NEWS OF
INTEREST
Note: Please remember that it
is against federal law and/or agency regulations to use government resources
(duty time, agency computers, agency property, etc.) to support or oppose
legislation, to lobby congress, and/or to support any candidate or party in
partisan elections.
Bridgette
Rodriguez, Local 1458 President
Ongoing - LOCAL
1458 UNION MEMBERS
- All Local 1458 Union Members are
requested to immediately notify Local 1458 of their current mailing
address, so the Local can mail them important notices and
future nomination/election notices. Members must mail or fax a
letter containing their current mailing address to: Local
1458, c/o B. Rodriguez, 12630 NW 22 Court, Miami, FL 33167, or FAX
their letter (under signature) to Local 1458 at (786)419-4877.
Thank you!
Ongoing - The AFGE Legal
Rights Attorney Program
AFGE attorneys and arbitration reimbursement
are available to Locals and Councils! For specific
information, please go to:
http://www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=Representation
Member/Delegate
Nomination Meeting Notice for AFGE District 5
Caucus Posted 2/7/08
Important AFGE
Week in Review News on Union Victories Re:
HCOP/MaxHR, A-76 , FPS, etc. (Dec. 24, 2007)
Notice of election of
delegates to the 2008 National CIS Council 119
Annual Business Meeting (Dec 15, 2007)
Member/Delegate
Nomination Meeting Notice Posted11/28/07
Recently, based on the Miami DD's
statements in a Natz town hall in October and supervisory statements to their
employees, a PWP Rating controversy has arisen at the Miami-Caribbean District.
Local 1458 President provided the below email to some interested employees:
To: Miami-Caribbean Bargaining Unit employees
Please see that which is cut and pasted at the very bottom of this
email message.
This came from a case of a whistleblower supervisor who reported to
the Office of Special Counsel (in part) that he was told to use a quota
system to rate his employees by upper management . Since this has clear
application based on DD Swacina's statements during the Oct Natz town
hall meeting and based on supervisory statements made within the last
month at Miami, I thought I would show you that the use of a quota
system or bell curve for ratings is against law and regulation...
Impacted employees MUST/MUST raise their own grievance with their
first-line supervisor within 22 workdays of receiving their final FY 07
performance ratings of record "for violations of the Civil Service
Reform Act, 5 USC 4302, 5 CFR 430, 5 USC 2301 and 2302, Articles 11 and
22 of CBA 2000, the agency administrative manual and policy" in order
to challenge their own individual ratings of record. (I strongly suggest
you consult me ASAP and allow the Local union to represent you in this
matter.)
FYI, yesterday, I filed a Local union institutional grievance. See
the attached document. If you can't open it, please reply back to me.
Please pass this representational information of great relevance and
value on to other Miami-Caribbean District employees who may have a
need-to-know. (Thanks.)
In Service --
Bridgette Rodriguez, Local 1458
President (786-419-4876/786-308-1739)
Victor A. Luna v. Department of the Air Force
U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, Dallas Field Office
DA-1221-00-0318-B-1 November 21, 2001
...During the prehearing conference, the appellant was asked to
specify the protected disclosures he made to the OSC. I identified those
three disclosures in the January 8, 2001 Memorandum of Telephone
Conference. They are as follows:
1. Kelly AFB officials committed prohibited personnel practices by
altering/falsifying performance appraisals and other government records.
2. First-level supervisors at Kelly AFB were "forced" to use
quotas in rendering their subordinate employees' performance
evaluations.
3. Kelly AFB management improperly directed him to alter his
subordinate employees' performance evaluations, and to falsify
government records regarding work productivity.
Remand File, Tab 8 ("Issues"). The appellant did not object to the
identification of these issues.
At the hearing, the appellant testified that the "forced
distribution" of performance ratings through the use of a
<quota
> system violated 5 C.F.R. 430.208(a). HT
6, Sides A & B (Feb. 12, 2001). In addition, Refugia "Ruth" Hernandez, a
Personnel Management/Staffing Specialist at Kelly AFB, testified that
using a
<quota
> system, or a "bell curve," is an improper
method to rate employee performance. She also related that the use of a
<quota
> system would contravene 5 C.F.R.
430.208(a). HT 4, Side B; HT 5, Side A (Feb. 6, 2001).
Under the applicable regulation, a
<rating of record
> "shall be based only on the evaluation of
actual job performance for the designated appraisal period." 5 C.F.R.
