New Employee Orientation
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) CBP Chapter 128
…to ensure that every federal employee is treated with dignity and respect!
Why Are We Here?
• In federal law, there are two kinds of
employees
‾ Non-Bargaining Unit
• Supervisors of people
• Perform work in which they represent the employer
• Perform work in which they have continuing access to
private information
• Perform work in which they have regular access to
classified information
‾ Bargaining Unit - BU
• Everyone else
NTEU is…
•
Widely known as a smart, tough organization, wellrespected for its knowledge of federal employee issues.
And for its determination to work with federal agencies,
with Congress, and in the courts to protect, promote and
expand the rights of those it represents.
•
Operating since 1938 and driven by the principle that
every federal employee should be treated with dignity and
respect. In that time, NTEU has grown to represent some
150,000 bargaining unit employees in 31 federal agencies
and departments.
•
Represented by an experienced and professional staff in
Washington, D.C., seven field offices across the nation
and highly-trained, dedicated local leaders in the
workplace.
The Voice of Federal Employees
On Capitol Hill
‾
Leading the fight for fair pay, benefits and laws that improve the quality
of work life for federal employees. Full-time lobbyists work with NTEU to
educate elected officials on federal employee issues.
At the Bargaining Table
‾
Known for innovative contracts in the federal sector, NTEU’s bargaining
expertise is reflected in such gains as alternative work schedules,
telework, transit and parking subsidies, performance awards and much
more.
In the Courts
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NTEU has a history of establishing legal principles and winning millions
in back pay for federal workers not receiving proper compensation for
overtime. NTEU pursued a case for 22 years, winning special rate
employees more than $178 million in back pay and also won $533
million in back pay for delayed pay raises in another case.
The Voice of Federal Employees
In the Workplace
‾
Experienced attorneys serve as the direct connection between
NTEU chapters and the National Office, and represent
members in grievance arbitrations, unfair labor practice
hearings, and more. Highly-trained stewards work to resolve
employee issues at the lowest possible level and negotiate
over local changes to working conditions.
In the Media
‾
Skilled communications specialists take the message of the
importance of federal workers to the media and produce
publications—both print and electronic—that keep members
updated on a timely basis. At the local level, chapters keep
members informed of issues via desk drops, e-mail, web sites,
newsletters, meetings and more.
A History of Success - 1
•
Saw a key goal realized with the issuance of an executive order
establishing collaborative labor-management forums government-wide.
•
A provision in the health care reform bill raising to age 26 the dependent
coverage age limit under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.
•
Aggressive and persistent action by NTEU helped push a major telework
bill through Congress that should allow more federal employees to work
from home.
•
The Federal Career Intern Program came to an end after a prolonged
campaign by NTEU to halt agency use of the hiring mechanism that
disregarded the competitive hiring process.
•
NTEU won by a 2-1 margin an election covering more than 20,000
employees at Customs and Border Protection.
•
Fought for the protection of employee whistleblower rights in federal
courts.
A History of Success - 2
• Fought runaway contracting by supporting an administrative directive urging
federal agencies to increase insourcing efforts, when possible.
• Won the right for those covered under the Federal Employees Retirement
System to count unused sick leave toward their retirement annuity
calculations.
• Continuing to expand and enforce employees' rights to telework, alternative
work schedules, fair appraisals, overtime pay, fair scheduling and other
contractual and legal rights through the grievance and arbitration process,
and much more.
• Consistently fights for fair and competitive annual pay raises for federal
civilian employees.
A History of Success - 3
• Fought for passage of a bill that made permanent a child care tuition
assistance program for federal employees.
• Aggressively pushed for flexible spending accounts for federal employees
and an initiative allowing the use of pre-tax income to pay health care
premiums.
• Secured an expansion of the ability to contribute to or modify contributions to
the federal Thrift Savings Plan.
• Fought successfully for a dental-vision plan for federal workers.
• Won the right for federal employees to earn compensatory time for business
travel outside normal work hours.
