IMPORTANT: This information should not be downloaded using government equipment, read during duty time or sent to others using government equipment, because it suggests action to be taken in support or against legislation. Do not list your government email or government address in filling out this message.
Subject: Next Up: Attacking Our Rights At Work
House Republican Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) and his band of Republican union haters have tried to freeze federal pay and federal jobs. Now Cantor and gang are trying to eliminate the official time that AFGE uses to defend the rights of federal employees. They attempted to do just that today, and AFGE beat them back by a vote of 243 - 182. But Cantor has vowed to keep trying .
THE BOTTOM LINE: The loss of official time, whether at some agencies or all agencies, would cripple AFGE and other federal employee unions and prevent the hundreds of thousands of working and middle class Americans in the federal workforce, members and non-members alike, from receiving effective union representation.
ENOUGH! STOP THEM NOW! Click here to send an urgent message to your Representative Today!
In announcing his attack on federal employee unions, Cantor (R-VA) said that the amendment, "developed by Phil Gingrey (R-GA), addresses one of the perpetual roadblocks to American private-sector job creation and economic recovery: federal-employee unions," (6/29/10, http://republicanwhip.house.gov/YouCut/). Lawmakers like Cantor and his Republican colleagues who hurl these blanket attacks aren't solving any of the serious problems we face. They do fan the flames of anti-government, anti- government employee rhetoric. And if they succeed they will make it impossible for our union to stand up for the rights of AFGE members.
STOP THEM! Click here to send an urgent message to your Representative Today!
WHY THERE IS OFFICIAL TIME: At first glance, it appears as if agencies are subsidizing federal employee unions through the provision of official time. However, federal employee unions only possess the right to negotiate with agencies over official time in order to fulfill important obligations imposed upon them by law. In exchange for fulfilling our responsibilities, Congress allowed federal employee unions to bargain with agencies over official time, by which federal employees who are also union representatives can fulfill obligations to their members and non-members while on duty status. Incidentally, official time has long been provided to union representatives by businesses and state and local governments.
If Cantor and his cronies succeeded in eliminating official time, AFGE and other federal employee unions would be hit with a one-two punch. Official time would be gutted and with it the right to full and effective representation, but the statutory free lunch system would continue whereby federal unions have to spend time and resources representing non-members.
DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT! Click here to send an urgent message to your Representative Today!
_______________________________________________
Email for Lawmakers
I am writing to urge you to oppose any motions or amendments which would curtail or eliminate the use of official time for federal union representation purposes.
The loss of official time would prevent the hundreds of thousands of working and middle class Americans in the federal workforce, members and non-members alike, from receiving effective union representation.
At first glance, it appears as if agencies are subsidizing federal employee unions through the provision of official time. However, federal employee unions only possess the right to negotiate with agencies over official time in order to fulfill important obligations imposed upon them by law.
As part of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the Congress requires federal employee unions to work on behalf of all employees in a bargaining unit regardless of whether they pay dues. Moreover, the Congress prohibits federal employee representatives from even collecting a fair-share payment or fee when they handle grievances for non-members or arbitrate cases on their behalf. In other words, non-members get the proverbial free lunch; they contribute not a dime, yet they benefit directly from the hard-fought bargaining gains and skilled representation that organizations representing federal employees are compelled by law to provide equally to both members and non-members.
In exchange for fulfilling these responsibilities, the Congress allowed federal employee unions to bargain with agencies over official time, by which federal employees who are also union representatives can fulfill obligations to their members and non-members while on duty status.
By law, federal employee unions can use official time only for those activities which are reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest. Legally permitted representational activities include negotiating collective bargaining agreements, handling employee grievances, and conducting and receiving training.
Representatives of federal employee unions are prohibited from using official time on any internal matters. Therefore, official time can't be used to organize workers, solicit new members, campaign for office, or conduct elections. Federal employee representatives are also strictly forbidden to use official time for any partisan political activities.
If official time is eliminated the hundreds of thousands of working and middle class Americans in the federal workforce, members and non-members alike, would be denied an advocate for their rights at work. I strongly urge you to oppose any amendments or procedural motions which would curtail or eliminate official time for union representation purposes.