430.208(a)(1) (2001). That regulation also cautions that appraisals
cannot be derived or assigned by "a forced distribution of summary
levels"9 that rate performance. 5 C.F.R. 430.208(c) (2001).
Based on the above, I find that the appellant has shown, by
preponderant evidence, that he had a reasonable belief that his
disclosures as to: the alleged use of
<quota systems by the agency; management's
purported requirement that he use that method to evaluate his
subordinate employees' performance; and management's alleged utilization
of that method when assessing his own performance, either constituted an
abuse of authority, or evidenced a violation of law, rule, or
regulation. Thus, I find that he is a "whistleblower."...
Nov. 1, 2007 - Update on Pending Local
1458 Institutional CIS Grievances and Pending Negotiability Appeals
(1) Local 1458 Grievance on
Failure to Notify/Bargain in Good Faith and a relating negotiability
appeal re: employee parking at the new Florida facilities and fitness rooms
at the new Florida Facilities. After our grievance was filed, the
agency moved to bargain without providing notice of the agency's proposed
changes ever being issued. Based on bargaining, agency claimed it did
not have to negotiate over the change to turn over employee parking from
agency-controlled to lessor-controlled, and did not have to bargain over
providing fitness rooms at the new CIS offices (to be used on non-duty
time). The agency filed its initial response to our Negotiability
Appeal, and
the Local union responded to the agency's response, which included our
previous negotiability
appeal Statement. The agency gets one last response before the
FLRA reviews all and makes its decision.
(2) Local 1458 Miami I-485
Schedule Increase (Jan 2007) Grievance - Invoked arbitration. Awaiting
pending agency decision on national rollout of a national PWP, which could
affect the decision whether to proceed to hearing. In addition, Miami
decreased its daily I-485 interviews and will purportedly decrease such by
40% for December.
(3) Local 1458 Miami
District Grievance Re: Foreign Language Impact on Officers. Invoked
arbitration. Will determine impact on officers after 2007 PWP Rating given
and will reach out again to officers who were adversely impacted and will be
witnesses.
(4) Local 1458 Grievance on
Negotiability on New Union Offices in Florida CIS. Recently invoked
arbitration. (Also, new CBA bargaining may impact prior to moving to
hearing.)
(5) Local 1458 Miami
District Grievance on Failure to Bargain over apparent new policy applied
related to spouses working in the same office. The grievance is at the
first step/Step A level.
(6) Local 1458 Miami District
Grievance on Failure of Miami Management to Timely Announce Administrative
Leave Given By Regional Director. Just filed first step/Step A grievance.
Oct. 30, 2007 - Local 1458 President
Rodriguez recently provided two-day Stewards training to new(er) CIS and ICE
stewards in two separate training sessions held in October.
Oct. 22, 2007 - Bilingual Pay - AFGE
Pushes for
5%
Pay Increase (From C119 Website)
Oct. 22, 2007 - USCIS and National CIS
Council 119 Are Bargaining a New Master Collective Bargaining Agreement -
Read About Our C119 Bargaining Team! (From C119 Website)
July 4, 2007 - Latest on Local 1458 Grievances on Future
Move to New CIS Offices
The Local now has at least 3 separate grievances - one
we invoked arbitration on recently, relating to the DD's failure to issue
written 9A notices to the Local proposing changes to working conditions for
bargaining unit employees in Miami-Dade, Broward county, Orlando, WPB and Tampa
based on future moves to new offices in those areas, as well as failure to
bargain in good faith and failure to complete bargaining prior to seeking
properties and securing leasing arrangements which will cause changes to working
conditions. I have requested that AFGE General Counsel's office review our
first grievance, which we invoked arbitration on recently, and also review some
of the other paperwork and grievances (two others) that are in process. I will
keep you aware of the progress of all grievances and all decisions at
arbitration, as they occur.
July 2, 2007 -
AFGE Expanded Local 1458's Representational
Responsibilities. AFGE expanded Local 1458's representational
responsibilities, to include representing bargaining unit employees (ICE and
CIS) previously represented by Locals 3123 and 2698. Therefore, AFGE Local
1458 represents all ICE DRO bargaining unit employees within the Atlanta Field
Office and Miami Field Office, all ICE OPLA non-attorney bargaining unit
employees in Georgia and Florida, and all CIS bargaining unit employees within
Districts 8, 9 and 10 (Georgia/Carolinas/Florida/Puerto Rico/USVI).
Welcome, all!
