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• Feb 1, 2012 AFSCME letter opposing attacks on federal pay and retirement benefits AFSCME International  Director of Legislation Chuck Loveless wrote to House-Senate Conferees: �� I am writing to urge you to oppose any provisions that offset the extension of the payroll tax holiday with cuts to middle class federal employee pay and benefits. We have serious concerns... AFSCME        more...  
• Feb 1, 2012 Federal-Postal Coalition letter opposing proposed cuts in workers compensation In a letter the Federal-Postal Coalition (of which AFSCME is a member) urges the Senate to oppose legislation that weaken worker compensation protections. Click here to read the full letter.  AFSCME        more...  
• Jan 25, 2012 Coalition urges Congress not to penalize feds to pay for payroll tax extension A large coalition of federal employee groups last week sent letters to members of Congress assigned to work on a further extension of the payroll tax cut, urging them not to pay for the cut by reducing federal pay and benefits. The alliance of 29 unions and organizations representing feds sent... Federal Daily        more   
• Jan 18, 2012 50 Years Ago, JFK Opened Door for Federal Employees to Join Unions Fifty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order opening the door for 2 million federal employees to join unions. His action set the stage for expanding these rights under Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter�a bipartisan recognition that federal employees should have... AFL-CIO        more   
• Jan 10, 2012 "Insufficient" Pay Increase Proposed for Federal Workers Federal workers have already   contributed more than enough. That was AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman�s response Friday to the 0.5 percent pay increase for civilian federal employees proposed by the White House as part of its 2013 budget proposal. It would be... DC Labor        more...  
• Jan 10, 2012 White House proposal to end pay freeze draws mixed reactions Federal employee groups had mixed reactions to the news Friday that President Obama will propose a pay increase for federal employees in his fiscal 2013 budget. Advocates for federal workers were pleased with the news,  first reported  by  The Washington Post , that the Obama... Government Executive        more   
• Jan 10, 2012 Proposed Federal Pay Raise: What They Are Saying The proposed 0.5% pay raise for federal civilian employees that is set to be included in the 2013 White House budget proposal has got a lot of people talking. Here's a compilation of some of the reactions to the proposal. Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD) "Today the Obama Administration... Fed Smith        more   
• Dec 16, 2011 AFSCME Lobbies to Keep Transit Subsidy Cap AFSCME International sent a letter this week to the House and Senate leadership urging them to take action to keep the transit subsidy cap at $230 per month. Without Congressional action the cap will be reduced to $125 per month in January. AFSCME is also directly working with Congressional... AFSCME        more...  
• Dec 8, 2011 Groups urge House to reject proposals reducing federal pay and benefits A group of federal employee advocates on Wednesday implored House leadership to  reject any plan  that would subject federal workers to an extended pay freeze or downsize the government to finance a longer payroll tax holiday. The Federal-Postal Coalition also called on lawmakers to... Government Executive        more   
• Dec 8, 2011 REMARKS ON THE RETIREMENT OF AFSCME PRESIDENT JERRY MCENTEE Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once called the organized labor movement, �the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress.� And for three decades, Jerry McEntee has been a leader in the quest for that progress. He has fought for a better life for... Council 26        more...  
• Dec 1, 2011 COALITION OF 22 FEDERAL UNIONS ISSUES STATEMENT ON PROPOSALS TARGETING PAY FREEZE, WORKFORCE CUTS �The members of the FWA are concerned with recent proposals to finance the extension of the payroll tax cut through an extended federal pay freeze and ten percent reduction in federal jobs. Federal employees are already sacrificing immensely with a two-year freeze on their pay and shoe... Council 26        more...  
• Nov 5, 2011 Federal Union Workers Join Occupy Protesters �Most federal employees consider themselves to be part of the 99 percent,� Saul Schniderman, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Library of Congress Guild told the Washington Post last Thursday at the big �Tax Wall Street� rally.     AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Nov 5, 2011 Donating to Occupy DC It was bright and sunny Wednesday when AFSCME Council 26�s Carl Goldman (pictured at left) and Fern Finley stopped by Occupy DC to drop off 100 AFSCME rain slickers, but occupier Justin Rodriguez was happy to accept them.     AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Oct 24, 2011 Group representing millions of feds urges supercommittee not to penalize federal workforce A coalition representing 4.6 million federal and postal workers and annuitants has sent a letter to the deficit reduction supercommittee urging the panel to reject proposals that would put further strains on the federal workforce. The Federal-Postal Coalition�made up of 20 federal unions and... Federal Daily        more   
• Oct 5, 2011 Wall Street protest gains union support Several top unions Tuesday threw their support behind protests on Wall Street and across the nation demanding U.S. social and economic policy change. The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, the Communications Workers of America and the Amalgamated Transit... United Press International        more   
• Oct 3, 2011 Furloughed FAA Workers to Get Back Pay Federal Aviation Administration workers furloughed earlier this year ( 4,000 FAA Workers Furloughed 7/22 UC) learned Friday that they�ll receive back pay for the two weeks they were out of work. �I am glad to see that FAA employees who were furloughed will finally be... AFL-CIO        more...  
• Sep 28, 2011 AFSCME: Federal-Postal Coalition Writes Super Committee The Federal-Postal Coalition, which includes AFSCME, sent a letter to the Super Committee members urging them to reject proposals that would have an inequitable impact on federal employees. To read the full letter click here.  Federal Postal Coalition        more...  
• Sep 27, 2011 Unions urge lawmakers to pass multi-year FAA funding measure A host of aviation industry-related unions urged Congress on Monday to pass a long-term funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration. Congress narrowly avoided a second shutdown of the FAA in as many months earlier in September when it passed a bill to extend the beleaguered agency's... The Hill        more   
• Sep 26, 2011 What �The Washington Post� Doesn�t Understand About the Looming Government Shutdown One of the biggest problems of reporting on our dysfunctional politics has been the reflexive tendency in �mainstream� media to balance, via what is increasingly false equivalence. A glaring example was a   front-page, above-the-fold story in Saturday�s   Washington Post... The New Republic        more   
• Sep 23, 2011 House votes to keep government open through Nov. 18 The House voted early Friday 219-203 to pass a continuing resolution that funds the government through Nov. 18, setting up a battle with the Democratic-controlled Senate. The vote replenishes a nearly-empty Federal Emergency Management Agency account and includes $100 million in... Government Executive        more   
• Sep 23, 2011 Shutdown a Step Closer as Senate Kills House Bill The Senate voted Friday morning to reject the House's stopgap spending bill, less than twelve hours after the House's Republican leaders had forced it through on their second try. The Senate vote was 59 to 36 to table the House bill, effectively killing it. Some conservative Republicans joined... The New York Times        more   
• Sep 22, 2011 House Rebukes G.O.P. Leaders Over Spending House Republican leaders suffered a surprising setback on Wednesday when the House rejected their version of a stopgap spending bill, leaving unclear how Congress will provide money to keep the government open after Sept. 30 and aid victims of a string of costly recent natural disasters. The... The New York Times        more   
• Sep 22, 2011 House May Still Try to Pass a Continuing Resolution The House is currently debating the Rule for H.R. 2401 - The Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation (TRAIN) Act of 2011.  Following debate on the Rule, the House is expected to recess subject to the Call of the Chair. **Members are advised... Office of Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer        more...  
• Sep 21, 2011 Reid warns shutdown is possible Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned Tuesday there is a chance that the government could shutter by the end of this month. 

 Criticizing House Republicans for the disaster relief provisions in their budget bill, Reid told reporters, "We're not going to... The Hill        more   
• Sep 21, 2011 Deficit reduction pain for federal employees could be worse, some say It could be worse. That's the argument the Obama administration is making in the face of criticism from federal employee groups over the president's decision to recommend that government workers contribute more money to their pensions to help reduce the budget deficit. Unions and other... Government Executive        more   
• Sep 20, 2011 Groups urge Obama not to target federal pay and benefits President Obama is set to unveil his deficit reduction plan Monday, and federal employee groups are urging him not to target government workers' pay and benefits in his proposal. The Federal-Postal Coalition, made up of several federal employee unions and groups, sent  letters  to... Government Executive        more   
• Sep 20, 2011 Feds would contribute more to pensions under Obama's deficit plan President Obama on Monday released a  deficit reduction proposal  that recommends increasing the amount federal employees contribute to their pensions beginning in 2013. The plan proposes raising the employee contribution rate by 1.2 percent over three years beginning in 2013 -- a... Government Executive        more   
• Sep 19, 2011 FAA Shutdown Averted As the clock ticked toward a Friday midnight deadline, the Senate passed the FAA authorization (HR 2887) which extended FAA programs for four months by a vote of 92 to 6.   In recent days Senator Tom Coburn (R, OK) had placed a hold on the bill but after much pressure... DC Labor        more...  
• Sep 16, 2011 Senate passes FAA spending extension The Senate on Thursday evening passed legislation that extends funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, narrowly averting a second partial agency shutdown. The measure was approved 92-6. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., who was blocking the legislation, reached an agreement with lawmakers... Government Executive        more   
• Sep 15, 2011 Will Senator Coburn cause another FAA shutdown at the end of this week? Senator Coburn (R-OK) is single handedly holding up the bill that will extend aviation and surface transportation programs.  The deadline for the FAA extension is Friday at midnight.  Unless Senator Coburn gives in, the FAA will go into partial shutdown again this weekend. ... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Sep 15, 2011 Alliance pledges to defend federal workforce from �irresponsible cuts� A coalition of 22 labor organizations representing federal employees is pledging �to defend the federal workforce from irresponsible cuts in the forthcoming congressional �super committee� negotiations.� The  Federal Workers Alliance  (FWA) says it represents more than 300,000 workers... Washington Post        more   
• Sep 14, 2011 Government spends billions more hiring contractors over public workers As Washington's use of private contractors grows, the government is paying those contractors billions more than it would pay their government workers to do the same job, according to a  new study released Tuesday. . In an attempt to verify frequently made claims that the government can... CBS News        more   
• Sep 14, 2011 McEntee: Study Confirms �Privatization Is a Recipe for Disaster� The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) was stunned to learn today that the United States government has spent billions of dollars hiring contractors rather than government employees. According to a study released today by the Project on Government... AFSCME        more   
• Sep 9, 2011 Remembering the `invisible workers� of 9/11 On Labor Day, E.J. Dionne published a  lovely column  entitled �The Invisible Worker.� He argued that the worker as an icon is essentially disappearing from our culture, and lamented that we should feel ashamed about �our cool indifference to the heroism of those who go to work every... Washington Post        more   
• Sep 8, 2011 Conservatives May Seize on Airport Funding Once Again The August shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration was a stunning example of how the House leadership team of Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), and House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) cares not at all about the... Center for American Progress        more   
• Sep 8, 2011 Hoyer: Shutdown unlikely this time around House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer both said Wednesday that he doesn't think Congress will have another fight this month that could trigger a government shutdown. The bottom line, Hoyer says, is that after the bruising spring shutdown battle and the ugly summer... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 7, 2011 Stop bashing government workers Two thousand and eleven has been one of the toughest years for public workers that I can remember. Every month until this past one, the private sector has added jobs, and every month the public sector has lost them. The  August employment report  shows that the public sector got hit... Washington Post        more   
• Sep 2, 2011 America�s Future is at Stake this Labor Day As we celebrate Labor Day 2011, working families face greater attacks on their economic security than at any time since the days of the robber barons in the late19th Century.  In state houses across the country, politicians backed by Wall Street billionaires are attacking fundamental... Fire Dog Lake        more   
• Sep 2, 2011 AFL-CIO leader distances labor movement from Democrats Amid growing tension between the labor movement and the Obama administration, AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka said Thursday that labor was starting to build its own political structures "that work for the people" - and that as a result, "You're going to see us give less money to build... CBS News        more   
• Aug 30, 2011 Library of Congress looks to reshape workforce through buyouts, early outs The Library of Congress and three of its unions have agreed to offer targeted buyouts and early outs to employees in September, according to a  memorandum  signed by labor and management officials and obtained by  Government Executive . "It's not a free-for-all. It's a targeted... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 30, 2011 Agencies turn to buyouts in tough budget environment Federal agencies increasingly are turning to buyouts and early retirement incentives as a way to save money and avoid potential layoffs or furloughs in the face of steep budget cuts in fiscal 2012. Since May, at least 15 agencies have offered buyouts and early outs to employees, sought... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 15, 2011 �Supercommittee� has thin record on federal employee issues On issues of direct importance to federal employees and retirees, the records of the  12 members of the new  congressional �supercommittee� range from fairly thin to virtually non-existent. The one notable exception is Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), whose district is home to a large... Washington Post        more   
• Aug 11, 2011 Message is key in pay and benefits fight For this week�s issue, FEND�s Nathan Abse interviewed Carl Goldman, an officer with a union not usually associated with representing federal employees�the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Goldman is executive director of AFSCME Council 26, a coalition of 18... Federal Employees News Digest        more...  
