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Government Would Shift Most of FEHBP Premium
Increases to Employees under Deficit Commission's Plan

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers should consider President Obama’s deficit commission plan dead on arrival, after the misguided plan failed to win enough votes to force congressional action, the head of the largest federal employee union said today.

“This plan is built on fear, not hope. It relies on the same bad economic policies that have hurt working families, instead of making the changes needed to expand good-paying jobs in this country,” American Federation of Government Employees National President John Gage said.

The deficit commission plan would cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans and corporations while slashing Social Security and Medicare benefits that working-class Americans rely on to make ends meet, Gage said.

Government Would Shift Most of FEHBP Premium Increases to Employees under Deficit Commission’s Plan: The deficit commission’s recommendations to turn the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) into a voucher program would result in massive increases in federal employees’ out-of-pocket costs. Under the current system, when premiums go up by 10%, the government’s contribution goes up almost 10% because the government is required to pay 72% of the weighted average premium but no more than 75%. Under the deficit commission’s proposal, however, the government’s contribution would be totally unrelated to the rise in premiums. The government would instead offer employees a fixed subsidy that grows much more slowly than health care costs (Gross Domestic Product plus 1%).

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AFGE Urges Congress to Reject
Deficit Commission Plan

Proposal targets working-class Americans
while boosting coffers of wealthiest

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers should consider President Obama’s deficit commission plan dead on arrival, after the misguided plan failed to win enough votes to force congressional action, the head of the largest federal employee union said today.

“This plan is built on fear, not hope. It relies on the same bad economic policies that have hurt working families, instead of making the changes needed to expand good-paying jobs in this country,” American Federation of Government Employees National President John Gage said.

The deficit commission plan would cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans and corporations while slashing Social Security and Medicare benefits that working-class Americans rely on to make ends meet, Gage said.

“It would do nothing to spur job growth and energize the economy. In fact, it would cut take-home pay for millions of workers while making the millionaires and Wall Street executives even richer,” he added.

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AFGE Local 1858 Response to the Administration’s
Proposal to Freeze Federal Pay
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President Obama has put upon the federal employees a sacrifice for which there will be no prize. It was, politically, a safe way to portray to the misguided American public, his commitment that the federal government would do its part in fighting the uncontrollable deficit spending. In reality, the net effect will not have any significance in the battle to control a budget that cannot be reigned in for all of the other wasteful expenditures that are being left unaddressed.

This administration has failed to address the most basic of issues that threaten the very fabric of our Nation from an economic standpoint. All of the rhetoric over the viability of our economy boil down to whether our country can continue to thrive as decent paying jobs are allowed to be sent overseas. When workers, who once were able to make true middle-class incomes, are now forced to accept positions paying little more than the poverty rate, the governments that survive from those wages will also suffer. We are seeing this today all across the United States. Many States are feeling the strain of a depleted tax base. Many retailers, auto manufactures, home builders are also feeling the strain with working Americans having less disposable income. Couple that with the tightening of credit and you have our economy today.

Now comes the President with his plan to save some amount of $billions while trying to stave off a multi-trillion dollar monster. A few seconds of pondering will bring to mind the vulnerabilities of this line of thinking. Short of the government handing out checks to the citizens(like they did a few years ago), funneling money to the economy through the hands of its employees is the federal governments best tool to truly “stimulate” local economies. When you pay people more they spend more. When you cut or restrict their source of income, the confidence diminishes and their spending is curtailed. It should not come as a surprise if we find that the overall health of the economy will suffer should the President pursue his stated course of action. I hope that is not the case.

Many Americans are living in hard times and it is appealing to attack federal employee pay in that light. It is appealing, but very misleading and very cruel. Playing on America’s pain to bring harm to even more Americans when the net effect is inconsequential is criminal. The American public has been lead to believe that Federal workers are overpaid for the work that they do. Nothing could be further from the truth. But I will not stoop so low as to entertain that assertion, for getting down into the trenches with the rest does nothing to bring all of us up.

The President must change his stance now and treat the federal employees as all employees should be treated. Give them the nominal pay raise…it is not just the right thing to do for America, it is the best thing to do as well.

Don J. Eiermann, President

AFGE Local 1858

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AFGE Denounces Obama Administration’s
Proposal to Freeze Federal Pay
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  The following is a statement AFGE released to the press today. AFGE President John Gage has been conducting a series of interviews with TV, radio and newspaper reporters lambasting the White House’s proposal to freeze federal pay.

The American Federation of Government Employees today decried President Obama’s proposal to freeze pay for federal civilian employees in 2011 and 2012.

“This proposal to freeze federal pay is a superficial, panicked reaction to the deficit commission report,” stated AFGE President John Gage. “This pay freeze amounts to nothing more than political public relations. This is no time for scapegoating. The American people didn’t vote to stick it to a VA nursing assistant making $28,000 a year or a border patrol agent earning $34,000 a year.