June 15, 2007 - Exposed
to fumes, chemicals and/or pesticides at work? See Excerpts of Local 1458
email to Miami CIS employees, below.
To All 7880 Bargaining Unit Employees -
Worker's Comp (OWCP) rules and case law provide that if conditions at work
cause you illness, injury and/or a medical condition (temporary or
permanent), you may file appropriate worker's comp forms to "document" the
exposure to the unsafe and/or unhealthy conditions and/or make a worker's
comp "claim". (The forms are
CA-1
and
CA-2
,
depending upon the circumstances.)
Further, if you become ill due to exposure of unhealthy or unsafe conditions
at work of ONE DAY OR LESS DURATION -- such as (example) exposure to
fumes for one workday or less -- which caused you to become ill within that
same workday, then that is defined as a Traumatic Injury, entitles you to
file a CA-1 form, and if you are too sick to work and need medical
attention, further entitles you to request a CA-16 for medical authorization
to see a doctor and have that doctor certify whether your exposure to
unhealthy or unsafe conditions at work caused your illness.
In addition, if this is an apparent Traumatic Injury (CA-1) and you need to
be off work and/or seek medical attention, you are entitled to
Administrative leave if you must leave work ill on the same day as the
exposure, and you are entitled up to 45 days of Continuation of Pay for
every day or part of a day thereafter that you must miss out on work,
providing you also ask for form CA-16 (medical authorization) and/or
thereafter provide medical evidence that your illness/medical condition was
caused by exposure to the unsafe and/or unhealthy conditions at work of one
workday (8 hours) or less duration.
IF YOU HAVE SOUGHT OWCP ADVICE FROM THE AGENCY AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A
PAMPHLET PROVIDING THAT WRITTEN ADVICE
OR
YOU WERE TOLD YOU THE AGENCY WOULD NOT PROVIDE YOU WITH A WORKERS COMP FORM
AND/OR THE AGENCY TOLD YOU YOU COULD NOT FILE A WORKER'S COMP FORM.
OR
YOU WERE TOLD BY AGENCY OFFICIALS THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR OWN LEAVE WHEN
YOU ARE CLAIMING THAT EXPOSURE TO FUMES AND/OR OTHER UNSAFE OR UNHEALTHY
WORKING CONDITION OF ONE WORKDAY OR LESS DURATION CAUSED YOU TO
BECOME ILL, YOUR RIGHTS ARE APPARENTLY BEING VIOLATED . (MORE SO, AGENCY
OFFICIALS WHO ARE APPROACHED BY AN EXPOSED EMPLOYEE AND WHO REFUSE TO
PROVIDE OWCP ADVICE, REFUSE TO PROVIDE THE OWCP PAMPHLET WHEN REQUESTED,
AND/OR REFUSE TO PROVIDE WORKER'S COMP FORMS ARE IN VIOLATION OF OWCP
REGULATIONS/RULES AND THEREFORE IN VIOLATION OF THE DHS/CIS STANDARDS OF
CONDUCT. )
June 3, 2007 and ongoing
until August -
CIS
Council 119 DAO Letter/Petition
Due to the concerns expressed by
DAO's as to the need for agency Time and Motion studies, etc., C119
is sponsoring a confidential, password protected online
letter/petition for DAO's. To view this letter/petition and to sign
onto it, you must send an
email message to Bridgette Rodriguez
providing your name, your DHS job title and duty station, and note
that you wish to see the DAO letter/petition.
Many DAO's are complaining to one
another; however, nothing in the history of the world has changed
based on just "talk" -- it changes based on good people coming
together and acting. So, if you are a DAO, please act on this,
share it with your fellow DAO's, and please help bring about
positive change!
Thanks!
June 1, 2007 -
CIS
Council 119 Responds to Donald Neufeld on Agency Draft DAO PWP Job
Element Standards.
C119 POC, Bridgette Rodriguez,
responded to Mr. Neufeld on June 1, 2007 as to the agency's draft
DAO PWP JES. This response (which has voluminous attachments) is
password protected. If you would like to view it, you must send an
email message to Bridgette
providing your name, your DHS job title and and duty station, and
request to see the C119 response to Mr. Neufeld therein.
May 29, 2007 -
Request
for CIS Volunteers! >more
May 8, 2007 -
Agency Draft of Job Element
Standards for (D)AO National Performance Work Plan (PWP). For Review and Comment by
Locals and Bargaining Unit DAO's. (Deadline: May 18, 2007.)