• Aug 8, 2011 GOP lawmaker will introduce back pay bill for FAA workers Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., will introduce legislation Tuesday that would authorize back pay for the thousands of employees furloughed at the Federal Aviation Administration, his office said. Furloughed FAA employees returned to work Monday, after weeks of uncertainty over their jobs and... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 5, 2011 FAA/AFSCME Local 1653 member Gail Orendorff-Weiner FAA/AFSCME Local 1653 member Gail Orendorff-Weiner appeared on the Channel 7 local news on Friday, August 5, 2011. The quality of the video leaves something to be desired  and you have to first watch a commercial, but it is worth viewing. ABC News 7        more   
• Aug 5, 2011 Obama signs temporary FAA extension; furloughed workers to return Monday President Obama signed a temporary funding extension for the  Federal Aviation Administration  on Friday, ending a two-week impasse that left the agency in a partial shutdown. The move allows roughly 4,000 FAA employees to return to work Monday. The measure, passed by the Senate on... LA Times        more   
• Aug 5, 2011 FAA/AFSCME Local 1653 member Lockett Yee and AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman were featured on News channel 8 News 8        more   
• Aug 4, 2011 FAA employees could return to work next week Furloughed employees at the Federal Aviation Administration could be back on the job as early as next week, if the Senate approves legislation Friday that funds the agency and ends a two-week partial shutdown. Lawmakers reached a deal Thursday afternoon to end the impasse over FAA funding... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 4, 2011 FAA Furloughs With little hope for a legislative solution to extend the Federal Aviation Administration's funding authority before Congress returns from recess, nearly 4,000 agency employees could be without pay until September. Furloughed workers will see no interruption in benefits and have a few options... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 4, 2011 Statement of AFSCME Pres. McEntee on the Congressional Deal Reached to Fund the FAA: �I applaud Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for his leadership in bringing the Federal Aviation Administration funding stalemate to an end and putting 74,000 federal and construction employees back to work. In these difficult economic times, it is jobs and not political gamesmanship that... AFSCME        more   
• Aug 3, 2011 : FAA Shutdown Continues as Politicians Play Games With House members already off for their summer vacation and senators still unable to resolve funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), thousands of FAA employees will remain furloughed, and  tens of thousands more workers will lose their jobs  unless authorization of... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 29, 2011 Dems enlist FAA workers to push for agency funding bill Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee brought in employees of the Federal Aviation Administration to make the case for ending a congressional impasse on funding for the partially shutdown agency, saying money not allocated to the FAA was going instead to airlines�... The Hill        more   
• Jul 29, 2011 House Democrats press for short-term FAA bill WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) � House Democrats on Wednesday called for the passage of a short-term extension of Federal Aviation Administration funding to get 90,000 construction workers back on the job. Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee called on their... The Wall Street Journal        more   
• Jul 29, 2011 Enough Is Enough! Today, AFSCME members and more than 300 activists representing labor, civil rights, community and interfaith organizations rallied in front of the U.S. Capitol to keep pressure on Congress to stand strong against cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. They joined thousands of others... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 28, 2011 AFSCME Locals Strategize Against Attacks on Federal Workers �Everything stops. No work. No pay.� That�s how Ralph Randall (below) defines a furlough and Randall ought to know: he�s one of the nearly 900 area Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) workers who have been furloughed since 12:01 Saturday morning. Randall � a program... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 28, 2011 Enough is Enough! Today, AFSCME members and more than 300 activists representing labor, civil rights, community and interfaith organizations rallied in front of the U.S. Capitol to keep pressure on Congress to stand strong against cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. They joined thousands of others... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 27, 2011 FAA Furlough Stretches Into Day 4 With No End In Sight Nearly  4,000 federal employees  remained temporarily out of work for the fourth day in a row on Tuesday, as Congress appeared no closer to coming to an agreement on legislation reauthorizing the operating budget of the Federal Aviation Administration. Dozens of major construction... Huffington Post        more   
• Jul 26, 2011 Engineers, safety inspectors among thousands furloughed at FAA The implications of a partial shutdown at the Federal Aviation Administration were unclear Monday, with nearly 4,000 employees on furlough indefinitely, without the promise of back pay and Congress still unable to agree on funding authorization legislation. While air traffic controllers have... Government Executive        more   
• Jul 25, 2011 4,000 FAA Workers Furloughed Some 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration employees � including nearly 900 in the metro Washington area -- were furloughed Saturday. The current FAA reauthorization expired at midnight on Friday, July 22 and was delayed by political maneuvering. �These employees do everything... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 25, 2011 FAA Employees Urge Immediate Action on FAA Furloughs Today, approximately 4,000 employees at the FAA represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) were prevented from reporting to work and are now... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 22, 2011 What happens August 3? Try as they might, lawmakers still have  no deal on raising the federal debt ceiling . What if it takes them longer than the self-imposed August 2 deadline? That would mean the government would face tough choices on spending the money it does have coming in. Steve Bell, senior director of... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jul 21, 2011 Unions 'haven't heard a thing' on debt limit Federal employee unions have been fighting to wrest information from the government about the potential impact of a government default on federal employees. If Congress and the White House can't come to an agreement to raise the debt limit by Aug. 2, the administration contends that a number of... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jul 19, 2011 Federal workers: How would default affect us? A coalition of federal employee organizations wants the administration to clarify the impact a failure to raise the government�s debt ceiling could have on federal workers. In  a letter  to Jacob J. Lew, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Treasury Secretary Timothy... Washington Post        more...  
• Jul 6, 2011 Groups urge leaders to reject proposals aimed at federal workforce With less than a month to go before the government begins to default on its obligations, federal employee groups continue to urge congressional leaders and the White House to reject proposals targeting their pay and benefits as part of a deficit reduction deal. A coalition of 25 groups sent... Government Executive        more   
• Jul 5, 2011 Letters to President and Congress reject proposals that attack federal workforce Please click the links below to read letters sent by the Federal-Postal Coalition, which AFSCME is a part of, asking leaders to reject proposals attacking the federal workforce, particularly the move to raise worker contributions to our retirement system. Letters were sent by the coalition... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Jun 30, 2011 800,000 Federal Workers Could Be Furloughed If Debt Ceiling Isn't Raised Eight hundred thousand federal workers could end up furloughed if Congress fails to move forward on an increase of the debt ceiling. That's according to a study conducted by George H.W. Bush former Treasury undersecretary Jay Powell who crunched the numbers with assistance from... DC Labor        more...  
• Jun 29, 2011 Debt ceiling debate threatens federal pay and benefits Failure to raise the government's debt ceiling could lead to cuts in pay and benefits for federal civilian employees, military members and veterans, according to a new analysis. In a report published Tuesday, the Bipartisan Policy Center found that unless the debt ceiling is raised, federal... Government Executive        more   
• Jun 20, 2011 Unions call on Biden to take federal pensions off the table Unions representing government employees sent a letter to Vice President Joe Biden imploring him to resist a call to require federal employees to contribute more to their pensions as part of any broader remedy for the nation�s financial ills. The unions wrote to Biden in his role as the Obama... Federal Daily        more   
• Jun 17, 2011 Unions send letter to Vice-President Biden Seventeen unions representing federal workers, including AFSCME, have sent a letter to Vice-President Biden who is currently negotiating a deal on the debt ceiling with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The unions have heard that the group is very close to an agreement that would... Council 26        more...  
• Jun 17, 2011 Unions urge administration to protect FERS pensions Federal employee unions are asking the Obama administration to reconsider proposed changes to government retirement benefit plans. In a letter sent Thursday evening to Vice President Joe Biden, leaders of 12 unions representing government workers urged the administration to preserve Federal... Government Executive        more   
• Jun 15, 2011 Labor Night with the Nationals Labor Night at the Nationals is scheduled for Friday, July 29, 2011. It is being held to benefit the Emergency Assistance Fund of the Community Services Agency AFL-CIO which helps union members in crises. The Fund is dangerously low due to the economic crisis and needs an influx of money.... DC Labor        more...  
• Jun 14, 2011 Senator Mikulski Objects to Use of Federal Employees' Pension Funds in Debt Reduction Negotiations Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner urging him to take federal employees' pension funds off of the list of available resources used to prevent the country from defaulting on its debt obligations. Maryland, the state Mikulski represents, is home to a... FedSmith        more   
• Jun 9, 2011 REPUBLICANS LAUNCH ATTACK ON �OFFICIAL TIME� FOR UNION ACTIVITY A little bit of Wisconsin came to Capitol Hill last week when Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) � the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee � held a hearing on the use of �official time� for union activity by federal employees, reports Library of Congress... DC Labor        more...  
• Jun 7, 2011 Bill targets union dues deductions The latest note in the House Republican drumbeat to weaken federal labor organizations has been struck by Rep. Tim Scott. The South Carolina freshman says he wants to empower federal employees by prohibiting the government from automatically deducting union dues from their paychecks.... Washington Post        more   
• Jun 3, 2011 Republicans want to ban official union activities during work hours House Republicans want to ban federal employees from engaging in official union activities while on duty, saying so-called "official time" is a bad deal for taxpayers. The Office of Personnel Management said employees spent nearly 3 million hours on union activities during fiscal 2009 at a... Federal Times        more   
• Jun 2, 2011 A large group organizations, including AFSCME, sent Congress a letter with a common sense proposal to reduce the deficit � The undersigned organizations urge Congress to reduce corporate tax subsidies, and use the savings to help address our long-term budget deficit and protect public investments.� To read the full letter, click here.  Council 26        more...  
• May 25, 2011 Biden sees $1 trillion in cuts emerging from debt-ceiling talks Vice President Biden and congressional leaders left a meeting on the debt limit saying they were on track to find $1 trillion in deficit cuts. �We are confident that if we keep on this pace we can get to a relatively large number,� Biden told reporters as he exited the meeting in the Capitol... The Hill        more   
• May 23, 2011 FEDERAL WORKERS WORRIED ABOUT PENSION RAIDS Adding financial insult to economic injury, federal workers may be forced to contribute more to their own pensions at the same time  their wages have been frozen. Federal pensions have become an easy political target for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle... DC Labor        more...  
• May 23, 2011 Trumka: Working People Want a Strong, Independent Labor Movement In a major address at the National Press Club today, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka charted an aggressive independent approach by working people and their unions to build the power of working people in the workplace and in the political sphere. Trumka told the live audience and thousands of... AFL-CIO        more   
• May 19, 2011 AFSCME Council 26 sent letters to Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia Senators On May 19, 2011 AFSCME Council 26 sent letters to Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia Senators which stated: �(w)e are specifically concerned about the House Budget Resolution�s plan for freezing federal employee pay for five years, cutting the workforce by ten percent and requiring federal... Council 26        more...  
• May 19, 2011 Federal-Postal Coalition, which AFSCME is part, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner On May 19, 2011 the Federal-Postal Alliance, which AFSCME is  part, sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner , which stated: �(as) the federal government hits the debt ceiling and the Treasury Department proceeds to suspend additional investments of funds associated with the... Council 26        more...  
• May 19, 2011 AFSCME Council 26 sent letters to the Washington, DC-area House of Representatives delegation On May 18, 2011 AFSCME Council 26 sent letters to the Washington, DC-area House of Representatives delegation which stated: � �we urge you to reject proposals that would increase federal employees� contributions to their retirement system that are being discussed as part of debt limit... Council 26        more...  
• May 18, 2011 AFSCME Statement on Proposals that Attack Federal Employee Income and Retirement Benefits �Middle class federal employees, who already have been hit by a two-year pay freeze, are now asked to take a 5 percent pay cut to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy, along with other changes that could substantially reduce their income. This is not the way to solve our budget problems. �The... AFSCME        more   
• May 17, 2011 How federal worker pensions might be targeted After years of fighting for and against it, the White House and congressional negotiators are seriously discussing the possibility of forcing at least some federal employees to pay more towards their retirement pension. As colleague   Lori Montgomery   wrote in... Washington Post        more   
• May 17, 2011 Treasury taps federal pensions as Uncle Sam hits debt ceiling The Treasury Department on Monday suspended investments into federal employees' pensions, as the government officially hit its debt ceiling of $14.3 trillion. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner announced a debt issuance suspension period from May 16 to Aug. 2, when the government expects to... Government Executive        more   
• May 16, 2011 Labor coalition urges senators to reject pay freeze measure A coalition of 22 federal employee groups sent a letter to Senate leaders May 12 asking them to reject provisions in the House budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 34) that would extend the federal pay freeze and downsize the government workforce. The Senate has yet to adopt a funding blueprint for... Federal Daily        more   
• May 12, 2011 LETTER CARRIERS POISED TO STAMP OUT HUNGER Remember to leave your bags of non-perishable food by your mail boxes this Saturday as letter carriers conduct their annual food drive. �In every corner of this country, there are people and families who are hungry, including children,� says National Association of Letter Carriers President... DC Labor        more...  
• May 10, 2011 Reid To Boehner: If You Want $2 Trillion In Cuts, Start With Oil And Gas Tax Breaks Less than a day after House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) demanded that the debt ceiling not be lifted unless the government reduce spending by $2 trillion, Democrats are calling his bluff. Senate Democratic leadership is asking Boehner to reaffirm support for ending tax breaks to five of the... Huffington Post        more...  