A History of Success - 4
• Won thousands of dollars in back pay for Customs and Border
Protection Officers forced to work an unpaid sixth day of training.
• Won a federal court ruling that employees have the right to review
promotion files.
• Fought for, and secured, reforms to the 1939 Hatch Act that
expanded political and legislative action rights of federal employees.
• Won a first-ever court victory against an agency’s illegal use of
appropriated funds to give federal jobs to a contractor without giving
employees the chance to compete.
A History of Success - 5
• Won and implemented the enhanced Law Enforcement
Officer retirement benefits for Customs and Border
Protection Officers.
• Won a five-year battle to defeat administration efforts to
create an anti-union, anti-employee labor relations
system at the Department of Homeland Security by
severely restricting collective bargaining rights.
• Won $533 million in back pay for federal employees
when an appeals court ruled against President Nixon’s
1972 pay raise deferral.
NTEU’s Watch List on Harmful Legislation
•
Federal Employee Retirement System
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Elimination of FERS supplement
Increasing employee contribution
Elimination
Pay
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•
Extend pay freeze through 2015 and beyond
Suspend or eliminate within grade increases
Reduce employee compensation by 30%
Workforce
‾
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Repeal the prohibition on contracting out federal jobs
Reduce the federal workforce by 5-20%
Health insurance
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‾
•
Eliminate Medicare and move current recipients to FEHBP
Eliminate FEHBP and replace with vouchers
Other
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Fire employees who fall behind on their taxes
Mandatory 2-year probationary period
Furloughs of indeterminate number and duration
Reduce worker’s compensation
Joint Awards Committee (JAC 101)
 Article 42, Section 4 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
 Only bargaining unit employees are eligible to receive an award
through this program
 Committees are 3 managers and 3 bargaining unit employees




 the Committees track CBP organizational structure
 the reviews are done by people who understand the work
Can be serious money
CBP Form 80
Individual or team can be nominated
Anyone can nominate
 Self, co-worker, supervisor, etc.
 A winning nomination
 Specific to the quarter
 Clearly identify how action is outside of the normal duties of the
position
 Can consider grade level, routine for a GS-12 would be extraordinary
for a GS-7
Chapter 128 – CBP Headquarters
• Executive Board
•
•
•
•
•
•
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President – John Hiller
Executive Vice President – Tiffany Sawers
Treasurer – Tara Sussan
Secretary – Tumica Miller
Field Representative (from NTEU HQ)
Chief Steward – Doug Chapman
Stewards (15) - Primary contact for most
representation/information issues
• Bargaining unit employees
‾ Approximately 1500
‾ Dues-paying union members
Chapter 128 Efforts
• Outreach
‾ New Employee Orientation
‾ Lunch-N-Learn informational employee meetings
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•
•
•
Retirement
General benefits
Veterans issues
Excepted service
• Legislative Forum
‾
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Meet senators, congressmen, and staff from Virginia,
Maryland, and DC
Present issues that are of concern to NTEU memberships
• Representation
Representation…
• Internal affairs investigations
‾
‾
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Person initiating investigation
Witness
Subject of investigation
• Disciplinary actions
‾
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Letter of reprimand
Suspensions of 14 days or less
• Adverse actions
‾
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Suspensions of more than 14 days, including removal
Reduction in grade or pay
• Performance issues
• When requested by employee
• Grievances
eOPF (electronic Official Personnel File)
 All employees should check their eOPF at least quarterly
 It can reflect changes to your employment status that
you would not otherwise be aware of
 It contains important information:
‾
‾
‾
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the authority under which one is hired (competitive vice
excepted service)
bargaining unit status (Field 37 of the SF50)
Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) status (Field 35 of SF50)
Changes to benefits, beneficiaries, etc.
 Instructions for accessing your eOPF:
http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/info_about_you/eop_folder/eopf_faq.xml
Veterans and Equal Employment Opportunity
•
Veterans: Application to make service credit payment
‾
‾
Standard Form 3108
Through this form you should be able to credit military time to
your federal retirement program.