CIS has provided the
National CIS Council 119 with a "first draft" of Job
Element Standards which may be included in a future
national Performance Work Plan for (District) Adjudications
Officers.
Our Council has set up a
password-protected web page which provides the draft DAO PWP Job
Element Standards and related information. If you have received a personal e-mail
invitation, by name, from Council Secretary-Treasurer/VP
Bridgette Rodriguez to review the draft DAO PWP job element
standards and provide the union with your comments, concerns
and/or suggestions, please click on "THE
PASSWORD-
PROTECTED DAO PWP PAGE".
You will be taken
to the DAO PWP page.
If you are a DAO who has
not received a personal e-mail invitation at your government
email address from C119,
Bridgette Rodriguez, but you
would still like to review the draft PWP job element standards and provide your
comments, you must sign up at our C119
list server, and we will
contact you, thereafter, at your private e-mail address.
(FYI: Local Presidents were previously and separately provided the
draft DAO PWP job element information.)
For those who take the time
to provide your comments, concerns, and/or
suggestions, we sincerely thank you for doing
so!
Bridgette Rodriguez Council S-T
May 11, 2007
-
CIS C119 Fair Practices Coordinator's Statement to Local Presidents
May 10, 2007 -
AFGE CIS Council, Local Presidents on "Inside Government"
This
Week on Inside Government -
May 11th, 2007
Bryan
Lowry
Phil Glover
Michael Knowles (CIS C119
President)
David Wright
download mp3
April 18, 2007
- AFGE C119 Letter to Senator
Obama
April 17, 2007
- AFGE: USCIS Director,
AFGE National President Sign Memorandum of Agreement
More >
April 16, 2007
-
GovExec
Articles of Interest
April 13, 2007 -
Today, Friday, April 13, 2007 USCIS
Communications distributed a USCIS
Update entitled, “USCIS Director, AFGE National President Sign
Memorandum of Agreement.” The update begins: “USCIS Director
Emilio Gonzalez and John Gage, national president of the American
Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO (AFGE), signed a
joint agreement today to
advance the close working relationship between labor and management
at USCIS.” (Links lead to PDF/Adobe files.)
April 12, 2007 - AFGE to Sign
Historic Working Agreement with USCIS
More>March 29, 2007 - Legacy INS FLSA
Update More
>
March 28 2007 - HOMELAND SECURITY
UNION APPLAUDS VOTE REPEALING MAX-HR
More>
March 23, 2007 - DHS
Personnel System (New DHS letters issued to AFGE and AFGE's
responses)
03/09/07
AFGE Admonishes DHS For Decision to Implement Personnel System...
03/03/07 - New ICE
Council and CIS Council officers elected 02/24/07. A new CIS council web
site can be found at: www.ncisc119.net
. A new ICE Council website will be set up at:
www.iceunion.org
2/1/07 - Alternative Work Schedule pilot programs
will be ongoing in CIS - Miami Citz, Miami 7880, Miami CSC and WPB. (Tampa and
Jacksonville have established AWS.) Orlando is the one office not on an
AWS/AWS pilot.
1/31/07
NEW - Local 1458's own
BLOG
was set up for employees and members to share information and constructive
comments. (Run by Bridgette Rodriguez, Local 1458 President)
1-31-07 Federal Diary
Homeland Security Employees Feeling the Blues.
The Federal Human Capital
Survey 2006 results are in, and not by surprise to this AFGE
Local President, DHS scored last or almost last in job
satisfaction, leadership and workplace performance.
What were the problem areas?
(Federal Diary) "...Those areas appear
to include communicating with and
getting feedback from employees and how
the department rewards employees for
their accomplishments, Schneider said.
He called the survey results "a wake-up
call for the leadership that we have to
pay attention to these basic
communication skills."And, now, what
does DHS propose to do?
Communicate and partner with DHS
employees' union? Make their
employees stakeholders by communicating
with them more often at the workplace,
getting their feedback and suggestions,
and rewarding them? Ah, no.......
(Federal Diary) "Ch ertoff
has asked an outside group of
advisers to suggest a strategy for
creating a stronger common culture at
the department."
Need I say more?
