Summary of Legislative Conference and Annual Training Conference

NTEU Legislative Conference and Annual Training

NTEU Legislative Conference (February 26-28, 2014)

NTEU held its Legislative Conference from February 26-28, 2014.  NTEU280's elected officers actively participated in this great opportunity to discuss Federal employee concerns with members of Congress and their staffs.  Among the issues discussed:

- ending sequestration
- ensuring adequate agency funding
- protecting our health benefits

- protecting our retirement benefits
- eliminating unnecessary contracting out; and
- limiting the reimbursement cap for individual contractors to the level of the Vice President of the United States' salary

President Colleen Kelley noted in her remarks to attendees that after years with no pay raises and increased out of pocket costs that "Federal workers are in danger of slipping from the middle class.  Many attendees expressed the concern that reductions in the value of pay and benefits are making it difficult to attract and keep new employees.

NTEU had a lunch time rally in front of the Capitol.  Despite cold and wind, it was very well attended, including by our Chapter.  Several members of Congress came out to speak to the crowd.

Participation in the legislative conference is an important activity for our Chapter.  In addition to getting the word out about our concerns to National decision-makers, we are able to network with officers from other NTEU chapters and learn about and strategize over common issues facing our members.

NTEU Training Conference (March 18-20, 2014)

NTEU held its training conference in Arlington, VA.  Twenty-six chapters were in attendance.

Chapter officers and stewards assembled, including your NTEU280 officers and several stewards.  In the opening plenary session, we watched an updated version of the video "Federal Employees - They Work for U.S." that included an interview with our own NTEU280 President, Amer Al-Mudallal.  National President Colleen Kelley explained that we are seeking a 3.3% pay raise but that even 1% is opposed by some.  She also mentioned that attacks on our federal employee health benefits continue.  The issue of contractor pay caps and wasteful contract consultants was also discussed.  NTEU's work on behalf of Federal employees continues!  NTEU280 was recognized as one of the chapters that has experienced significant growth in the President's remarks.

All elected officers and stewards have been encouraged to attend this training as their schedules permit.  Several attended, but we should have the goal of 100% attendance next year.  The training is designed in tracks to best serve participants in their Chapter roles. The track are seminar (typically for chapter presidents and similar senior officers), leadership (for officers and stewards who have completed their stewardship training), and stewardship (for new stewards or those seeking a refresher).

The annual training is highly valuable.  One item we look forward to every year is an update on cases.  In addition, grievance exercises are presented in a way that assists attendees to form groups and brainstorm, which will assist them in strategizing how to help members when they return to their own chapters.

What's Coming Up; Why This is a Great Time to Join NTEU280

What's Coming Up

• NTEU Legislative Conference - February 26-28, 2014

NTEU280 will participate in NTEU's 2014 Legislative Conference later this month.  Last year's conference was extensively covered by the press, as it was the first year sequestration cuts and the (later realized) threat of furloughs loomed for Federal employees.  A common theme at the 2013 conference was not only the effect of sequestration and furloughs upon Federal employees, but the effect upon other citizens who rely upon us, as well as the ripple effects throughout our communities.  For information on last year's conference, please see the NTEU National page at http://www.nteu.org/UnionOffice/legconference/default.aspx.  Our officers look forward to representing our members at the 2014 conference. 

• NTEU Training - for officers and stewards - offered locally in Rosslyn, VA - March 18-20, 2014

NTEU280 officers and stewards are invited to participate in the NTEU Training.  There are four tracks offered:  stewardship, representation, leadership, and a seminar (N.B. - seminar has limited participation and is typically for chapter presidents).  If you are an NTEU280 officer or steward interested in attending the training, please contact Sean Carter, Chief Steward, NTEU280, for information about how to participate.  If this is your first time attending the training, we recommend signing up for the stewardship track as it contains an excellent overview. If you have previously attended training, you would want to consider attending the representation track. 

 
Why This is A Great Time to Invite a Colleague to Join

We are engaged in a friendly competition with other NTEU chapters to ask at least 100 non-members to join. We want to be the ones to ask the most non-members to join, so our goal is to ask at least 100 and we can ask more than that with our members' help.  To help make the conversation easier, we are offering a membership incentive that runs through March 11, 2014.  Here is how it works:  current NTEU280 members who recruit a new NTEU280 member will receive $50 as soon as the member's paperwork is processed.  The new member will receive $100 as soon as the membership paperwork (i.e., 1187 form)  is processed.  The top recruiter who has sole credit for signing up a minimum of ten new members will receive an additional $250 from the Chapter, as well as bragging rights for having signed up the most new members.  For more information about the membership incentive, contact Amer Al-Mudallal, President, NTEU280.

For helpful information about the benefits of joining NTEU in general, see this link to membership information at National's Page:

• https://www.nteu.org/MemberBenefits/Apply.aspx (There is a link to the membership form - the 1187 - at that link.  Note that only the last four digits of the SSN are currently required to process the form.) 

How to Follow NTEU National; NTEU280

For NTEU National---
Web page:  http://www.nteu.org/
"Like" NTEU on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/NTEUNational
Follow NTEU on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/NTEUnews

Reminder:  Members may sign up for e-mail alerts and other members-only features on the NTEU National web page.  Visit the "members only" area for more information.  Please provide your personal (not work) e-mail address.

As far as our chapter's presence, NTEU280 is currently using this blog as our up-to-date web presence.  Our new web page will be up and running within a month, and will incorporate blog features.  We will also begin the process of uploading information from our old web page regarding the history of the chapter and other archival documents. 

First and foremost, we are interested in providing information that our members can easily access and use.  If you have suggestions as to what you would like to see, please contact us at nteu280blog@gmail.com.  We are here to serve you. 

 

1% Pay Raise for 2014

Federal employees will receive a 1% increase in 2014. 

For three years, Federal salaries have been frozen.  NTEU has tirelessly argued for an end to that freeze.  On December 23, 2013, the White House issued an Executive Order regarding the 1% increase.  NTEU focused on ensuring it would not be blocked.    

The 2014 pay tables reflecting the increase are located at:  http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/2014/general-schedule/. 

NTEU fought hard to get this increase, which will be effective for the first pay period in 2014.  Efforts will now focus on securing what NTEU National has referred to as a more "robust" increase in 2015.   

2013 Holiday Membership Drive is ON!

2013 Holiday Membership Drive

Receive $50

for each new member you recruit from

November 29, 2013—January 2, 2014

New members receive $100

Fill out a SF-1187 with the new member’s information, write your name at the bottom, and have the new member sign the form. Email, fax, or hand deliver the form to the Chapter office for processing. Once the new member’s eligibility is confirmed (6 - 8 weeks), each of you will receive your incentive check. 

Our strength is in our numbers

More members = More influence