•
Veterans points for competitive hiring (CBA, Article 41)
•
Reasonable accommodation (CBA, Article 47)
‾
‾
Employees who have disabilities may be eligible for RA, as long
as the accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship to
the employer. Employees who believe they may be eligible for RA
should contact a civil rights officer and/or the Union.
RA may include, but not limited to: making facilities readily
accessible and usable by disabled persons, job restructuring,
part-time or modified work schedules, acquisition or modification
of equipment or devices, appropriate adjustment or modification
of examinations, the provision of readers and interpreters, and
other similar actions.
Useful Links
NTEU Contract on the government web site:
http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/linkhandler/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/labor_news/bargain_agree.ctt/bargai
n_agree.pdf
Electronic position descriptions:
https://apps.cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/sites/epd/Pages/PdsSeach.aspx
Telework brochures:
http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/linkhandler/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/hr_guides_emplys/telework_advanta
ge_emp.ctt/telework_advantage_emp.pdf
eOPF:
http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cbpnet/hrm/for_employees/info_about_you/eop_folder/eopf_faq.xml
Joint Awards Committee FAQ:
http://cbpnet.cbp.dhs.gov/xp/cbpnet/hrm/tool_kit/awards/joint_awards/jac_faq.xml
JAC (and other) Award Nomination Form:
http://cbpnet/linkhandler/cbpnet/toolbox/forms/cbp_forms/1_300/1_300_awards.ctt/1_300_awards.pdf
NTEU web site at: http://www.nteu.org/NTEU/
Joining the Union
• Standard Form 1187 for
payroll deduction
• Dues vary with Grade
and Step
‾ From $12.36 to $20.96
per pay period
 Remember to include
your personal email
address
CBP Chapter 128 Contacts
JOHN.M.HILLER@cbp.dhs.gov
President
TIFFANY.SAWERS@CBP.DHS.GOV
Executive Vice President and
Steward
Washington, DC
1331 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, NW
JORGE.A.VELASQUEZ@cbp.dhs.gov
CAROL.L.MYERS@CBP.DHS.GOV
KEITH.J.McGLAWN@cbp.dhs.gov
Treasurer and Steward
Secretary and Steward
Chief Steward
Steward
Steward
Steward
Steward
Steward
Steward
Washington, DC
Herndon, VA
Washington, DC
Arlington, VA
Arlington, VA
Arlington, VA
Chantilly, VA
Front Royal, VA
Herndon, VA
1400 L STREET, N.W.
12825 WORLDGATE DRIVE
1300 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, N.W.
1901 S. BELL ST
1901 S. BELL ST
1901 S. BELL ST
13900 PARKEAST CIRCLE
828 HARMONY HOLLOW RD
12825 WORLDGATE DRIVE
CHERRY.A.ANDREWS@cbp.dhs.gov
JUDI.WAHL@CBP.DHS.GOV
CATHY.AL-QAHTANI@CBP.DHS.GOV
LAZORA.BROWN@CBP.DHS.GOV
Steward
Steward
Steward
Steward
Lorton, VA
Lorton, VA
Springfield, VA
Springfield, VA
10720 RICHMOND HWY
10720 RICHMOND HWY
7375 BOSTON BLVD
7450 BOSTON BLVD,
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
1300 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, N.W
1300 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, N.W
1300 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, N.W.
TARA.SUSSAN@cbp.dhs.gov
TUMICA.MILLER@CBP.DHS.GOV
DOUG.CHAPMAN@CBP.DHS.GOV
EDWIN.COOKE@cbp.dhs.gov
SHERRI.M.DAVIS@cbp.dhs.gov
crystal.e.thompson@cbp.dhs.gov
MICHAEL.BUCKINGHAM@cbp.dhs.gov Steward
EVA.GARRETT@cbp.dhs.gov
Steward
KARI.L.PRICE@CBP.DHS.GOV
Steward
Springfield, VA
7451A BOSTON BLVD
Questions
…to ensure that every federal employee is treated with dignity and respect!