Federal Human Capital
Survey 2006:
Results from the 2006 Federal
Human Capital Survey |
4MB |
Federal Human Capital
Survey 2006:
FHCS Report by Demographics -
4 parts |
Part 1 (1.7MB)
Part 2 (1.8MB)
Part 3 (1.8MB)
Part 4 (1.9MB)
|
Federal Human Capital
Survey 2006:
FHCS Report by Agency - 5
parts |
Part 1 (1.6MB)
Part 2 (1.3MB)
Part 3 (1.3MB)
Part 4 (1.3MB)
Part 5 (1.5MB)
|
Federal Human Capital
Survey 2006:
FHCS Report on Demographic
Questions by Agency (unweighted data) |
|
|
1/26/07 - Ken Blodgett
It is with great sadness that I announce to
all Florida ICE and CIS employees and management, that I was just
advised a short while ago that ICE employee and Local 1458 Steward
Ken Blodgett passed away early this morning.
We extend our condolences to his wife, children and
family, and to the ICE family.
Ken Blodgett volunteered to be a Local 1458 Steward
for ICE, and his efforts to represent his fellow employees
(especially the IEA's in CBP BP sectors) certainly made a
difference.
His spirit will live on in all of us who were and are
reminded daily of the way he lived. We were uplifted by
his concern and willingness to do the right thing by his ICE
employees, his fellow IEA's and the agency he served, by his brave
fight against Leukemia, and by his family values. He represented the
best in ICE and in Local 1458.
The Local 1458 family would also like to extend our
very sincere and heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Rozos, ICE FOD, and
his Miami ICE Management staff for how they supported Ken during his
time of need. That surely will not be forgotten by his wife,
children, family or by our Local.
Those who wish to offer their condolences and
financial support, can write Ken's wife, Tammy, at
966 Princeton Dr, Clermont, FL 34711,
or call Tammy at (352)255-2933.
From our www.ncisc119.org
national union council website:
|
Council 119 First Annual
Meeting &
Constitutional Elections
February 23 & 24, 2006
● Washington Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill |
|
The AFGE General Council is overseeing
the first election of officers for Council 119. As a newly created
council, special procedures are being implemented to stand-up an elected
slate of council officers to represent the bargaining unit.
There's Still
Time!
Although the first deadline to submit
credentials has come-and-gone. Chuck Hobbie, the AFGE election
supervisor, has extended the time for locals to elect delegates and
submit valid credentials. If you have any questions, your local should
contact Chuck directly. Call the AFGE General Counsel's Offices at (202)
639-6415.
|
|
Bargaining On National Facilities Model
175 Facilities Affected Nationwide! |
|
During the week of February 5 - 9, 2006,
the National CIS Council will be meeting with USCIS management
over working conditions related to the proposed
National Facilities Model.
URGENT:
District & Field Office Bargaining Team Members Needed!
Management will be using eight members
on their team. In accordance with Article 9B(1)(f) & (g) of the
Collective Bargaining Agreement, the
union may have an equal number of members where expenses are paid by the
agency. Also, the union may have two additional team members, if
desired, where the expenses are paid by the union. All bargaining team
members "... will be accorded official time for all time spent in
bargaining, including necessary travel time and impasse proceedings... "
To volunteer, send a statement on your
current position and experience to
volunteer@ncisc119.org. Please include your local number.
|
|
National Performance Work Plans
Two Different Performance Plans
Take Two Drastically Different Paths! |
|
District Adjudication Officer |
Center Adjudications Officer |
|
A draft of the proposed National DAO PWP
was provided to the council on December 8, 2006.
More information is available under
the Bargaining link in the
secure area of this website. |
The draft Center Adjudications Officer
PWP was received by the council on January 3rd, 2007.
More information is available under
the Bargaining link in the
secure area of this website.
|
|
Legislative and Grassroots
Mobilization Conference
February 25 & 28, 2006
● Washington Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill |
|
This conference
will focus on issues and strategies vitally important to the future of
AFGE and all federal and D.C. government workers.
"It’s Our Turn" in 2007! And we will get the job done - as long as we
don’t give in or give up.
Event Information on AFGE.ORG |
1/12/07 AWS for Florida CIS District 10 and 9
-
The DD served a 9A notice upon
the Local to set up an AWS for the entire Miami District (then, all of
Florida). Initially, it was offered as a pilot AWS for every
office in Florida CIS. The Local submitted its DTB and entered into
consultations with management for volunteers for AWS in all offices in
Florida. However, at the last minute, the DD changed her mind and would not
sign off on that pilot AWS Memorandum of Agreement. She only wanted
the pilot AWS for the 7880 Bldg. (Miami) employees, to start. After the
7880 AWS MOU,
management changed its I-485 appointment schedules without notifying the
Local union, which caused complaints and some 7880 employees to want to back
out from volunteering for an AWS, and some meetings were held. The
Local also noted complaints from employees whose offices were not included
in the pilot AWS. A new agency 9A notice was provided on 1/10/07 for
the AWS pilot to be expanded to the Miami CSC and Miami Natz, and the Local
is awaiting information on any and all changes to appointments to be made at
the CSC and Natz due to the proffered AWS. We understand Natz has
already filled its appointment schedule and hearings for Jan and Feb and may
not be able to immediately enter into an AWS. Further information will be
forthcoming as soon as it becomes available.