• May 9, 2011 Congressman Seeks to Freeze Federal Hiring U.S. Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) introduced legislation on May 5 that would freeze most federal hiring until the federal deficit is eliminated. The Federal Hiring Freeze Act of 2011 ( HR 1779 ) is the first bill introduced by the freshman Congressman since he took office on Jan. 5. Marino said the... FedSmtih        more   
• May 4, 2011 A Day in the Life Without Public Employees Imagine one day you woke up and there were no sanitation workers to pick up the pile of stuff in your trash. No letter carriers or postal workers to move your mail. No teachers in the classrooms, no firefighters to stop your neighbor�s house�or yours�from burning to the ground. AFL-CIO        more   
• May 3, 2011 AFSCME Sanitation Workers Honored at White House, Join �Labor Hall of Fame� The 1,300 sanitation workers who participated in the historic  1968 strike  in Memphis, Tenn. � members of  AFSCME Local 1733  � were enshrined Friday into the U.S. Department of Labor�s � Labor Hall of Fame .� Eight of the sanitation workers  met President Barack Obama... AFSCME        more   
• Apr 26, 2011 For feds, shutdown carries more risk than debt-ceiling woes Federal workers likely would feel the effects of a government shutdown more acutely than they would the repercussions of exceeding the debt limit. "Failing to raise the debt ceiling would not bring the government to a screeching halt the way that not passing appropriations bills would," stated... Government Executive        more   
• Apr 20, 2011 Federal Postal Coalition Writes Congress Last week the Federal-Postal Alliance, which AFSCME is a part of, sent a letter to all Members of the House of Representatives urging them to vote against Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan�s proposed Fiscal Year 2012 Concurrent Resolution on the budget. The letter states: �The... Federal Postal Coalition        more...  
• Apr 18, 2011 The Martin E. Gerel Memorial Scholarship 2011-2012 The law firm of Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP has always valued their connection with Washington, DC Union Movement. In recognition of this special relationship, the firm more than 25 years ago established a Union Scholarship Program. We are pleased to honor this commitment by providing a... Ashcraft & Gerel        more...  
• Apr 15, 2011 Congress passes bill funding government through September The Senate, acting shortly after the House, voted 81 to 19 to pass a continuing resolution funding the federal government through the end of September, effectively ending a months-long fight that nearly shut down the government this week. President Obama is expected to sign the bill by Friday,... Government Executive        more   
• Apr 11, 2011 No Shutdown, But a Lot of Sellouts If you had asked Franklin Roosevelt or Harry Truman or John Kennedy or Lyndon Johnson or Jimmy Carter or even Bill Clinton what Democrats would defend in a fight over the future of government, there's no real question that funding for housing, public transportation, community development... Common Dreams        more   
• Apr 11, 2011 RELIEVED BUT WARY GOVERNMENT WORKERS STAND DOWN, FOR NOW Picketlines and rallies by government workers in DC and across the country today were called off after Friday night�s last-minute budget deal averted a threatened shutdown of the government. �This was just Round 1,� warned AFGE Political Director Bob Nicklas. �Bigger fights are ahead... Dc Labor        more...  
• Apr 11, 2011 One week CR cuts $2 billion The House and  Senate  agreed to a budget deal late Friday, averting a government shutdown. A one-week continuing resolution will fund the government through next Thursday. That bill contains $2 billion in reductions. The framework for a deal to fund the government through the end of... Federal News Radio        more   
• Apr 9, 2011 Agreement Reached to Avert Shutdown A short term resolution has been passed to keep the government running through Thursday that will allow ample time to get agreements on a finalized budget from both Houses and the President. The agreement cuts $38.5 billion total from the President's original budget proposal.  The... FedSmtih        more   
• Apr 8, 2011 Government shutdown looks different to workers who toil in Capitol�s basement It is a place of discarded desk chairs, lost tourists and workers with their names stitched on their shirts. This is a different U.S. Capitol� two levels below the one they show on C-SPAN � where people chop onions, haul furniture and cut hair. And here, in the drab basements of Capitol Hill,... The Washington Post        more   
• Apr 8, 2011 Contingency Plans for Government Shutdown Made by Library of Congress, Others The unions representing Library of Congress workers signed a Memorandum of Understanding with  LC  April 5 regarding employees� furlough status in the event that a Continuing Resolution to go on appropriating  FY2011  funding for the federal government is not enacted by... American Libraries Magazine        more   
• Apr 7, 2011 Reid on shutdown: "It looks like it's headed in that direction" After an all-night negotiating session, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he is �not nearly as optimistic� as he was last night about avoiding a government shutdown before a Friday deadline, saying of a federal funding gap: �it looks like it�s headed in that direction.� The... MSNBC        more   
• Apr 7, 2011 Government shutdown in budget battle may hinge on clean air, abortion Senate Majority Leader  Harry Reid  said Democrats and Republican in Congress have essentially agreed on spending levels for the rest of the year, but a budget deal is being held up by a split over policy measures related to  Planned Parenthood  funding and clean-air... LA Times        more   
• Apr 6, 2011 Members to Limit Staff Furloughs A day after the House Administration Committee released guidelines informing Members how to run their offices during a government shutdown, some lawmakers said they will not furlough a single staffer. Nevertheless, employees are still uncertain about their fates. Though Members were told... Roll Call        more   
• Apr 6, 2011 FEDERAL & COUNTY WORKERS URGE SUPPORT TO STOP FURLOUGHS, CUTS Facing a looming federal shutdown and significant pay cuts, federal workers and Montgomery County employees are urging area activists to take action immediately. �AFSCME Council 26 and other federal workers� unions are fighting to stop hundreds of thousands of federal employees from being... DC Labor        more...  
• Apr 5, 2011 Obama and Boehner clash over budget negotiations Taking questions from the White House press corp Tuesday, President Barack Obama said that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker John Boehner will meet at 4 p.m. ET to discuss the budget and the looming government shutdown. If they can't reach an agreement, Obama said, he... CNN        more...  
• Apr 4, 2011 Council 26 Sends Letters Concerning Budget Negotiations to Senate. Last week AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman sent letters concerning the current budget negotiations to Senators Mikulski (D-MD), Cardin (D-MD),  Webb (D-VA) and Warner (D-VA). In the letters Goldman asks why Congress isn�t considering closing corporate loopholes and... Council 26        more...  
• Apr 1, 2011 DeMint Wants to Ban All Collective Bargaining for Federal Employees The defining political story three months into 2011 is the spread of  anti-union  legislation in the states. Now, a leading senator on the right wants to eliminate collective bargaining rights at a federal level. During an interview with  Think Progress  in Des Moines this... AFL-CIO        more   
• Mar 31, 2011 Angst About Shutdown Grows for Personnel Roll Call News House Administration Chairman Dan Lungren said Wednesday that his staff has been researching and conducting meetings in private on procedures for a possible government shutdown. The prospect of a government shutdown looms closer by the day, but Congressional support agencies... Roll Call        more...  
• Mar 30, 2011 CAPITOL GIFT SHOP WORKERS VOTE UNION Workers at the U.S. Capitol Gift Shop overwhelmingly v oted union yesterday, scoring an 11-0 sweep in the 17-member unit. �By electing AFSCME, Gift Shop workers stood together to demand our... DC Labor        more...  
• Mar 29, 2011 AFSCME Women Share Organizing Stories at White House Forum With a massive anti-worker offensive being waged across the country, AFSCME public service workers participated in a U.S. Department of Labor event recognizing the importance of labor unions in improving the lives and safety of workers. U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis hosted �Women... AFSCME        more   
• Mar 29, 2011 The Centenary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and the Need to Organize March 25  marks the 100th anniversary of a tragic, pivotal moment in history, when 146 mostly young New York garment workers, all but 17 female, died in the  Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire .  Many were immigrants, who came to find the American Dream and went to work in a... FDL        more   
• Mar 28, 2011 Release: Tax Time? Not for Giant Corporations BURLINGTON, Vt., March 27 - While hard working Americans fill out their income tax returns this tax season, General Electric and other giant profitable corporations are avoiding U.S. taxes altogether. With Congress returning to Capitol Hill on Monday to debate steep spending cuts, Sen. Bernie... Bernie Sanders        more   
• Mar 28, 2011 Time short, tempers flare in budget showdown WASHINGTON (AP) - The specter of a partial government shutdown looms again as Congress returns to Washington with Democrats and Republicans as far apart on a bill to keep the government running as they were two weeks ago. Despite mounting pressure and a deadline looming, talks have stalled,... Federal News Radio        more   
• Mar 25, 2011 Compromising on money is easy. Compromising on values is hard. Striking a deal on the budget is tough, but the structure of it is pretty straightforward: if you believe we should cut $60 from the bottom line and I believe we should add $30, the deal is somewhere between those two positions. It�s arithmetic. Even Congress can do it. But as Paul... The Washington Post        more   
• Mar 25, 2011 House GOP�s �riders� restricting federal agencies could hinder budget deal Congressional leaders in both parties agree they have to stop putting off the inevitable and reach a deal to fund the federal government through September, the end of the fiscal year. Washington is limping along on  stopgap funds that expire April 8 , the sixth short-term extension in the... Washington Post        more   
• Mar 24, 2011 The mind-set that survived the Triangle Shirtwaist fire The seamstresses were just getting off work that Saturday, some of them singing a new popular song, �Every Little Movement (Has a Meaning of Its Own),� when they heard shouts from the eighth floor just below. They saw smoke outside the windows, and then fire. As David Von Drehle recounts the... The Washington Post        more   
• Mar 21, 2011 Workers would go unheard without collective bargaining In his March 18 Washington Forum commentary,  �Wisconsin�s bargain budget,�  Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) justified taking away collective-bargaining rights for government workers in his state by arguing that his plan is a better deal than the law grants federal employees. But what... The Washington Post        more   
• Mar 17, 2011 Large, dynamic solidarity protest in DC outside Wisconsin GOP fundraiser The days when Democrats faced an enthusiasm gap are gone. The Republican tea party mojo of 2009-2010 has disappeared, replaced by a new protest movement of union members, students, and progressive activists of all stripes. We've seen it in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and in solidarity... Daily Kos        more   
• Mar 17, 2011 AFSCME Council 26 Wins Organizing Honor AFSCME Council 26�s successful drive last fall to organize 138 U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) tour guides and visitor assistants was recognized this month by the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO. Council 26 received the Metro Council�s Organizing Award on March 12 at the... AFSCME        more   
• Mar 15, 2011 Budget Stalemate Leaves Chaos at Many Agencies Unsure from week to week how much money Congress will provide them as the two parties battle over the budget for the rest of this year, federal officials say many agencies have been operating in chaos, confusion and uncertainty. Officials at various agencies have frozen hiring, canceled... NY Times        more   
• Mar 15, 2011 Short-term funding measure to prevent shutdown expected to pass Senior lawmakers from both parties on Sunday said they believe a short-term stopgap funding bill to keep the government running will be approved this week, but they did not see an end game in sight for developing a comprehensive plan to bring down the nation's debt. The House is expected to... Government Executive        more   
• Mar 11, 2011 Norton Introduces Resolution Supporting All Workers� Rights and Calls for End of the Attacks on Workers WASHINGTON, DC -- Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution, co-sponsored by Representative Donna Edwards (D-MD), supporting the rights of all workers, including federal employees, and calling for an end to attacks on their ability to organize and collectively... Council 26        more...  
• Mar 9, 2011 Government Shutdown Opposed by Americans in Poll Faulting Republican Cuts Americans are sending a message to congressional Republicans: Don�t shut down the federal government or slash spending on popular programs. Almost 8 in 10 people say Republicans and Democrats should reach a compromise on a plan to reduce the federal budget deficit to keep the government... Bloomberg        more   
• Mar 5, 2011 Shutdown Showdown Late last week, we heard that Republicans and Democrats in Congress may have an agreement to delay -- at least for two weeks -- the looming shutdown of the federal government. To keep the government running, the two parties will have to come to an agreement on the budget for the remainder of the... The American Prospect        more   
• Feb 25, 2011 Stand for Public Service Fighting attacks on Public worker rights! AFSCME        more   
• Feb 25, 2011 Pay is no guarantee for furloughed employees If Congress and the Obama administration fail to reach an agreement on the continuing resolution by March 4 and the government shuts down, then federal employees who are furloughed might not be compensated for the loss in pay. The last time the government shut down in 1995 and 1996, for 27 days... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Feb 24, 2011 Federal workers rally against Wisconsin governor Federal workers joined hundreds rallying in front of the Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's Washington Office on Wednesday as part of a union show of support for Wisconsin's protesting public sector employees. For two weeks, union members, public employees and activists in Madison, Wis., have... Government Executive        more   
• Feb 17, 2011 'Read my lips,' says Boehner in spending showdown with Obama House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday ruled out a short-term government-funding bill that maintains �current levels� of federal spending, escalating a showdown with Democrats and President Obama. The House is now considering a continuing resolution to fund the government for the... The Hill        more   
• Feb 16, 2011 Tens of Thousands Protest Move by Wisconsin's Governor to Destroy Public Sector Unions More than 10,000 Wisconsinites marched on the state Capitol Tuesday [1], as crowds rallied in cities around the state, students walked out of high schools [2]and public employees lined roadways holding aloft banners declaring their determination to battle an attempt by Republican Governor Scott... The Nation        more   
• Feb 15, 2011 Chances up for federal shutdown The chances of a government shutdown are on the rise. With less than three weeks to strike a deal before government funding for the year is scheduled to expire, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are moving in opposite directions. Lawmakers from both parties stress they want to... The Hill        more   
• Feb 14, 2011 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WORKERS DIG DEEP �Over the holidays members of AFSCME locals 2910 and 2477 and other Library employees donated hundreds of personal care items during our drive for Bread for the City,� reports AFSCME 2910 President Saul Schniderman. �Our donation box was filled to overflowing; we needed fourteen moving boxes to... DC Labor        more...  
