ALERT!     We all know that union activists cannot be fired, denied a benefit, or even poorly evaluated if the decision is based on or even related to our choice to be union … Continue reading

Posted in FLRA, Union Rights | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

UNIONS FOOLISH TO REFER EEO COMPLAINTS TO AGENCY EEO OFFICERS LEADER ALERT! Too many unions think that they should not use the grievance process to pursue employee complaints about civil rights discrimination. As a result, they refer employees with discrimination … Continue reading

Posted in EEO/Discrimination, Grievance/Arbitration | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

ON-LINE VOTING FOR LOCAL UNION OFFICERS Finally, someone heard the complaints of so many local union leaders who by law must run local elections every two or three years.  Those of us who have been through it know the drill: … Continue reading

Posted in Union Administration | 1 Comment

HOW GOOD IS YOUR CONTRACT? The only valid measure of how good a labor agreement is what the union members who live under it think.  If it is overwhelmingly ratified and used, it is a great contract.  A less valid … Continue reading

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

FEATHERBEDDING AT FSIP Featherbedding is a widely condemned practice in labor-management circles.  At best, it is wasteful; at worst, it is dishonest; and, at present, it appears that the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) is mired in it.  The cost … Continue reading

Posted in Arbitration, FSIP | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment