Federal Sector Local Presidents' Training - Levels I and II
To be held April 10–15, 2005 at the National Labor College [more information] 1-31-2005
National President John Gage to Do Online Chat on washingtonpost.com
National President John Gage will be on Washington Post's Live Online Chat
Wednesday February 2 with Federal News Diary Columnist Stephen Barr. [http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/04/barr_020205.htm] 1-31-2005
Social Security Privatization
Social Security Employees Council Blows Whistle on Agency Propaganda Efforts
Friday January 28, officers of the National Social Security Council, which represents workers of the Social Security Administration (SSA), testified before the Democratic Senate Policy Committee regarding reports in the media that employees have been instructed to hype negative projections for Social Security and to promote privatizing Social Security. [full release] 1-28-2005
AFGE, Others Join Forces Against Plan To Set Up Private Social Security Accounts
[From The January/February 2005 issue of The Government Standard ] The American Federation of Government Employees has joined a coalition of organizations in opposition to Social Security privatization that includes such groups as the AFL-CIO, AARP, the Alliance for Retired Americans, the Campaign for America's Future and the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. [full article] 1-25-2005
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Homeland Security Unions Plan to Sue DHS Over New Personnel Regulations
AFGE, NTEU, NFFE and NAAE to File Joint Law Suit
The Department of Homeland Security issued on Wednesday January 26, 2005 a new set of regulations that could have grave implications for public safety and national security. In its new personnel system, the Department of Homeland Security has significantly narrowed employees' rights to collective bargaining and all but eliminated the due process rights that enable employees to speak with confidence when they see wrongdoing or mismanagement.
"We, the unions, had earnestly sought to design a new, efficient personnel system in collaboration with DHS managers," said John Gage, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). "With our efforts rebuffed and our gravest concerns ignored, we now, unfortunately, have no choice but to pursue a remedy through the federal courts." AFGE plans to file a case together with the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the National Federation of Federal Employes and National Association of Agriculture Employees that will challenge the new regulations on both a statutory and constitutional basis. [full release] 1-26-2005
Special Message to AFGE Members from John Gage, T.J. Bonner and Charles Showalter
AFGE National President John Gage, National Homeland Security Council Charles Showalter and National Border Patrol Council President T.J. Bonner have issued a special message to AFGE Members regarding the Department of Homeland Security's New Personnel System Regulations. [see the message (video)] 1-27-2005
More Information on the Department of Homeland Security Regulations
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National President John Gage Discusses DHS Regulations on Network Affiliates
Thursday Night January 27, National President John Gage appeared on all four network affiliates discussing the recently released DHS regulations including: WRC-TV(NBC) Channel 4 (6:00 newscast), WJLA-TV (ABC) Channel 7, WUSA-TV (CBS) Channel 9 and WTTG-TV(Fox), Channel 5.