• Feb 11, 2011 Beyond Reason on the Budget After two years of raging at President Obama�s spending plans, House Republican leaders have finally revealed their real vision of small government: tens of billions in ideologically driven cuts to job training, environmental protection, disease control, crime protection and dozens of other... NY Times        more   
• Feb 11, 2011 Under fire from right, House GOP proposes $100 billion in cuts In another victory for tea party rebels in Congress Thursday, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Harold Rogers, R-Ky., scrapped his original plan for spending cuts and announced that he will seek to cut $100 billion from what President Obama had requested for this fiscal year. "My committee... Government Executive        more   
• Feb 9, 2011 AFSCME COUNCIL 26 WINS ORGANIZING AWARD AFSCME Council 26 is the 2010 Evening with Labor Organizing Award winner. �Visitors to our nation's Capitol are now guided by union members, who organized in 2010 for the first time in the 134 years since Congress' Capitol Guide Service was created and just two years after the new Capitol Visitor... DC Labor        more...  
• Feb 7, 2011 House GOP Plan Would Require Big Cuts House Republican leaders on Thursday proposed cutting more than $30 billion from government spending for the remaining eight months of the fiscal year. Their approach could mean big reductions for virtually all federal agencies other than the Pentagon. The GOP plan calls for a 9% reduction in... Wall Street Journal        more   
• Feb 7, 2011 Every Company Must Pay Their Fair Share While governments across the nation struggle to balance their budgets, it�s time that every company pay their fair share. AFSCME is on the alert for wasteful contracts, special-interest tax breaks and corporate subsidies that weaken government�s ability to provide quality public education, access... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Feb 4, 2011 Early Maneuvering on Possible Shutdown Democrats do not intend to shut up when it comes to a potential government shutdown. Well aware that a 1995 budget impasse during the early days of Republican control of the House backfired on the new majority, Democrats are moving pre-emptively this time to frame the battle on their terms.... NY Times        more   
• Jan 31, 2011 Schumer Warns House Republicans to Avoid Shutdown Senate Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.) accused the new Republican majority in the House on Sunday of risking a government shutdown as the expiration of a stopgap spending measure approaches. The continuing resolution expires March 4, and House Majority Leader Eric... Roll Call        more...  
• Jan 31, 2011 FWA Letter to White House Regarding FY12 Budget Click here to read a copy of the Federal Worker's Alliance letter that was sent to the White House today urging the administration to reject several recommendations made by the co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Federal Worker's Alliance        more...  
• Jan 27, 2011 Trumka: Obama�s Focus Must Be on Health of Middle Class, American Economy AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued the following statement on President Obama�s State of the Union message tonight. Tonight President Obama called on the nation to look forward and spoke to our nation�s prospects and vulnerabilities: we are faced with opportunities for progress, but... AFL-CIO        more   
• Jan 24, 2011 Young Trade Unionists come to DC We are excited to announce that a DC Chapter of the Young Trade Unionists will be starting up in the Metro DC area next month.  Thanks to a push from Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and the new Executive Officers of the AFL-CIO to get more young people involved in the labor movement, there... Council 26        more...  
• Jan 14, 2011 GOP lawmaker wants feds to take 2-week furloughs A Colorado Republican wants to cut congressional salaries by 10 percent and force federal workers not working on defense, health, homeland security or law enforcement issues to take two-week furloughs, figuring the cuts could save taxpayers about $5.5 billion. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.), who... Washington Post        more   
• Jan 14, 2011 Widening Concern for Public Workers It's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, the holiday that celebrates the Nobel Peace Prize�winner's birth and life. The Reverend King wasn't assassinated, as Rep. Gabrielle Giffords almost was, at a Congress on Your Corner. Or on a civil rights march. He was assassinated in Memphis,... The Nation        more...  
• Jan 12, 2011 Bill would make deficit commission proposals law Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) wants to make into law several recommendations made by the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, including reducing the federal workforce by 10 percent. Brady estimates the bill, titled "Cut Unsustainable and Top-heavy Spending," (H.R. 235) would... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jan 12, 2011 What will happen to feds in 2011? In 2010, federal employees' pay and benefits came under attack by lawmakers faced with a gaping deficit. What changes are ahead for feds in 2011? Federal News Radio's Mike Causey discussed the top issues government workers will face this year with a panel from the Federal Times: Steve Watkins,... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jan 11, 2011 Chad Jeremy: Facilitating a volunteer movement Chad Jeremy often thought about the importance of public service, but the idea of a career in government really did not take shape until he spent two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer involved in activities that ranged from restoring a YMCA camp to building houses for Habitat for Humanity. "I... Washington Post        more   
• Dec 24, 2010 Why federal workers deserve their compensation I bristled at your article ("Public servants feeling sting of budget rancor"). When health and retirement benefits are described as "generous," a "cushier deal" and a "real bonanza," it makes you wonder whether government-bashers and union-haters have won the debate. The federal government,... The Washington Post        more...  
• Dec 23, 2010 Congress Approves Federal Employee Pay Freeze The Senate and House have approved a bill that would fund the federal government through March 4th and freeze federal employee pay increases for two years. You can download the entire bill here. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday. The House approved the bill Tuesday evening by a vote of... Fed Smith        more   
• Dec 23, 2010 Another (More Substantive) Pay Freeze for Federal Employees In the Congressional Pipeline? President Obama has proposed a two year pay freeze for the federal workforce. That proposal surprised many and may have even surprised the federal employee unions that represent federal employees. While it may disappoint those of us in the federal community, it is likely that the effort to cut... Fed Smith        more   
• Dec 22, 2010 Senate ends debate on measure to fund government, 82-14 The Senate voted, 82-14, Tuesday to end debate on a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 4. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he would work to schedule a final vote on the measure quickly. The bill will then head to the House where a vote is expected before... The Hill        more   
• Dec 21, 2010 CVC GIFT SHOP WORKERS PUSH FOR UNION Tourists won�t find �Union Yes� keychains for sale at the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) Gift Shop, but workers there want their union cards. AFSCME Council 26 filed a petition yesterday asking the Office of Compliance to conduct an election among the fifteen employees at the CVC Gift Shop. �This... DC Labor        more...  
• Dec 21, 2010 Public servants feel sting of budget rancor Here are two words you don't hear much lately: public servant. More and more, when politicians talk about government employees - whether they are federal, state or local - it is with the kind of umbrage ordinarily aimed at Wall Street financiers and convenience store bandits. "We can no... The Washington Post        more   
• Dec 16, 2010 Federal leave for severe weather revamped With temperatures plummeting and flurries spotted across the Washington area in recent days, the Obama administration is mandating that the government allow more federal employees to telework during severe weather. The revamping of the federal leave policy aims to accommodate the thousands of... The Washington Post        more   
• Dec 9, 2010 Federal Worker Alliance sent letters to the House and Senate, urging them to reject the pay freeze The Federal Worker Alliance, which AFSCME is affiliated with, sent letters to the House and Senate, urging them to reject the pay freeze. Click here read the text of the letter to the House.   Click here to read the letter to the Senate. Council 26        more...  
• Dec 2, 2010 Grumbles persist 2 years after CVC debut Two years after its opening, lawmakers are still grumbling about pricey food and confusing hallways in the $621 million Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). But despite the complaints, lawmakers mostly praised the CVC on Wednesday and noted that progress has been made on a number of key problems.... The Hill        more   
• Dec 2, 2010 Fiscal panel reinforces pay freeze, changes to federal benefits The panel charged with reforming federal spending on Wednesday reinforced its support for freezing federal pay, along with changes to employees' health and retirement benefits. Similar to a draft version that co-chairmen Erskine Bowles, former chief of staff for President Clinton and Alan... Government Executive        more   
• Dec 2, 2010 407 Organizations, Associations and Businesses Support Swift Action to Restore Strong, Comprehensive Whistleblower Rights The undersigned organizations and corporations write to support the completion of the landmark,nine-year legislative effort to restore credible whistleblower rights to federal employees. We offerour support to expeditiously pass legislation that includes the critical reforms listed... Council 26        more...  
• Nov 29, 2010 Obama announces 2-year pay freeze for federal workers Bowing to growing budget concerns and months of Republican political pressure on federal pay and benefits, President Obama today announced he would stop pay increases for most of the two million people who work for the federal government. The freeze applies to all Executive Branch workers --... Washington Post        more   
• Nov 29, 2010 Cutting the Deficit by Freezing Federal Employee Pay Because of the irresponsibility of the past decade, the President inherited a $1.3 trillion projected deficit upon taking office and an economic crisis that threatened to put the nation into a second Great Depression. He moved quickly to get the economy moving again. Now, the economy is growing,... White House        more   
• Nov 23, 2010 Metro commuters face year-end curb in benefits Metro riders could face a double whammy at the end of 2010: a slashing of the commuter transit benefit by almost half, and a new restriction that will bar the sharing of parking and transit funds in SmartBenefits accounts. Metro officials fear that the changes will discourage riders by making... Washington Post        more   
• Nov 19, 2010 House sends telework bill to Obama The House on Thursday sent President Obama a bill to boost telework at federal agencies, over objections by Republicans who said the measure would grant civil servants another costly fringe benefit and add layers of bureaucracy at a time when Americans want a smaller government. Members voted... Government Executive        more   
• Nov 19, 2010 Another shutdown? The head of the influential Americans for Tax Reform is encouraging the new House Republican majority to adopt a take-no-prisoners approach to federal spending � and if that leads to a 1995-style government shutdown, so be it. Midterm voters �were voting to stop the Obama spendathon, and... Politico        more   
• Nov 18, 2010 As next D.C. mayor, Gray will have to deal with debt to unions After three years on the political margins, organized labor has a seat at the table. It did not come easily. Unions delivered a barrage of phone calls, direct mail and door-to-door canvassers to help D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray complete a stunning upset of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty in... Washington Post        more   
• Nov 17, 2010 Public employees: The 21st century's welfare queens America's public employees educate our kids, fight our fires, make sure our food isn't tainted with toxic swill, provide services to the neediest and perform a thousand other vital tasks that the private sector has no incentive to do. They earn less, on average, than their private-sector... Post Gazette        more   
• Nov 15, 2010 Pay, Pensions, Premiums Under the Knife Let's see, a 3-year pay freeze, 10 percent job cut, smaller pensions, higher health plan contributions. Where to begin? How about here... In most American companies that still have retirement plans, the benefits of workers are based on their length of service and their highest-5 year average... Federal News Radio        more   
• Nov 15, 2010 In Landmark Decision, MSPB Finds Federal Career Intern Program in Violation of Veterans Preference Rights In a ruling issued last week, the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) found that the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP) was in violation of Veteran�s Preference laws, a decision holding major implications for the controversial program. The case arose when David Dean and Larry Evans, both... Council 26        more...  
• Nov 3, 2010 GOP wins could mean pay cuts for fed workers What a difference an Election Day makes. Republican legislation affecting federal employees that went nowhere in an 111th Congress controlled by Democrats now will see the sunshine in the 112th, with the House of Representatives controlled by the GOP. Bills to freeze or cut federal pay, to... Washington Post        more   
• Oct 22, 2010 Senate Dem budget chief says government must get smaller The U.S. government must shrink if it wants to return to a fiscally sustainable course, said Sen. Kent Conrad. The U.S. government must shrink if it wants to return to a fiscally sustainable course, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said Wednesday. Conrad, the chairman of the Senate Budget... The Hill        more   
• Oct 21, 2010 UNITED WAY FALL CAMPAIGN When financial crisis hits home for local union members, the Community Services Agency (CSA) of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO is there to help. CSA assists with evictions, utility shut-offs, empty cupboards and more. But without your support, CSA�s cupboard will run bare! Make sure CSA can... Community Services Agency        more   
• Oct 21, 2010 Public Employees and Elections: A Conflict of Interest? None of my family and friends is allowed to appear on Wheel of Fortune. Same goes for my kids� teachers or the guys who rotate my tires. If there�s not a real conflict of interest, there is, at least, the appearance of one. On another level, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has recused herself... National Review        more   
• Oct 21, 2010 NRO's Derbyshire: Public employees should not be allowed to vote No, you didn't misread that. John Derbyshire, National Review Online contributor, today rehashed his 2003 argument that nonmilitary government employees shouldn't be allowed to vote. Here's today's post, written in response to fellow contributor Pat Sajak's article about how public employees... Media Matters for America        more   
• Oct 15, 2010 Federal Workers Alliance Calls for FLRA Budget Boost in FY12 In a letter to President Obama last week, the Federal Workers Alliance (FWA) called for a modest increase to the Federal Labor Relations Authority�s (FLRA) budget for fiscal year 2012. In his fiscal year 2011 budget, the President called for $26 million, a figure that the FWA says must be raised... Federal Workers Alliance        more   
• Oct 8, 2010 Labor Unions a Key to Happiness, New Report Says Even though U.S. public opinion of unions remains low, a new report finds that labor groups nonetheless improve the general well-being for union and non-union citizens in several industrialized countries. The findings appear in the September issue of Social Indicators Research, a journal which... In these Times        more   
• Oct 8, 2010 One Nation Working Together Rally Photos One Nation working Together        more   
• Oct 6, 2010 CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER WORKERS TESTIFY IN CONGRESS: Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) guides really know their way around Congress. The newly-unionized CVC workers wasted no time exercising their voice at work, testifying last week about workplace safety issues at the Capitol. Megan Burger, a CVC tour guide and member of AFSCME Local 658, testified... DC Labor        more...  