1/10/07
- Step A Grievance/DTB and Info Request
filed due to I-485 appointment changes and scheduling time changes at Miami
7880, without notice to Local 1458.
1/10/07 - Local 1458 President's notice to
S&H Officer/Committee of
some magnometers in disrepair.
Request
for walk-through inspections.
1/2/07 - National CIS Council involved in
pre-decisional involvement and given draft of national
PWP by CIS for Field offices and Service Centers.
12/18/06
-
Local 1458 submits numerous
Demands to Bargain and Information
Requests for the proposed new facilities in Florida CIS,
which land/leasing arrangements are being secured
in FY 2007 and 2008.
DTB Broward and Dade
Facilities
DTB Tampa
DTB Orlando
DTB WPB
FYI, the national basic CIS office models the agency provided to our
national union and related information can be found at:
New Facility Model Slides
12/6/0
6 -
OPM Regulatory Review Schedule
(Revision of important regulations relating to federal employment (Dec 2006
-June 2007)
Special Call
Meeting (12/5/06)
12/4/06 - AWS Negotiations/Consultations continuing for Miami District CIS
(more to follow)
Local 1458 December
2006 Newsletter (New
Councils, CIS and ICE National Arbitrations, CBP National Grievance, Help
Your Union, Membership Benefits)
Special Call Meeting (11/20)
AFGE Questions DHS Intent to Implement Personnel
Changes on Bargaining Unit Employees
The American Federation of Government Employees
is questioning DHS intentions following the agency's
latest Directive (MD) on Performance Management.
It's the first directive from the agency
following the affirmance of Judge Collyer's
injunction to halt implementation of a new personnel
system for DHS. In a letter dated September 27,
2006, the agency invited AFGE to respond with
written comments to the MD within 30 days. In the
October 27th letter accompanying AFGE's response,
Field Services Director Joe Henderson stressed that
the agency and AFGE are bound by the court
injunction. "Whatever comments, discussions,
briefings, or other interactions we may have prior
to your notification to us of your intention to
implement any part of MAXHR in our bargaining units
in no way compromises or waives our right to bargain
to the full extent of the law before such
implementation would be lawful," Henderson said.
Henderson also pressed the agency on specifics
saying that earlier this year DHS Chief Human
Capital Officer Gregg Prillaman said that the
"final" management directive had been issued for
managers, supervisors, and most non-bargaining unit
employees and that the agency would contact AFGE
when and if the agency had plans to implement the
directive for bargaining employees.
In his letter to DHS, Henderson said so far AFGE
had not been contacted about the agency's plans and
that no discussions have taken place. Henderson
added that the revised directive doesn't contain any
information on when and if the new performance
program will apply to bargaining unit members. For
more information about the directive please go to
http://www.afge.org/Index.cfm?page=DHSRegulations.
Grievance Filed About Writing Jobs for CIS
Workers
Last week, after a day-long hearing, an
arbitrator said she would decide by December 30,
2006 whether to arbitrate a grievance AFGE made
regarding hiring practices on behalf of Citizen and
Immigration Service Employees (CIS). The grievance,
filed by AFGE Council 119 , concerns a public job
announcement the agency made last year for an
adjudication officer. The union maintains the
entire process was unfair including the self
certification and the written sample test. For
instance the bargaining unit employees who passed
the certification for the job should have been
selected for the next step in the process which was
a writing test. However, it's AFGE's view that
management handpicked some lesser qualified
candidates to go to the second step over more
qualified candidates. Further, the union contends
that neither the self certification nor the written
sample test were fair. If AFGE prevails an
arbitration would be held January 23 or 24th. |
|
New. Oct 25, 2006. AFGE splits one national union Council into
three - one for ICE, one for CIS, and one for CBP
New. Look out for new Adjudications Officer job announcements on
USAJobs. 10-23-06
*New* The Government Standard -October/November 2006 (Members Only)
10-3-06
More >