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 of the old one, and also moved the union to a smaller office?  Here is what AFGE did. Continue reading

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

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 EEO charge and it turned into a “heated discussion.” Check out yet another EEO retaliation victory for an employee.  (Webster v. Panetta, EEOC Appeal No. 0120102276, 9/20/11.)

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 good faith.  In fact, the union gets a tactical edge if it puts one in the contract. 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 was forced to pay twice the annual uniform reimbursement cap mentioned in regulation.  Here is how AFGE did it. Continue reading

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

POST-PIP PROTECTION

Employees who successfully make it through a PIP walk on very thin ice for the 12 months afterwards.  If their performance falls below the required standard during those 365 days, they can be terminated without another PIP opportunity to improve. Here is the post-PIP rule.   Continue reading

Posted in Performance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS OWE MILLIONS IN UNPAID TAXES

Great article posted in the Washington Post by Ed O’Keefe on 1/23/12.  It is another “gotta read” piece about the hypocrisy in Congress over raising enough money to fund the government—and federal employee raises.  Continue reading

Posted in Compensation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

NTEU PROVES FDIC PAY RAISES VIOLATE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT

NTEU charged the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation with discriminating against its African-American employees and those 40 and over when it distributed performance awards. Last week an arbitrator agreed ruling that FDIC violated civil rights laws. Continue reading

Posted in Arbitration, Compensation, EEO/Discrimination | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

RETALIATION, SPOUSES, AND CATS

News broke last week that retaliation against employees spiked last year.  So, FEDSMILL.com thought it might be a good time to remind everyone what actions are considered retaliation and the options for dealing with it. Continue reading

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

FREE HEARING TRANSCRIPTS FOR UNIONS

In 1991 FLRA announced that management must provide unions free copies of an official transcript of an arbitration hearing.  Continue reading

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

FORMAL DISCUSSION COMPROMISE

The law provides that union representatives attending formal meetings can comment on what management says, offer opposing perspectives, and generally do what is necessary to safeguard employee & union interests.  But they can’t take charge, usurp or disrupt. Those very vague FLRA statements can lead to arguments between union and management reps.  Here is a way to avoid that. Continue reading

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