• Oct 1, 2010 Capitol Visitor Center employees to get pagers for safety Employees with the Capitol Visitor Center will be given permanent pagers next month in an effort to improve communication within the Capitol in the event of an emergency such as a terrorist attack. The move, as outlined by the architect of the Capitol (AoC) to a congressional panel on... The Hill        more   
• Oct 1, 2010 Capitol Complex Safety Practices Dissatisfy Norton Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton berated the Architect of the Capitol on Thursday for workplace safety issues and called for studies into ways to make the Capitol complex safer for visitors and employees. The D.C. Democrat took particular offense to the fact that the AOC doesn�t tally the number of... Roll Call        more...  
• Sep 29, 2010 The downside of rolling back the government workforce During a period when federal employees have been targeted again and again, it's not surprising that House Republicans' "Pledge to America" would promise to freeze the federal workforce. "We will impose a net hiring freeze on non-security federal employees and ensure that the public sector no... Washington Post        more   
• Sep 21, 2010 Capitol Visitor Center workers to unionize; issues include benefits, warmer uniforms The men and women who conduct tours and assist visitors at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center plan to join a union. Workers voted late last week to join Council 26 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a union that also represents other legislative branch workers at... Washington Post        more   
• Sep 20, 2010 CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER STAFF VOTE IN UNION: Tour guides and visitor assistants at the Capitol Visitor Center took a big step closer to improving working conditions after overwhelmingly voting for union representation on Thursday and Friday, reports AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman. �This sends an unmistakably strong... DC Labor        more...  
• Sep 20, 2010 Bill would furlough federal workers for 2 weeks A Republican lawmakers wants to keep federal workers away from the office without pay for two weeks next fiscal year to help cut government costs. But unlike other cost-cutting bills introduced by the GOP, this one would also force a 10 percent pay cut for lawmakers. Rep. Mike Coffman... Washington Post        more   
• Sep 9, 2010 WATERING THE SEEDS OF UNIONISM AT CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER Capitol Visitor Center organizing committee members distributed water to CVC workers last weekend as part of their campaign for a union. "Dehydration is potentially a major issue for many of the workers," explains AFSCME Council 26 Executive Director Carl Goldman, noting that the CVC refused to... DC Labor        more...  
• Aug 30, 2010 Norton wants answers on CVC safety Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) is demanding answers from the architect of the Capitol after Capitol Visitor Center employees complained to her about working conditions, including being instructed to keep quiet about problems. The union that represents CVC employees told Norton that... Politico        more   
• Aug 2, 2010 LIBRARY WORKERS GET THE PICTURE(S) Saul Schniderman and Michele Chisholm of AFSCME Local 2910 - which represents over 1,500 workers at the Library of Congress - have just posted an online photoshow - with music - of last month�s AFSCME convention in Boston, including the Save our Library Rally and Library Caucus. To view the show... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 31, 2010 US Capitol Visitor Center CEO leaving post The head of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center has left her position overseeing the multimillion-dollar tourist facility, officials said Thursday, and workers claim employee health and visitor safety was endangered under her tenure. Terrie Rouse will no longer serve as CEO at the center, which... Washington Examiner        more   
• Jul 30, 2010 TRAINING STEWARDS TO BATTLE OVER WHAT'S NOT COVERED Many workers think their union's there to negotiate and enforce their contract, but in the federal sector, it's changes in working conditions and personnel policies that are not covered by a contract where a union also proves useful. AFSCME Council 26 held a training session Wednesday for 45... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 29, 2010 CVC UNION WELCOMES FIRING OF CEO The union organizing workers at the Capitol Visitor Center welcomed the news yesterday that the Center�s CEO has been fired (�Head of Capitol Visitors Center gets fired, The Hill 7/27). �You have taken the first steps towards correcting an untenable situation at the CVC,� AFSCME Council 26... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 29, 2010 CVC staff describe litany of problems Lawmakers expressed their concern about a litany of problems the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) staff said the multimillion-dollar facility experienced under the leadership of Terrie Rouse. As first reported by The Hill, the firing of Rouse, the chief executive officer of visitor services, was... The Hill        more   
• Jul 29, 2010 CVC Employees Union Seeks �Change in Management Philosophy� Following the firing of the head of the Capitol Visitor Center, a union aiming to represent the center�s employees sent a letter Wednesday to the Architect of the Capitol urging him to not just change the organization�s head, but also its culture. �You have taken the first steps towards... Roll Call        more...  
• Jul 29, 2010 CVC Staffers, Rouse Speak Out After Chief�s Ouster As the dust settles on a top-level firing at the Capitol Visitor Center, both the recently sacked CEO for visitor services and those accusing her of mismanagement are speaking out about Terrie Rouse�s tenure and the future of the multimillion-dollar complex. Rouse was dismissed Tuesday after... Roll Call        more...  
• Jul 27, 2010 Americans want a government that works efficiently, report says The American people don't have much confidence in government, but that doesn't mean they want less of it. They say Uncle Sam should work efficiently, without wasting money or getting too big, but they still embrace "a wide range of actual federal government programs and initiatives." That's... Washington Post        more   
• Jul 24, 2010 McEntee Urges President Obama, Congress to �Heed Lessons� in New Quinnipiac Poll Gerald W. McEntee, president of the 1.6 million member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO (AFSCME) made the following statement on today�s Quinnipiac poll showing that Americans support reducing the unemployment rate over deficit reduction by a 64-30 margin:... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 20, 2010 FISH FRY HELPS USDA LOCAL BUILD MEMBERSHIP Whoever said there�s no such thing as a free lunch wasn�t at the USDA last Wednesday. Members of AFSCME 3925 -- which represents the USDA Farm Services and Risk Management Agency�s employees -- enjoyed a free fish fry, as did their colleagues who signed up for the union that day. As part of the... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 13, 2010 Letters sent to the Hill to stop any attempts to freeze or cut federal pay in 2011 A coalition of unions and other organizations, including AFSCME, sent a letter to each Senator and Member of Congress arguing against any attempts to freeze or cut federal pay in 2011. To read the letter to the members of the House click here . To read the letter to Senate members click... Council 26        more...  
• Jul 2, 2010 McEntee protege wins no. 2 spot at AFSCME A close protege of powerful labor leader Gerry McEntee was elected Thursday to second-in-command at his union. Lee Saunders, executive assistant to McEntee at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), won election as Secretary-Treasurer for the nation's... The Hill        more   
• Jun 30, 2010 Tour Guide Service Hopes to Unionize Congressional tour guides and visitor assistants filed a petition to form a union Friday, taking the initial step toward creating the first union in the guides� 134 years of existence. The filing comes more than 18 months after the Capitol Visitor Center opened and the Capitol Guide Service was... Roll Call        more...  
• Jun 28, 2010 CAPITOL TOUR STAFF LEAD WAY TO UNION Tour staff at the U.S. Capitol know a lot about the building's history. Friday they added their own chapter to that history, filing for a union recognition election. The filing came after a brief 3-week campaign initiated by the workers themselves, reports Carl Goldman, Executive Director of... DC labor        more...  
• Jun 18, 2010 Senate deals another blow to efforts to freeze federal pay After strong debate from both sides of the aisle, the Senate on Thursday rejected a legislative provision that would have frozen federal pay and the size of the government workforce. The chamber voted 57-41 to let stand a budgetary point of order against a GOP alternative amendment to the... Government Executive        more   
• Jun 17, 2010 Lawmakers seek better training for supervisors Three Virginia lawmakers introduced the 2010 Federal Supervisor Training Act on Tuesday, which would require managers to receive initial training within one year of being promoted and once every three years after. The bill (H.R. 5522), introduced by Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., would establish a... Government Executive        more   
• Jun 17, 2010 2010 Top Lobbyists Tobyn Anderson, Lighthouse Consulting Group. Anderson and Lighthouse represent the United States Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of companies and environmental groups that support climate legislation. He has been a key adviser on Senate efforts to craft climate legislation. Paul... The Hill        more   
• Jun 15, 2010 Republicans seek pay freeze for federal workers; a 'cynical ploy,' Democrats say Looking to demonstrate their commitment to balancing the budget, Republicans are increasingly targeting the federal workforce. In the past month, congressional Republicans have tried to attach to several bills language that would limit pay increases for federal workers. This week, as part of a... The Washington Post        more   
• Jun 11, 2010 Federal Pay Freeze: A November Surprise? Will Congress make a pre-election attempt to freeze the salaries of white collar federal workers? Does a bear schlep in the woods? The thought of skipping the 2011 federal pay raise (President Obama has proposed a 1.4 percent increase next January) is considered, by most people, to be... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jun 10, 2010 Bag Labeled �Anthrax� Disposed of at CVC A supervisor at the Capitol Visitor Center allegedly picked up a bag of white powder labeled �anthrax� on Saturday morning, carried it through Exhibition Hall and flushed it down the toilet without calling police. Throughout the incident, visitors milled around the CVC, unaware of the potential... Roll Call        more   
• Jun 9, 2010 Travel, Training, Hiring Hit List If the past is a predictor of the future, the 5 percent across-budget cut agencies have been asked/told to take won't necessarily amount to 5 percent and it won't necessarily cover all agencies. Spending cuts, to old hands in government, are nothing new. They are rarely produce the catastrophic... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jun 7, 2010 CVC Tour Guides Say They Plan to Form Union Congressional tour guides and visitor assistants began efforts last week to form a union, citing concerns over the management practices at the Capitol Visitor Center. Eighteen CVC employees sent letters Thursday to about 30 Members of Congress and Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers,... Roll Call        more   
• Jun 3, 2010 Regional FLRA official denies petitions for union election at TSA A Federal Labor Relations Authority regional director has dismissed two major unions' bids for an election to determine representation for 40,000 Transportation Security Administration employees. Acting Chicago Regional Director Peter Sutton cited a 2003 decision by the full FLRA, that it did... Government Executive        more   
• May 18, 2010 Unfunny potty-parity jokes on Capitol Hill In his May 13 Washington Sketch ["Women's restroom shortage is out of line"], Dana Milbank poked fun at H.R. 4869, the Restroom Gender Parity in Federal Buildings Act. But women in the federal workforce know better, and when the General Services Administration's Robert Peck says "we're not... Washington Post        more   
• May 12, 2010 What's Wrong With Big Government? On Saturday, Sen. Bob Bennett's senatorial career came to what seems to be a rather ignominious end, when the conservative Utah Republican placed third at the GOP state convention picking the party's Senate nominee. A businessman named Tim Bridgewater and Tea Party favorite Mike Lee finished,... Politics Daily        more   
• May 7, 2010 Telework bill comes up short in the House A bill aimed at helping federal employees spend more time working outside the office hit a wall in the House on Thursday. House members debated the 2009 Telework Improvements Act on Wednesday and voted on Thursday 268-147 to pass it. But the chamber brought up the measure under suspension of the... Government Executive        more   
• May 6, 2010 House debates telework legislation CORRECTION: The original version of this article stated that the House passed the telework bill Wednesday. It did not. Government Executive regrets the error. The House on Wednesday debated a bill to give a governmentwide telework policy the Office of Personnel Management announced last year the... Government Executive        more   
• May 4, 2010 Federal Diary: OMB director talks IT and workforce issues Peter Orszag is often simply called President Obama's budget director. That's correct, but it's the middle word of his full title, Office of Management and Budget director, that makes his role particularly relevant to Uncle Sam's 2 million employees. The "M" means Orszag's office has... Washington Post        more   
• Apr 30, 2010 Teleworking, AWS & The Reluctant Boss If it's Friday you must be working from home. Or could be. Or should be, right? Or is teleworking as-you-know-it not working very well. Reserved for a chosen few, or not even an option? Depends. It depends on what your job is, what agency you work for, sometimes your geographical location and... Federal News Radio        more   
• Apr 29, 2010 Hiring overhaul on the way as soon as next week As soon as next week, the White House will release a hiring reform memo that will promote using r�sum�s in place of knowledge, skills and abilities essays, a senior human capital official told Government Executive. The official, who spoke on background in advance of the memo's release, said... Government Executive        more   
• Apr 29, 2010 Pay, Benefits Time Check One of the toughest jobs in Washington is lobbying for improved pay, benefits and working conditions for federal government employees. Or retirees. Because... Despite its continuing growth, most Americans don't work for the federal government. Nor do they live inside our beloved, traffic-choked... Federal News Radio        more   
• Apr 28, 2010 Workers Memorial Day: Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living The tragic deaths of 29 miners in Raleigh County, W.Va earlier this month serve as a sad reminder that American workers in many occupations � including first responders, highway workers and public safety officers � continue to lose their lives, risk injury or become ill as a result of unhealthy... AFSCME        more   
• Apr 28, 2010 Health coverage delayed for adult children of federal workers WASHINGTON � Many parents breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that health insurance companies were opening up coverage to young adult children under the new healthcare law. However, lots of others � including those whose parents who work for the federal government � probably won't be able... McClatchy        more   
• Apr 16, 2010 House panel advances government telework bill A House committee approved a bill Wednesday that would probably lead to more federal employees getting permission to work from home, boosting an effort to encourage government telework that has gained momentum in recent months. The Oversight and Government Reform Committee, with bipartisan... Washington Post        more   
• Apr 1, 2010 VILSAK GIVES UNION ITS DUE Just in case any of the assembled USDA workers had any lingering doubts about whose side he was on, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (below) played his trump card at yesterday�s Employee Listening Session. �I just want all the AFSCME members here to know that I�m a lifetime AFSCME... DC Labor        more...  
