What have we been doing in the past year? Great question.  Below are some of the issues/situations where we have worked to assure your Voice is heard and your rights are Protected!

Pay issues

• Employees were promised a certain salary and they are getting something else (2 occasions). We fought to assure fair pay was provided!
• The SL or bonus amounts promised were not given upon transfer into the hospital. We fought to make it right!
• Overtime vs comp time, answer questions, help with disputes, and informed Supervisors of the rights of our members to choose!
• Tuition reimbursement. We fought to assure a member was given back money she was going to lose due to poor agency management.
• Military buy back.  Routinely assisted to assure our Veteran employees were getting the assistance needed to pay for their time they served our Country. Protecting their rights!!

New Employee Orientation

• AFGE provides lunch and information at every new employee orientation given 26 times a year.  At the NEO we recruit members and also offer health benefits at a reduced rate.

Fact Finding

• When asked, we try our best to attend and provide support at every fact finding or investigation. We attend several every month to ensure employees’ rights are not violated and supervisors do their jobs in managing employee concerns. (>25 times)

Evaluations

• Mid-year, and end of year, we make sure you get them. (>15 times)

Time and Leave

• Leave scramble and seniority issues and disputes, continue to be addressed with supervisors and employees.  (6)
• AWOL, FMLA, OWCP  issues heard and meetings held  (>38 times)

Grievance Examples:

• Mandatory overtime, too much work…continues to be an issue we address.
• Violation of employee’s privacy…ongoing concerns, but employees are protected!
• Violation of not giving progressive discipline, often every week we work with supervisors to correct errors of management.
• Violation of our MOUs, we address routinely with management.
• Violation of hospital policy.
• Violation of the law.

Suspension and termination Cases

• MSPB  (2 cases)
• What rights does the employee have?  Education. Always educating top level management as well as direct line supervisors.
• Probation cases, what rights do these employees have?  We help them address their concerns.

Disciplinary cases

• Representation to stand up for your rights!
  • Arguments amongst coworkers are resolved via mediation.
  • Problems between employee and supervisor resolved via mediation.
• How do I write a solid response? We teach, guide and coach you so that you have the best outcome.

Space issues

• Office space, loss of break room, teleworking agreements, are all constant issues every month that we fight to assure our employees receive what the Master Agreement has authorized.

Arbitration

• Thru the pressure of arbitration, we got our employees into a new building.  The work group was currently working in a daycare setting.  (No kidding, there was a daycare in the office!)

Training

• Getting the employee the training that they need to do their job.
• Making sure supervisors are sending reminders about TMS.

Donations:

• AFGE local has donated money to the following groups:
  • Health and Wellness group, money donation
  • Nursing recruitment, money donation
  • Volunteer services, money donation
  • Smoking committee,  cards with policy and procedures
  • CFC,  product donations
  • Corporate Challenge, money donation
  • Flu Shot clinics, feed all nurses giving flu shots

All of the other local benefits like lunches, events, tickets.

What have YOU done for your local?

Honestly ask yourself, “What have I done for my union lately?”  This is our Union and we are stronger together.  We always welcome members who want to do more to strengthen this Local.

• Have I volunteered to be an officer or steward?

• Have I volunteered to be a mobilization captain for my workgroup?

• Have I called Secretary Wilke to ask him to bargain in good faith with AFGE?
• Have I contacted my Congressman & Senators to ask them to support the VA Employee Fairness Act of 2019?
• Have I signed up for National AFGE emails or text alerts?
• Have I attended our off-site events to learn about legislative & political issues affecting our union and workplace rights?
• Have I attended our quarterly membership meetings

• Have I voted in our elections
• Have I recruited new members?

• Have I enrolled in E-Dues?

• E dues enrollment will be a requirement for food and gift on 12-18-19
• E dues enrollment will be a requirement for local benefits in 2020.

Why?  As we move into 2020 we can no longer budget for all that we give, if we lose incoming money/members, we cannot guarantee a solid budget plan.