President Gage also appeared on WTTG's Fox Morning News Friday in the 7:00 a.m. hour. 1-28-2005
FedTalk Guest Appearances
Mark Williams on Federal News Radio's FedTalk
AFGE's Mark Williams will be featured
Today on WFED-AM(1050) in segments which highlight AFGE's member benefits and discounts. The segments will run at :52 minutes before the hour and start Thursday Night/Friday a.m. at Midnight and run all day until 11p.m. [tune-in online] 1-31-2005
Gony Frieder and Peter Winch Talk on Federalnewsradio
Gony Frieder, legal counsel to the AFGE's Local 1 TSA screeners and Peter Winch, coordinator of AFGE's TSA organizing campaign were guests on the FEDTALK Radio Show to talk about DHS Regulations, Pay, Employee Rights and Collective Bargaining Friday, January 28th. [FederalNewsRadio.com] 1-28-2005
Phil Glover, president of AFGE Council of Prison Locals appeared Friday, January 21st on Federal News Radio
Phil Glover, president of AFGE Council of Prison Locals appeared Friday, January 21st on Federal News Radio (www.federalnewsradio.com). Glover discussed proposed budget cuts to the federal prison system. 1-21-2005
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2005 Legislative Conference Information Center
2005 Legislative and Grassroots Mobilization Conference
The 2005 Legislative Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency on February 6-10, 2005. [info | agenda]
Editors Association Conference Update / Fee Notice
Due to a news event on Thursday, the Editors Association conference has been moved to Wednesday February 9, 2005. There is also a registration fee of $20 to attend the conference. Caesar Andrews, Executive Editor of Gannett News Service and a member of the USA Today Editorial Board will be the featured speaker. This is not included in the Legislative Conference Registration Fee. [registration form] For more information please contact communications@afge.org
Defense Conference Notice
AFGE’s Defense Conference (DEFCON) allows for the voluntary participation of DOD locals in serving as an activist group committed to using the collective strength in representing federal employees. The leadership of this group, the DEFCON Steering Group, serves as an advisory group to AFGE’s National President and as part of the NEC’s Defense Committee. [full notice | DEFCON Agenda]
Law Enforcement Steering Committee Meeting Notice
The Law Enforcement Steering Committee will meet during the 2005 Legislative Conference in Washington DC [more information]
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The Government Standard |
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Hot off the press! The January/February 2005 Issue
In this issue:
- AFGE, Others Join Forces Against Plan
To Set Up Private Social Security Accounts
- DHS Secrecy Policy Reversal A Step Forward, Says Union
- District Caucus Rules and Schedule
- Defense Department Expects to Issue
Proposed Personnel System Regulations Soon
- and more! 1-25-2005
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Union Attorneys At Your Service
AFGE has hired four attorneys to provide a new level of representation for your back pay cases. Available immediately for any pending or upcoming arbitration or MSPB proceeding, these experienced attorneys are ready to match and beat the attorney power now being assigned to most agency disciplinary cases. Don't send your grievants to arbitration without this new and free resource. For information and referral of cases, email us at backpay@afge.org or call the Field Services Department at 202 639-6406.
DHS Secrecy Policy Reversal a Step Forward, Says Union
"The Department of Homeland Security finally is moving in the right direction," American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President John Gage said of DHS' decision to modify its mandatory non-disclosure agreement for employees. "However, there still is language that concerns us, specifically regarding the 'For Official Use Only' [FOUO] information category." [full article] 1-12-2005
Bush Locks In Regional Federal Raises
President Bush issued an executive order on December 30 locking-in a 3.71 percent pay raise this year for federal employees in the Washington-Baltimore area. [full article] Washington Post, 12-31-2004
DoD NSPS Update
[On December 14, 2004] our DoD team, which included National Vice President Swanke, DEFCON Leaders and General Counsel Mark Roth, met with DoD along with the other unions. [full article] 12-16-2004
INS FLSA Update
Agency Trying to Track Down Claimants. [full update] 12-3-2004
Coming Soon to Your Mailbox:
2005 Bonus Bucks Campaign
January 24-April 22, 2005 11-23-2004
Facts You Should Know About the FEHBP’s New “High Deductible” Plans
This year the Bush Administration introduced a new type of plan into the FEHBP under the slogan of “empowering” federal employees to make more decisions about their health care. Federal employees, however, need to take the time to understand the financial risks facing those who sign up for these “high deductible” plans. [more] 11-17-2004
Radio Spot By V.A. Workers' Union Calls On Government
To Give Veterans The Health Care They Were Promised
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has launched a hard-hitting radio advertisement on the state of veterans' health care at hospitals and other medical facilities managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The spot features a VA nurse telling of surgeries cancelled for hundreds of veterans due to lack of adequate funding-as recently documented at the Portland VA Medical Center in Oregon-and an eligibility specialist speaking of the vets he's forced to turn away because of new rules implemented last year. The ad is currently running in select markets in the battleground states of Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin, in order to target the national press corps. [full press release] [hear the ad] 10-25-2004
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