• Apr 1, 2010 FWA Letter to Congress The Federal Workers Alliance, of which AFSCME is a member, sends letter to Congress supporting legislation to lower federal employee drug prescription costs. To read the letter, click here. AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Apr 1, 2010 Obama wants teleworker expansion The federal government could avoid shutting down if more workers had the option to telecommute, President Barack Obama said Wednesday.   The Hill        more   
• Apr 1, 2010 President Obama signs proclamation honoring Cesar Chavez The rights and benefits working Americans enjoy today were not easily gained; they had to be won. It took generations of courageous men and women, fighting to secure decent working conditions, organizing to demand fair pay, and sometimes risking their lives. Some, like Cesar Estrada... United Farm Workers        more   
• Mar 26, 2010 Cadillacs, Dependent Kids & the FEHBP If you have one of those so-called Cadillac health plans, or need to cover the health care costs of your college-aged kids, things are looking up. Federal and postal workers who need to insure children up to age 26 should be able to do it during the next open enrollment period... Federal News Radio        more   
• Mar 26, 2010 Telework and benefits bills take one step forward A House subcommittee on Wednesday approved legislation to promote telework in federal agencies, increase oversight of prescription drug coverage in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and allow federal employees to invest the value of their unused annual leave in their retirement... Government Executive        more   
• Mar 26, 2010 MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD (MSPB) HOSTS FEDERAL EMPLOYEE UNIONS On March 16, 2010, the MSPB hosted a meeting with representatives of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE); American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE);... US Merit System Protection Board        more...  
• Mar 25, 2010 Eye Opener: Snow days cost $71M each Happy Big F-@#!-ing Wednesday! Last month's snow days that kept the federal government closed for almost a week cost taxpayers much less than initially feared. The government lost $71,074,495 worth of productivity for each snow day, according to updated estimates... The Washington Post        more   
• Mar 25, 2010 TSA nominee won't commit to collective bargaining rights During his first confirmation hearing in Washington on Tuesday, President Obama's nominee to lead the Transportation Security Administration pledged to boost training for employees but would not commit to extending collective bargaining rights to agency screeners.  ... Government Executive        more   
• Mar 24, 2010 AG DEPT WORKERS WIN NEW CONTRACT Demonstrating real labor-management cooperation, the members of AFSCME 3870 and their management at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have negotiated a new contract two months ahead of the May expiration of the previous contract. "This was a great victory for both sides," said Local 3870... DC Labor        more...  
• Mar 3, 2010 AFSCME 2910 CHIEF STEWARD TO RECEIVE WORKPLACE SAFETY AWARD: "Every union local has someone who dedicates themselves to the health and safety of their coworkers," says AFSCME Local 2910 President Saul Schniderman. "Nan Thompson Ernst's work exemplifies this." Ernst (l), Local 2910's chief steward, is to be honored today with the "Advocate of... DC labor        more...  
• Mar 2, 2010 Biden to AFL-CIO: Organizing Bill Can Pass Vice President Joe Biden told the AFL-CIO that the Obama administration will still be able to push through a controversial union organizing bill that has been stalled for the past year and looked all but dead once Democrats lost their 60-seat super-majority in the Senate. At... Wall Street Journal        more   
• Mar 2, 2010 AFL-CIO Leaders Assemble This Week to Talk Jobs, Strategize When the AFL-CIO executive council meets in Orlando, Florida, this week, federation officers and affiliated union presidents will be focusing on jobs, especially the politics and legislative maneuvering involved in creating and saving jobs.  Like much that organized labor pushes for these... In These Times        more   
• Mar 1, 2010 Sen. Bunning May Single-handedly Cause 2,000 Federal Worker Furloughs Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) didn't just stop extensions of unemployment and health insurance benefits with his "hold' on these funding measures last week, he also stopped   an   extension of the Highway Trust Fund for 30 days. That means the fund cannot be used to pay for any  ... ABC News        more   
• Mar 1, 2010 Bunning to Jobless Workers: �Tough Sh*t� Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) has a message for the 1.2 million jobless workers who will lose their unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and COBRA health coverage in March when the two programs expire Feb. 28. �Tough sh*t� Bunning has single-handily blocked a vote on a 30-day extension by... AFL-CIO        more   
• Feb 25, 2010 New Union for the Unemployed If you have any family members or friends who are unemployed, please let them know that a new union for the unemployed has been formed. To view the website of the new organization, click here. UCubed        more...  
• Feb 17, 2010 Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship Jerry Clark served AFSCME for nearly two decades as Director of the International union's Political Action Department. In 1990, to honor the memory of Brother Clark, who died in that year, AFSCME instituted the Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship. The AFSCME Scholarship Selection... AFSCME        more   
• Feb 8, 2010 In PolitiFact debut, Brown says federal jobs pay twice as much as private sector jobs 12 days after his upset victory in Massachusetts, Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown made his debut on the Sunday morning talk circuit.   He talked about health care, the war in Afghanistan and deficit reduction in an interview with Barbara Walters on the Jan. 31, 2010... politifact.com        more   
• Feb 2, 2010 2011 Pay Raise: Coulda Been Worse Federal workers who predicted that President Obama would propose a 2011 pay freeze missed the boat. But not by that much. The 1.4 percent figure proposed in the President's budget is larger than the guess-timate that the majority of readers -- in our entertaining but highly... Federal News Radio        more   
• Feb 1, 2010 SITTING DOWN TO STAND UP: REMEMBERING GREENSBORO 1960: February 1, 1960, began as a crisp winter�s day half a century ago. But by the end of the day, U.S. race relations would be changed forever. On that day, four neatly-dressed African-Americans students quietly took their seats a t a Woolworth�s... DC Labor        more...  
• Jan 30, 2010 Council 26 Steward Training (Photo included) Forty stewards from 8 different Locals within Council 26 met at the AFSCME International Headquarters in Washington, DC for a Basic Stewards Training. Their length of time as stewards ranged from as short as several weeks to as long as 30 years. By the end of the two days they... Council 26        more...  
• Jan 21, 2010 Administration to toughen accountability on contractors' taxes The Obama administration announced Wednesday that it plans to crack down on federal contractors who fail to pay their taxes. An executive order signed by President Obama directs the Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget to block delinquent... Washington Post        more   
• Jan 14, 2010 Haiti Needs Your Help! Haiti is a scene of unimaginable devastation and human tragedy today. Please do all you can to help Haitians survive Tuesday�s massive earthquake by donating to one of the service organizations at right. To read how you can help, click here. AFL-CIO        more...  
• Jan 14, 2010 King Day Celebration to Focus on Economic Justice This Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, more than 400 union activists will remind the nation that without economic justice, King�s vision is unfulfilled. During the annual AFL-CIO King Day celebration in Greensboro, N.C., Jan. 14-18, union members will call on the White House and Congress... AFL-CIO        more   
• Jan 12, 2010 President Signals Flexibility on Health Plan Tax President Obama told union leaders at a private White House meeting on Monday that he remained committed to taxing high-cost insurance policies as a way to drive down health costs. But he also signaled that he was willing to amend the proposal to �make this work for working... NY Times        more   
• Jan 12, 2010 Unions say: protect FEHBP! A group of unions and other organizations, including AFSCME, sent a letter to House and Senate leadership, the DC-area delegation, among others, urging them to protect FEHBP in the health care reform process. To read the letter, click here. AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Jan 11, 2010 New Federal Workers Labor Alliance Formed Federal workers alliance (FWA) will give labor organizations a stronger voice to fight for federal workers. To read the press release click here. AFSCME        more...  
• Jan 11, 2010 Labor leaders object to 'Cadillac tax' for healthcare Underscoring a rift in the Democratic political coalition, national labor leaders met with President Obama on Monday and raised objections to a proposed tax that they said would harm union members and cause a backlash in the November midterm election.   Obama has... LA Times        more   
• Jan 7, 2010 Obama OKs taxing high-end health plans President Barack Obama signaled to House Democratic leaders Wednesday that they'll have to drop their opposition to taxing high-end health insurance plans to pay for health coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.   In a meeting at the White House, Obama expressed... Associated Press        more   
• Jan 5, 2010 Playing Politics and the Illogical Jim DeMint The Republican senator takes an anti-union stance and holds up the confirmation of a TSA chief.   Tell me that Tiger Woods, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Charlie Sheen are getting together to open up a marriage-counseling firm. But don�t tell me that Sen. Jim... Noozhawk        more   
• Dec 14, 2009 Obama gives feds half day off on Christmas Eve President Obama ordered late Friday that all federal agencies close for the last half of the work day on Thursday, Dec. 24, to give employees a jump on the Christmas holiday. In an executive order , Obama also noted that the heads of departments and agencies may determine that... Government Executive        more   
• Dec 11, 2009 Obama creates labor-management council President Obama on Wednesday signed an executive order , similar to a Clinton-era mandate, that establishes governmentwide labor-management partnerships. In addition to requiring labor-management forums at the agency level, the order creates a national council on federal... Government Executive        more   
• Dec 9, 2009 Federal employees earn 2% pay raise Congressional appropriators agreed Tuesday night to give civilian federal employees a 2 percent pay increase -- which includes a locality pay increase President Obama didn't want. Government workers will get a 1.5 percent nationwide increase in base pay and a 0.5 percent average... The Washington Post        more   
• Dec 9, 2009 AFSCME today co-sponsored an ad in Roll Call and other newspapers against a tax on federal employee health benefits   Click here to see ad. AFSCME        more...  
• Dec 9, 2009 A study shows that federal worker's most popular plan will be hit hard by the Senate tax   Click here to read report. Council 26        more...  
• Dec 7, 2009 Your 2010 Pay Raise: Go Figure White collar federal workers are due a 2 percent pay raise next year. We all know that. And they won't be getting a locality pay raise next year. We all know that too. And yet . . . Lots of federal workers are asking -- what does that mean, and will they... Federal News Radio        more   
• Dec 4, 2009 Working in a winter wonderland Federal employees may have more snow days or early dismissals this winter as the Washington region gears up for a season expected to be colder than normal, with a better chance of big storms. Government officials outlined the potential closing and early-dismissal scenarios for the Washington... The Washington Post        more   
• Dec 2, 2009 Workers chafe as Obama reins in raises President Obama will win no fans among federal workers with his action to limit their pay increase next year to 2 percent. That's a long way from the 18.9 percent average raise Obama said many government workers would have received using a complicated statutory formula designed to make... The Washington Post        more   
• Dec 1, 2009 FAA asked to do more to fix morale The Federal Aviation Administration needs to step up its efforts to promote diversity and do more to counter low morale, according to a report released Monday by the Government Accountability Office. The GAO called on the agency to broaden its training programs rather than narrowly... The Washington Post        more   
• Nov 24, 2009 The Combined Federal Campaign Read how you can help other working people through the Combined Federal Campaign. DC Labor        more   
• Nov 16, 2009 Maryland lawmaker tries to ease federal employees' fears about health care It was supposed to be a discussion of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program's Open Season, but many participants in Monday's town hall meeting in Montgomery County, Md., expressed concern over the health care reform package before Congress. At the Holiday Park Senior Center... Government Executive        more   
• Nov 9, 2009 Agencies promote telework as a powerful tool, not a panacea Alternative work schedules long have been touted as one solution to the federal government's recruitment and retention challenges. Telework, in particular, has taken narrow but determined root in many federal agencies, and the Obama administration has made it a priority to translate those... Government Executive        more   
• Nov 9, 2009 On Election Day, a win for government Here's a story you may have missed because it flies in the face of the dreary conventional wisdom: When advocates of public programs take on the right-wing anti-government crowd directly, the government-haters lose. This is what happened in two statewide referendums last week that got... The Washington Post        more   
• Nov 5, 2009 How to avoid drowning in Open Season's flood of choices It's that distinct time of year when the leaves fall, the air turns brisk and the major American sports seasons overlap. Another season opens in a few days, one that is as central to the lives of federal employees as Sunday afternoon is to a fantasy football freak. Open Season... Washington Post        more   
• Nov 4, 2009 Legislators clash over health care reform's impact on FEHBP As House Democrats prepare to introduce new health care reform legislation this week, federal employees' health benefits once again became a political football in the debate over the bill. Sixteen Republican representatives wrote to Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman... Government Executive        more   
• Nov 2, 2009 Domestic Partner Benefits AFSCME submits letter to Senate Committee in support of Domestic Partner benefits. Click here to read the letter. AFSCME        more...  
