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Legislative Roundup: Federal Employee Bills NTEU is Watching


Legislative Roundup: Federal Employee Bills NTEU is Watching

On the heels of a successful Legislative Conference, NTEU continues to strongly advocate for pro-federal employee legislation and oppose attempts to target agencies we represent and valued telework programs.

Here are some bills NTEU supports:

Providing an average 8.7 percent pay increase in 2024 consisting of a 4.7 percent across-the-board increase and an average 4 percent for locality pay. 

Expanding the current paid parental leave to give federal employees 12 weeks of paid family leave to deal with a medical crisis.  

Protecting the rights of federal employees and the merit-based, professional civil service.

Equalizing cost-of-living increases for retirees in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).

Protecting federal employees from a variety of civil financial penalties during a lapse in appropriations or a breach of the debt ceiling.

Here are some bills NTEU opposes:

Restricting federal agency telework policies and reverting to pre-pandemic levels.

Clawing back most of the $80 billion investment in the Internal Revenue Service and abolishing the agency.

Undermining the independence of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by putting it under the annual appropriations process.

As an NTEU member, you are part of a collective voice but you also can make a real difference as an individual. Learn more about these and other bills and how you can get involved.

Plus, you can learn more about our legislative agenda in the latest NTEU Bulletin.  



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NTEU Remembers Oklahoma City Bombing Victims

Today marks the 27th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. On April 19, 1995, 168 people—federal workers, members of the public and children—were killed in an attack against our government and those who proudly serve. As we remember those who lost their lives and their families, we also remember those who carry on their work. 

 


Guidance Continues Push to Educate Employees on Collective Bargaining

The Office of Personnel Management issued additional guidance last week outlining several ways agencies should make employees more aware of their collective bargaining rights. The first round of guidance was issued in October following the Executive Order on Worker Organizing and Empowerment.

Agencies are strongly encouraged to improve the ability of unions to communicate with employees by allowing them access to agency bulletin boards, websites and the intranet for educational material. OPM is also encouraging agencies to periodically invite union officials to town hall meetings to educate employees about their workplace rights.

“We believe these are basic processes that respect the rights of federal unions and allow employees who wish to join their unions to do so simply and efficiently,” said National President Tony Reardon. “This guidance understands that strong unions improve the workplace by providing employees with the opportunity to join with their coworkers and share their collective ideas for improving their federal agencies.”

NTEU Stops Agency from Eliminating AWS

NTEU recently won an important victory preventing the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) from terminating alternative work schedules (AWS) at a Maryland training location represented by Chapter 338.

Management at FLETC Cheltenham (Md.) claimed that AWS was causing increased costs and decreased productivity, although the work schedules had been in place for 17 years. After two unsuccessful bargaining sessions over the AWS article in the NTEU contract, the dispute went to the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP). Management had to prove that AWS was having an “adverse agency impact.” NTEU countered this argument by demonstrating that AWS had actually saved FLETC money and productivity did not decline.

NTEU won the case and employees were able to keep their AWS schedules. But this is not the first case of its kind the union has won. This victory follows similar union wins on behalf of Customs and Border Protection employees at ports where management sought to terminate AWS schedules. 

NTEU Remembers Oklahoma City Bombing Victims

Today marks the 27th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. On April 19, 1995, 168 people—federal workers, members of the public and children—were killed in an attack against our government and those who proudly serve. As we remember those who lost their lives and their families, we also remember those who carry on their work. 

 


Guidance Continues Push to Educate Employees on Collective Bargaining

The Office of Personnel Management issued additional guidance last week outlining several ways agencies should make employees more aware of their collective bargaining rights. The first round of guidance was issued in October following the Executive Order on Worker Organizing and Empowerment.

Agencies are strongly encouraged to improve the ability of unions to communicate with employees by allowing them access to agency bulletin boards, websites and the intranet for educational material. OPM is also encouraging agencies to periodically invite union officials to town hall meetings to educate employees about their workplace rights.

“We believe these are basic processes that respect the rights of federal unions and allow employees who wish to join their unions to do so simply and efficiently,” said National President Tony Reardon. “This guidance understands that strong unions improve the workplace by providing employees with the opportunity to join with their coworkers and share their collective ideas for improving their federal agencies.”

NTEU Stops Agency from Eliminating AWS

NTEU recently won an important victory preventing the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) from terminating alternative work schedules (AWS) at a Maryland training location represented by Chapter 338.

Management at FLETC Cheltenham (Md.) claimed that AWS was causing increased costs and decreased productivity, although the work schedules had been in place for 17 years. After two unsuccessful bargaining sessions over the AWS article in the NTEU contract, the dispute went to the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP). Management had to prove that AWS was having an “adverse agency impact.” NTEU countered this argument by demonstrating that AWS had actually saved FLETC money and productivity did not decline.

NTEU won the case and employees were able to keep their AWS schedules. But this is not the first case of its kind the union has won. This victory follows similar union wins on behalf of Customs and Border Protection employees at ports where management sought to terminate AWS schedules.