“President Obama asks federal workers to share the sacrifice, but it’s unconscionable for him to attack the wages of federal working people while the millionaires and billionaires on Wall Street not only get their bailouts and astronomical bonuses; they also get their tax cuts,” Gage added.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement on the federal pay freeze:

“Today’s announcement of a two-year pay freeze for federal workers is bad for the middle class, bad for the economy and bad for business. No one is served by our government participating in a “race to the bottom” in wages. We need to invest in creating jobs, not undermining the ones we have. The President talked about the need for shared sacrifice, but there’s nothing shared about Wall Street and CEOs making record profits and bonuses while working people bear the brunt. It is time to get our nation back on track, but we should not do so by placing an even greater burden on the middle class.”

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Previous Local 1858 News Flashes
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Garrison Moves Office Workers to Warehouse Update
August 31, 2010 - The Union met with the DOL Director to voice concerns about the employees of the Stock Control Branch being moved to Bldg. 8022 (warehouse). Among the top issues were heating/cooling of the office area and bathrooms, poor work environment (general office area), negative impact on job functions, negative impact to serviced customers, no ice or food vending machines in the break room that is still under construction, handicap access. The Director promised to address many of the concerns, but that the move was necessary and that he heard the folks were happy. Today, Union officials went and spoke with the affected employees and were told (in no uncertain terms) that they were not happy with current situation. The Union will address the matters discussed with Garrison leadership very shortly.

Restroom Renovations in building 5678 and 4722 May Cause Unrest

The Local has learned that the restrooms in building 5678 and 4722 are going to be renovated, which is a good thing. However, during those renovations, we were told that employees would have to use port-a-johns located outside the buildings. We don't know if these are the usual port-a-johns or some special configuration. We will meet with leadership and make recommendations to mitigate the inconvenience. If you are located in one of the affected locations and have concerns/ideas, please contact the Union office ASAP. Work on the restrooms is schedule to begin on or shortly after September 1st. Update: (We were recently told that work on the bathrooms may not begin until November. The agency is going to rent portable trailers that have large bathrooms on board. Covered walkways were also demanded by the Union stay tuned.)

Local 1858 Is Growing
August 21, 2010 - The Local has added almost 200 new members to our roles since March! We are happy to welcome aboard those who have joined and offer thanks to those who continue to support our Union. If you are ready to get on board and help make a difference, download a membership application from our website, fill it out and bring it over to building 3202 on Mauler Road. You can call 876-4880 for more information or directions to the office. This is YOUR Local representing YOUR interests help make it work for you and for all of us on Redstone Arsenal JOIN TODAY!
Employees Threatened Over DAU Certifications
August 21, 2010 - The Local was contacted about several employees in IMMC who have received warnings or been issued formal performance improvement plans (PIPs) regarding failure to obtain DAU certification or training. The Local President met with the IMMC acting Executive Director and discussed the issue and the fact that during the IMMC Labor-Management Partnership Team meetings, the Union was assured that DAU related training and certification matters would be a sub-component of an overall training objective and not be a stand-alone objective so as to not adversely affect any IMMC employees. The Director agreed and stated that he would address the issue with his leadership team in the near future. The Union expects this matter to be resolved very shortly.
Garrison Moves Office Workers to Warehouse
August 21, 2010 - The Directorate of Logistics (DOL) of Garrison Redstone moved a group of office workers to the warehouse located in building 8022. The facility barely has any climate control where the offices are located and the restrooms have none. Some employees who were moved have health conditions which may be exacerbated by the lack of proper cooling/heating. The Union filed a ULP against the Garrison in an attempt to bring them to the table to discuss the situation before the employees were moved. However, leadership ignored all attempts to work the issues. The Garrison Commander was contacted and apprised of the matter. He stated that DOL leadership will be contacting the Union to work the issue.
Restroom Renovations May Cause Unrest
August 21, 2010 - The Local has learned that the restrooms in building 5678 and 4722 are going to be renovated, which is a good thing. However, during those renovations, we were told that employees would have to use port-a-johns located outside the buildings. We don't know if these are the usual port-a-johns or some special configuration. We will meet with leadership and make recommendations to mitigate the inconvenience. If you are located in one of the affected locations and have concerns/ideas, please contact the Union office ASAP. Work on the restrooms is schedule to begin on or shortly after September 1st.
Security Guard Meeting on Tuesday
August 21, 2010 - The Local will be holding a meeting with all of the newly hired security guards that were brought on board as GS-4s. For a long time, all guards on Redstone were GS-5s. With the conversion of contract guards to DA civilian guards, the Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Commander, LTG Richard Lynch, directed all Garrisons to hire at lower wages, thereby taking advantage of a weak job market and exploiting the very same Veterans who served our nation in the Armed Forces. The Local will attempt to find a way to upgrade these folks to the previously established GS-5 grade. With the wages being so low, turnover has already begun to be an issue. When the contractors ran the gates, the employees were paid an equivalent salary of a GS-7. Money didn't seem to be an issue. Now that they are DA civilians, the IMCOM wants to cut pay rates!