• Oct 28, 2009 President Signs Defense Bill: Includes Credit for Sick Leave and Abolishes NSPS We we noted in a recent article ( Human Resources Changes Include Sick Leave Credit for FERS Employees and Abolishing NSPS ), the Senate recently passed a bill that provides a number of benefits to federal employees. The bill was not a law at that time as it has not been signed by the... FedSmith.com        more   
• Oct 23, 2009 AFSCME Defends Feds' Health Benefits AFSCME and other organizations send a letter to Senate Majority Harry Reed to protect Federal Employees Health Benefit Program in health reform legislation. Read the letter by clicking here.   AFSCME        more...  
• Oct 23, 2009 Human Resources Changes Include Sick Leave Credit for FERS Employees and Abolishing NSPS As we noted in a recent article ( Congressional Movement on Federal Benefits ), Congress has been considering a number of changes in the federal government's human resources program that would benefit a number of readers. As often happens, these changes are in a bill that, on the... FedSmith        more   
• Oct 22, 2009 Government Grows the Economy Economist Jeff Madrick, director of policy research at The New School�s Bernard Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, is among several key speakers at next week�s Building the New Economy conference here in Washington, D.C. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and United Steelworkers... AFL-CIO        more   
• Oct 21, 2009 Senator Baucus's Excise Tax on Health Insurance will harm Federal Employees The Senate Finance Committee (SFC) passed a health care reform bill that includes a provision to tax many health insurance plans and essentially, tax the middle class. The Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan (FEHBP) will be affected in future years if the Finance Committee bill becomes... Council 26        more...  
• Oct 20, 2009 Labor unions turn against parts of health bill A coalition of labor unions is emerging as a leading critic of an $829 billion health care bill heading toward a Senate vote, complicating debate among Democrats over how to pay for the measure. Unions had largely supported President Obama's effort to revamp the nation's $2.6... USA Today        more   
• Oct 16, 2009 Federal Employee Hearings Held A Senate hearing was held to investigate the shocking rate increase federal employees are facing for long-term care plans. Many AFSCME federal employees purchased long term care policies years ago with the belief that they would pay more in the beginning to lock �in a premium rate and level... AFSCME        more...  
• Oct 14, 2009 AFSCME International's statement on long term care insurance rate hike Statement For The Record of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) before the Special Committee on Aging and the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government... AFSCME        more...  
• Oct 7, 2009 Compromise Defense policy measure advances retirement reforms House-Senate negotiators included a number of pay and retirement provisions in a compromise version of the 2010 Defense authorization bill, overcoming the objections of Republican senators who blocked the language from the Senate version of the bill. The conference report,... Government Executive        more   
• Oct 6, 2009 Health Premiums: Who's Average? Here are a couple of interesting and absolutely useless facts that could save you a bundle of money next year. 1) The average federal health insurance premium is going up 8.8 percent next year. 2) The average depth of the Pacific Ocean 14,040 feet . 3) My average weight, from... Federal News Radio        more   
• Oct 6, 2009 �09 DC LABOR FILMFEST KICKS OFF NEXT TUESDAY! This year�s DC Labor FilmFest features 30 screenings of 19 films over seven days, offering a unique line-up of films about work and workers. The 9th annual FilmFest is set for October 13 - 19 and boasts an exciting array of... DC Labor        more...  
• Oct 2, 2009 UNITED WAY FALL CAMPAIGN When financial crisis hits home for local union members, the Community Services Agency (CSA) of the Metro Washington Council AFL-CIO is there to help. CSA assists with evictions, utility shut-offs, empty cupboards and more. But without your support, CSA�s cupboard will run bare! Make sure CSA... DC Labor        more   
• Sep 30, 2009 Local 2953 team wins labor golf tournament American Federation of State, City and Municipal Employees Local 2953 memb ers Bill Chouinard and James Eisenmann won first place - with a score of ten under par - at Monday's 14th Annual Community Services Agency (CSA) Golf Tournament. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) member Doug... DC Labor        more...  
• Sep 16, 2009 OSHA to Consider Mandating Guidelines On Safety and Health for Federal Agencies The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will consider making mandatory for federal agencies its 1989 guidelines on safety and health management program practices, Jordan Barab, acting assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, told BNA Sept. 15.   Barab made... BNA Occupational Safety and Health Reporter        more...  
• Sep 14, 2009 Report from Columbia �The difficult situation of Colombia workers also creates a bad situation for workers in the United States,� Nestor Bruges Medina said. Bruges is the President the Atlantico region of the Alternative Democratic Pole, the main opposition party in Colombia. I spoke to him last week during a visit... DC Labor        more...  
• Sep 12, 2009 What Ever Happened To 'Cool'? There you go again, Mr. President. After promising to restore faith in our government and make it "cool" and "competent," you slighted our public servants by derisively referring to them as "bureaucrats" in an effort to appease those who worry about a government takeover of health... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 11, 2009 TSA Workers Inch Closer To Obtaining More Rights The people who protect airline passengers by stopping guns, knives and hijackers from getting on planes moved a step closer to securing the civil service protections they have long been denied with legislation approved Thursday by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The... The Washington Post        more   
• Sep 1, 2009 A Small Price to Pay to Fix Federal Hiring Process It's cheap at any price. The Congressional Budget Office says a bill designed to fix the broken federal hiring process would cost $40 million over five years. That's a pittance -- loose change rolling around in Uncle Sam's deep pockets -- compared with the aggravation,... The Washington Post        more   
• Aug 10, 2009 NEW GRANTS HELP UNION MEMBERS SAVE FOR COLLEGE The rising cost of a college education is putting working families in a bind. However, if you open a new college savings account, your union may be able to help. The new Union Plus College Savings Grant offers $500 to qualified union members who open a new tax-free "529" college savings or... DC Labor        more...  
• Aug 3, 2009 The Union Plus Legal Service Difference Union members rely on expert advice from their unions on workplace issues and now the Union Plus Legal Service helps workers find lawyers who can answer their personal legal questions. The service offers labor union-friendly lawyers, substantial savings with no annual fee, a free initial... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 29, 2009 OMB instructs agencies to save $40 billion annually by streamlining acquisitions Contracting guidance released on Wednesday will help agencies identify $40 billion annually in savings, according to the White House.   The Office of Management and Budget issued memos for agency heads aimed at improving acquisition practices, making better use of information on... Government Executive        more   
• Jul 28, 2009 Dr. No Succeeds in Killing Sick-Leave Bill, For Now They don't call him Dr. No for nothing. Republican Sen. Tom Coburn, a Muskogee, Okla., physician, earned that moniker with his consistent objection to legislation that he regards as an irresponsible use of the government's money. His latest target was a bill eagerly awaited by... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jul 23, 2009 Federal workforce reforms dropped from Senate Defense authorization bill An amendment containing several federal workforce reforms was withdrawn on Thursday from the Senate's version of the fiscal 2010 Defense authorization bill. Sponsored by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the amendment would have allowed employees in the Federal Employee Retirement System... Government Executive        more   
• Jul 22, 2009 LABOR-MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP THRIVING AT USDA: When it comes to labor-management partnerships, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty � who has effectively disbanded the city�s Labor-Management Partnership Council - could learn a few things from his friend in the White House. The Rural Development Partnership Council at USDA, which had virtually vanished... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 21, 2009 AFSCME Family Scholarship Looking for financial support for college?  Each year the AFSCME Family Scholarship Program provides at least 10 $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors that will be renewed for $2,000 each year for a maximum of four years, provided the student remains enrolled in a... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 17, 2009 Domestic Partner Benefits Gay and straight feds and retirees at Justice, Interior, GSA, OPM, Defense and all other agencies are asking when their agencies will extend the limited domestic partner benefits that have been okayed for Foreign Service staffers at the State Department . The short answer is that it... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jul 17, 2009 Democrats Drop Key Part of Bill to Assist Unions A half-dozen senators friendly to labor have decided to drop a central provision of a bill that would have made it easier to organize workers. The so-called card-check provision � which senators decided to scrap to help secure a filibuster -proof 60 votes � would have... NY Times        more   
• Jul 16, 2009 CSA�S �NEWS YOU CAN USE�: UnionSAFE from Union Plus Union members facing financial hardship may be eligible for help from Union Plus - including new grants for qualified union members who are disabled, laid off or facin g large hospital bills. To help union members in these tough economic times,... DC Labor        more...  
• Jul 15, 2009 Senators seek to add workforce provisions to Defense bill Two senators have introduced an amendment to the fiscal 2010 Defense authorization bill that would advance a range of pay and benefits reforms for federal employees. Sens. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, unveiled language on Tuesday that would move federal... Government Executive        more   
• Jun 25, 2009 Big Capitol Hill rally for health care Thousands of grassroots activists and labor workers from across the country flooded Capitol Hill Thursday for a high-volume rally for health care reform. The rally came as President Barack Obama�s plan encounters its toughest resistance on Capitol Hill yet. Republicans are mounting stiff... Politico        more   
• Jun 18, 2009 Labor Puts President on Notice Over Health Tax President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats risk a major rift with their union allies if they decide to pay for health care reform by taxing employer-provided health benefits, according to union sources.   An alliance of unions oppose the idea, which is being... Roll Call        more   
• Jun 8, 2009 House Passes Paid Parental Leave for Federal Employees Saul Schniderman, President of AFSCME Local 2910, speaks with Rep. Carolyn Maloney at a press conference in support of H.R. 626.The House passed the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (H.R. 626) by a vote of 258 to 154 on June 4. Saul Schniderman, President of the Library of Congress... AFSCME        more   
• Jun 5, 2009 House passes paid parental leave bill The House once again granted civilian agency employees four weeks of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child or during the initial period of foster care.   Late last night, House lawmakers voted 258 to 154 to pass the Federal Employee Paid Parental Leave Act.... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jun 5, 2009 Webb Calls for Support for Paid Parental Leave Act Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) joined Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and interested groups representing 2.7 million government employees Thursday in support of the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, H.R. 626, which would provide federal employees with four weeks of paid parental leave after the... WHSV        more   
• May 19, 2009 Copyright Office Bogged Down by New System A serious logjam in the U.S. Copyright Office has created a growing mountain of paper applications, more than the staff can process. Like the marching buckets of water in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," the envelopes just keep coming, threatening to flood the operation... ...The... The Washington Post        more   
• May 14, 2009 Artists for Workers Choice Watch the video explaining why Artists Support the  Employee Free Choice Act and the Freedom to Form Unions and Bargain. Artists for Workers Choice        more   
• May 13, 2009 Biden says unions are way to rebuild middle class Vice President Joe Biden, making a renewed pitch for a major change in labor law, told union leaders Tuesday that the best way to rebuild the middle class is to help labor unions grow. Biden said it's time to "level the playing field" for unions by passing a bill that would make... Associated Press        more   
• May 7, 2009 Parental Leave Bill for Fed Workers Advances Federal workers would be allowed four weeks of paid family leave to care for a newborn or adopted child under a bill approved by the full House Oversight and Government Reform Committee yesterday.   But the relatively routine markup did have its bizarre,... AFL-CIO        more   
• Apr 30, 2009 OPM Chief Thinks Telecommuting Has a Nice Ring to It Deep inside the current swine flu scare, there may be a silver lining for federal employees -- greater acceptance of telework in musty bureaucracies.   Although increased telecommuting has been a federal workplace goal for many years, statistics show a difference... The Washington Post        more   
• Apr 30, 2009 Senator seeks indefinite competitive sourcing freeze Legislation introduced on Wednesday by Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., would suspend public-private job competitions indefinitely and encourage agencies to bring contracted work back in-house. The Correction of Longstanding Errors in Agencies Unsustainable Procurements... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Apr 28, 2009 Workers Walk the Plank I�m sure everyone is thrilled to know that the high rollers on Wall Street are bouncing back. With profits on the rebound, the big shots at the biggest institutions are on track, as The Times reported Sunday, to make as much money this year as they were hauling in before the mega-recession... The New York Times        more   
• Apr 25, 2009 Farm Worker Employee Free Choice Act Passes the Senate On Thursday the [California] Senate approved legislation that would make it easier for farm workers to organize and help enforce workplace laws.   The bill sponsored by Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) the California Employee Free Choice Act for Farm... California Progress Report        more...  
