Democracy in Action: our new AFGE National CIS Council 119 Executive Board
Dear Local Leaders and Activists:
On Saturday, 24 February 2007, the first convention of the American Federation of Government
Employees National Citizenship and Immigration Services Council (NCISC/Council 119) was
held in Washington, DC. This historic event was the founding convention for Council 119 -- a
Council dedicated to the interests of over 7,500 bargaining unit employees of the bureau of
Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS), within the Department of Homeland Security.
“Democracy in action” is the hallmark of our Federation. One of the most important expressions
of democracy in action is when union members express their collective will by choosing leaders
and representatives through free and fair elections. This past weekend, our membership
demonstrated its commitment to that principle at the Council 119 convention, where fourteen
delegates from ten member Locals met to elect the officers of the new Council Executive Board.
I am pleased to announce the following election results:
President:
Executive Vice President
Secretary-Treasurer
Fair Practices Coordinator
Women’s Coordinator
Eastern Region VP
Central Region VP
Western Region VP
Michael A. Knowles
Carol Rash
Bridgette Rodriguez
Daniel R. Bell
Rafael Flores
Jim Bonnette
Kevin Tinker
Sondra Gottschalk
knowles1924@aol.com
Crash21263@aol.com
Council119ST@aol.com
Danielrbell@hotmail.com
rflores_51@hotmail.com
local2149@yahoo.com
min-ktin@tx.rr.com
sondav@earthlink.net
On behalf of our Council 119 Executive board, I wish to sincerely thank all of the Locals that
sent delegates to the convention. Each individual who stepped forward to run for an elected
office deserves the special appreciation of all our members.
I and the other members of the new Executive Board’s representational team are humbled by
your vote of confidence, and we consider it a great honor and privilege to have this opportunity
to serve you. We promise to do our utmost to serve you and carry the representational ball
forward. But we cannot carry that ball forward without your help. Our effectiveness will be
determined by the collective good will, ingenuity and hard work of our member Locals. We
must strive to ensure the maximum inclusion and participation of all -- for the greatest benefit
and security of all.
Our Union faces a myriad of challenges as the exclusive representative of the men and women
who have been entrusted with carrying out the USCIS mission, in service to the American
people. We have a unique opportunity to help create a model federal agency, through our efforts
to build a strong and effective employees union. During the coming months, our Council will be
called upon to bargain a new master labor agreement (contract) with USCIS. The Agency has
invited the Union to participate in a number of important workgroups and design teams,
including: organizational transformation project, strategic human capital initiative, strategic
labor-management relations plan, training, workforce re-structuring, performance evaluation
standards, IIO uniforms policy, telework policy, shelter-in-place policy.
Our Council Executive Board intends to work closely with the AFGE national and district offices
to assist our member Locals with litigation and legal defense, steward training, membership
organizing, and mobilization for legislative and political action. With a bargaining unit of over
7,500 employees, we have a tremendous potential to expand our membership -- which presently
stands at just under 2,000. To build a strong and effective national council, we must build strong
and effective Locals. That objective can only be reached by our collective efforts and good will.
Please strongly consider volunteering when future opportunities arise to participate in national
workgroups, bargaining teams, organizing missions and member mobilization efforts.
We have heard your call for better communication and we intend to meet your expectations by
sending you frequent updates with important representational information, legislative action
alerts and news of Council activities. Achieving better communication is a two-way street, so
we will value your input by sending us your questions, concerns and recommendations for ways
to improve service to our membership.
In order to update our Council mailing list, please send an E-mail message to Bridgette
Rodriguez, Council Secretary-Treasurer, at: Council119ST@aol.com, providing the name, phone
number and private E-mail address for your Local President and each Local Executive Board
member, as well as your Local’s current mailing address.
“Upward and onward!”
At your service, in solidarity,
Michael A. Knowles and
the AFGE National CIS Council 119 Team