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CONTRACTOR WASTE RAMPANT IN DOD
August 13, 2010 - CONTRACTOR WASTE SO RAMPANT IN DOD THAT NOW EVEN INSOURCING IS IMPERILED Secretary Gates knows the Department of Defense must reduce its excessive reliance on expensive service contractors. That's why he has directed the department to slash by almost one-third the taxpayer dollars spent on service contractors over the next three years. Insourcing, using reliable and experienced civilian employees to perform services in certain circumstances instead of contractors, continues to be a valuable tool to reduce contractor expenses. As Secretary Gates himself noted recently in The Washington Post, "federal workers cost 25 percent less than contractors". However, even those insourcing savings are now considered insufficient because of the imperative to drastically drive down service contractor costs. Rather than replace contractors with civilian employees, in many instances, according to Secretary Gates, contracts will simply be eliminated or downsized.

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Attention ALL Bargaining Unit Employees of AMRDEC
AMRDEC employees may qualify for an Extraordinary Pay Increase (EPI) which goes beyond the normal annual Performance Pay Increase/Bonus

To be eligible, an employee must receive an "A" rating and have a salary below the top of the current pay band.

All EPIs must be submitted to the pay pool manager NLT 30 September of each year.

For more information about the EPI incentive and how you can qualify, ask your supervisor or contact the Union at 876-4880 (email: afge-user@conus.army.mil).

Note: For additional information, read Lab-Demo 690-5, dated November 4, 2004.
Garrison begins conversion of Contractor Security Guards to DA
Garrison Redstone is beginning to convert the contractor guard positions at the perimeter gates to DA Security Guards. Over the next several months, approximately 100 new government employees will be on the rolls over in the Directorate for Emergency Services. Veterans are given preferential consideration for all DASG positions as directed by law. The only way a non-veteran can get a guard job is if there are no qualified veterans available. The bad side…the new guards are being hired in at the GS-04 level when, traditionally, our guards are GS-05s. This is a slap in the face to our veterans who are trying to make a living. The Local brought this atrocity to the attention of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. AFGE is trying to get the right thing done and bring the grades up to GS-05.
AFGE Local 1858 Demands to Bargain Access to the Commissary and PX
The Local sent a demand to bargain for access to the Commissary and PX for all bargaining unit employees. Recently, the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) determined that a proposal to grant access to Commissaries and PX facilities was negotiable. Upon learning of the ruling, the Local drafted a letter with the demand and sent it to the Agency.
AFGE Local 1858 Wins settlement for Criminal Investigators
Three of our Criminal Investigators were adversely affected when the Director for Emergency Services (DES) illegally terminated the officer's Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP). LEAP is paid to Criminal Investigators in lieu of overtime for the hours they work beyond the normal administrative workweek to complete action on investigations. It equal 25% of their base pay and is considered when determining retirement contributions as well. In March of this year, the DES terminated the LEAP as a cost savings measure in a manner contrary to Law. The Union advised the Garrison Commander that such action was unwise, but we were ignored. Three separate judges from the Atlanta Region of the MSPB concurred with the Union’s assessment and, consequently, reversed the agency’s actions. The employees will be given their entire LEAP to include any interest due them. The Union will post the cases as we receive them.   Read the G. French case (pdf)   Read the K. Smith case (pdf)
AFGE Local 1858 Wins settlement for IMMC LAR
An IMMC Logistics Assistant Representative (LAR) will not have to relocate to Ft. Drum as a result of a settlement decision in a grievance case filed in IMMC. The LAR argued that the Readiness Directorate failed to follow its own procedures when it determined that it was his turn to move to Ft. Drum. The IMMC Director rendered a decision that moved the Grievant out of the mobile LAR job to a support position for one of the PEOs at Ft. Hood.
AFGE Local 1858 claims success in obtaining disability retirements for three employees
AFGE Local 1858 was recently successful in obtaining approval for three employees to go out under a disability retirement (DR). DRs are not a guarantee and must be approved by OPM. There is a lot of paperwork that must go in and get approved for an employee to successfully obtain a DR and the Union is the one that can help in that process.
Alabama Senators Shelby and Sessions Vote to Freeze Federal Employee Pay

June 18, 2010 - The Senate on Thursday rejected a proposed amendment offered by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., to the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act., that would have frozen federal pay, eliminated bonuses and stopped any new federal employee hiring.

Both Alabama Senators Shelby and Sessions voted in-favor of this amendment which would have hurt all federal employees of Redstone Arsenal and all those located in Alabama.

Everyone who reads this information on our website needs to contact both Senator’s offices and convey their disappointment in the lack of support provided by both of them.


Recommended language to send to our Senators:

Sir, Your vote on the Thune amendment #4376 was a slap in the face to all federal employees of both Redstone Arsenal (whom you claim to support) and other federal operations in this state. More infuriating is the fact that you didn't even talk to any of us in Alabama before casting your vote. I will most certainly share this information with all of my coworkers and their family members. If you can't vote to support us, I don't feel that we will vote to support you... You owe all Federal employees in Alabama an explanation and an apology.
 

Senator Richard C. Shelby (R)
DC phone number: 202-224-5744
E-form: Web Mail
DC fax: 202-224-3416
Mail:
Senator Richard C. Shelby
110 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
Senator Jeff Sessions (R)
DC phone number: 202-224-4124
DC fax: 202-224-3149
E-form: Web Mail
Mail:
Senator Jeff Sessions
335 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510