• Apr 10, 2009 Reservists Pay Safety Net Federal and postal workers, who make up a substantial chunk of the nation's National Guard and Reserve units, won't lose any of their civilian salaries when they are called up for active duty. We first reported the pending change on March 19. Now it's official! The... Federal News Radio        more   
• Apr 8, 2009 Third Annual Labor Night at Nationals Park CSA, Metro Washington Council        more...  
• Apr 1, 2009 April In Slow Motion Members of the federal family, active and retired, have lots of big ticket items at play on Capitol Hill. They range from the size of the federal-military January pay raise to paid parental leave and a new sick-leave-saver incentive. Because there are so many serious proposals in... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Mar 23, 2009 Clicking Debt Away Reduce debt and boost credit scores with the new online Union Credit Doctor  from Union Plus. The free twelve-part video presentation provides practical advice on dealing with credit and debt, and features consumer credit expert Gerri Detweiler. The video segments - which include �What to... Metro Washington Council        more...  
• Mar 23, 2009 Employee Free Choice Does NOT Eliminate Secret Ballots A striking concession today from the hard-right, corporate-friendly editorial board of the Wall Street Journal : In the midst of an angry editorial against the Employee Free Choice Act , the authors undermine years of messaging by anti-worker corporate groups by acknowledging:... AFL-CIO        more   
• Mar 18, 2009 Contracts Can�t Be Broken�Unless They Involve Union Workers Contracts can�t be broken. We learned that lesson well over the past few days when AIG honchos swore that despite being bailed out by $173 billion in taxpayer funds, they couldn�t break the sacrosanct contractual bond that guaranteed billions in bonuses to the same top executives who... AFL-CIO        more   
• Mar 17, 2009 Controversial Pay-for-Performance Program Put on Hold Step by step, federal employees are feeling the impact of the Obama administration on their lives. The latest step came yesterday when the Pentagon and Office of Personnel Management announced that, pending a review, no more civilian employees would be moved from the... Washington Post        more   
• Mar 10, 2009 Omnibus bill halts competitive sourcing Competitive sourcing, one of the Bush administration's most controversial government reform policies, could be coming to an end. The 2009 omnibus appropriations bill , which passed the Senate on Tuesday, includes a provision prohibiting the use of funds governmentwide to study or... Government Executive        more   
• Mar 4, 2009 Obama Orders Contracting Overhaul President Obama on Wednesday ordered the Office of Management and Budget to undertake an in-depth review of the government's contracting efforts, including the outsourcing of work historically performed by federal employees. A memorandum Obama issued requires the OMB director to work with... Government Executive        more   
• Feb 25, 2009 Noted economists: The Employee Free Choice Act is needed to restore balance in the labor market Although its collapse has dominated recent media coverage, the financial sector is not the only segment of the U.S. economy running into serious trouble. The institutions that govern the labor market have also failed, producing the unusual and unhealthy situation in which hourly... Economic Policy Institute        more   
• Feb 10, 2009 FAA says Hackers broke into agency computers Hackers broke into the Federal Aviation Administration 's computer system last week, accessing the names and Social Security numbers of 45,000 employees and retirees.   The agency said in a statement Monday that two of the 48 files on the breached computer server... Yahoo        more   
• Feb 10, 2009 Pay Raise, What's That? Given the state of the economy and the salary freeze at the White House, federal workers could be looking at a microscopic pay raise in 2010. Or even a pay freeze. In one of his first acts as president, Mr. Obama slapped a pay freeze on White House staffers making $100,000 or more.... Federal News Radio        more   
• Feb 6, 2009 Labor Management Partnerships Carl Goldman, the Executive Director of AFSCME Council 26, emailed me with another take on the debate shaping up on how to move forward with a revival of labor-management partnerships . "The major problem with Clinton's executive order labor-management relations was that... Government Executive        more...  
• Feb 6, 2009 Obama Overturns Bush Exec. Order on Project Labor Agreements The men and women in the nation�s building and construction trades won a major victory today when President Obama signed an executive order overturning the Bush administration�s ban on project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal and federally funded construction. The ban was one of the... AFL-CIO        more   
• Feb 2, 2009 Effort to Increase Parental Leave Benefits for Federal Workers Renewed A bill to provide four weeks of paid leave to federal employees after the birth or adoption of a child has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, a measure supporters say will boost recruitment and retention of younger workers for the government.   Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who... Washington Post        more   
• Jan 31, 2009 Obama Alters Labor Policies President Obama signed a series of executive orders yesterday that he said should "level the playing field" for labor unions in their struggles with management. Union officials say the new orders by Obama will undo Bush administration policies that favored employers over workers.  ... Washington Post        more...  
• Jan 30, 2009 President Obama views Labor Movement as part of the solution "We need to level the playing field for workers and the unions that represent their interests. I do not view the labor movement as part of the problem. To me, it's part of the solution." Washington Post        more   
• Jan 8, 2009 Labor Calls for Unity After Years of Division The presidents of 12 of the nation's largest labor unions called Wednesday for reuniting the American labor movement, which split apart three and a half years ago when seven unions left the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and formed a rival federation. The union presidents issued their joint call after... NY Times        more   
• Jan 8, 2009 Federal Government: Model Employer or Work in Progress? How do most federal employees rate Uncle Sam -- as a model employer or a work in progress? If you said model employer, I have a Senate seat to sell you. The federal Merit Systems Protection Board has examined a series of issues surrounding that question through surveys of... The Washington Post        more   
• Dec 29, 2008 The Labor Agenda There is no doubt that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen a labor secretary who could be a transformative force in a long-neglected arena. The question is whether he will let her. Hilda Solis, a United States representative from Southern California, is the daughter of immigrant... NY Times        more   
• Dec 23, 2008 A Race to the Bottom Toward the end of an important speech in Washington last month, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, said to her audience: “Think of a teacher who is staying up past midnight to prepare her lesson plan... Think of a teacher who is paying for... NY Times        more   
• Dec 18, 2008 Read how the comic strip "Candorville" takes on union busting.   Candorville        more   
• Dec 16, 2008 2009 Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide SweatFree Communities and International Labor Rights Forum are excited to bring you the 2009 Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide filled with excellent products made in good working conditions. We believe that one of the most important criteria for meaningful and dignified work is that... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Dec 11, 2008 Making Contracting Work for the United States The federal government is failing to live up to its legal and moral obligations as a model employer. Through numerous laws and executive orders, Congress and the executive branch have expressed a clear and long-standing objective to set and enforce high standards for the treatment of contracted... Center for American Progress Action        more   
• Dec 11, 2008 Contractors could face increased oversight on the Hill The Democratic Congress is unlikely to take on many investigations or oversight hearings scrutinizing the incoming Obama administration in its next session, which could lead lawmakers to steer their oversight focus toward contractors, procurement experts said on Wednesday. "I... Government Executive        more   
• Dec 8, 2008 Bush slashes union rights for more feds President George W. Bush last week took away collective bargaining rights for about 1,500 employees, almost all of them at the Justice Department�s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). An executive order that Bush signed Dec. 1 also... Federal Times        more   
• Dec 2, 2008 New President Faces Powerful Federal Contractors President-elect Obama has said he wants public employees to take back some of the work that the Bush administration has given to contractors � and he wants to crack down on contractors' abuses. But the president-elect could face huge obstacles. Bush administration officials have hired... NPR        more   
• Dec 1, 2008 Obama To Tackle Explosion In Federal Contracts The economic crisis. Two wars. A flood of wounded veterans. Those are just a few of the huge problems that President-elect Barack Obama will face in office. But the president-elect has said he also plans to grapple with a dilemma that's much less visible: the explosion in government contracts... NPR        more   
• Nov 25, 2008 Spend That Half-Hour Evaluating Your Health Plan One of the good things about being a federal employee is the benefits package. The choice of health insurance plans, for example, is enough to make a private-sector worker jealous. If there's a downside to that variety, it's that the choices are so great that Frank and Flo Fed... The Washington Post        more   
• Nov 19, 2008 Obama Has a Chance to Reverse Long Erosion of the Federal Service As The Washington Post reported this week, President-elect Barack Obama wrote American Federation of Government Employees in October promising that he would do everything in his power to rebuild the federal service. He also promised to protect collective bargaining rights and... Washington Post        more   
• Nov 7, 2008 Widespread Complaints About a Rudderless Government When President Obama takes over in January as manager-in-chief of nearly 2 million federal employees, he will need a plan to reinvigorate a frustrated and demoralized workforce, career employees warn.     AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Oct 7, 2008 It�s the little things that make a big difference �Your help with food and my rent really saved the day for me,� said one grateful Community Services Agency (CSA) client. �I would have been on the street without your assistance.�   Your contribution to the CSA through Combined... Metro Washington Council, AFL-CIO        more...  
• Oct 7, 2008 2009 Health Insurance Rates: How Much Will Your Rate Change? Readers of the FedSmith site have been asking questions about the health benefits premiums they will be paying in 2009.   According to OPM, federal employees in the FEHBP will pay, on average about 8% more for their health coverage next year. The reality is that the... Fedsmith        more   
• Oct 1, 2008 Lee C. Ashcraft Memorial Union Scholarship The law firm of Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP offers a scholarship to area union members and their families to help with the high cost of education. Ahshcraft and Gerel, LLP        more...  
• Sep 30, 2008 3.9% Average Pay Raise for Feds in 2009 in Temporary Spending Bill There is plenty of negative financial news filling the airwaves. As of this writing, the I fund is down almost 30% for the year; the C fund is down more than 23% and the S fund is down almost 19%. You can check the daily performance of your TSP in this portion of the TSP corner .... Fedsmith        more   
• Sep 24, 2008 Major Progressive and Labor Leaders Demand Conditions For Drastic Financial Bailout Major progressive, labor and consumer rights leaders joined forces today to demand important corrections to the Bush administration's financial rescue proposal despite warnings from the administration's top economists who got us into this mess. The groups, representing more than 20... The Wall Street Journal        more   
• Aug 29, 2008 The Hatch Act What Is It? The Hatch Act is the 1939 law that regulates the political activities of federal employees and some state and local government workers. The legislation originally prohibited nearly all partisan activity by federal employees, banning them from endorsing candidates,... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 22, 2008 ZIMBABWE LABOR LEADER SPEAKS OUT IN DC Wellington Chibebe does not look like a dangerous man. A quiet man of average height, he doesn't stand out in a crowd. But a crowd is exactly where you're most likely to find Chibebe - Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions - and his outspokenness on behalf of Zimbabwe's... DC Labor        more...  
• Aug 11, 2008 Telework becomes more attractive as quality-of-life concerns spike Gas prices are up $1.13 per gallon since the summer of 2007. Agencies are struggling to inculcate cultures of performance. Hackers and employee carelessness have made information technology security a major concern. A new generation of federal recruits wants workplace flexibility. Labor... Government Executive        more   
• Aug 1, 2008 Time Is Not On Your Side! Looking forward to a pay raise? Would you like to be reimbursed for what is now use-it-or-lose-it sick leave? If the answer is yes to either or both, the news is good. Congress is on a roll. Up to a point! First, the good news: 1.   Congress is moving right along... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jul 24, 2008 Performance Pay: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? I once worked for an outfit that decided it needed a pay-for-performance plan. Prior to the change, we all got the same percentage pay raise each year. Obviously that meant that higher paid people got bigger pay raises, but hey, that's life! We all got the same percentage which, we... Federal News Radio        more   
• Jul 22, 2008 AFSCME Goes Green The nation�s largest public service union to dramatically reduce paper use, forego bottled water, and serve local, organically grown food during Convention beginning July 28. Washington, D.C. � The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the... AFSCME        more   
• Jul 21, 2008 Investor Education for Working Families Did you know that AFSCME offers a free Investor Education Program? The Investor Education for Working Families workshops provide bias-free personal investment learning opportunities through self-paced online classes and resource materials specially designed for union members and their... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Jun 25, 2008 Can't-Do Government We've seen the federal government at its worst over the past six months. Consider the controversies over contaminated tomatoes and meat, tainted toys, toxic trailers, counterfeit Heparin, aircraft groundings, veterans' care, missing warheads and unrelenting contract fraud. For every NASA success...     Washington Post        more   
• May 30, 2008 Congress pursues dual paths on contracting oversight Although their goals remain relatively similar, House and Senate lawmakers appear to be following noticeably different paths toward implementing a series of much debated contracting reform bills. Last week, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and... Government Executive        more   
• May 15, 2008 Sick-Leave Abuse Prompts Calls to Compensate for Unused Time At the Internal Revenue Service , one employee over a two-year period took sick leave on 13 of the 14 Tuesdays after a Monday holiday. That's an extreme case of sick-leave abuse, but the IRS employee had plenty of co-workers who also liked to take Tuesdays off, a report... The Washington Post        more...  
• Apr 23, 2008 House passes three contracting bills The House passed three pieces of contracting legislation on Wednesday aimed at increasing transparency in contracting and avoiding waste, fraud and abuse. The 2007 Government Contractor Accountability Act ( H.R.3928 ) would require companies to disclose the names and... Government Executive        more   
• Apr 22, 2008 Government can lead on telework The federal government has an opportunity to take the lead in promoting telework, but hurdles remain, Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) said today. "With plenty of encouragement and congressional oversight, the federal government can set the example for teleworking,"... Federal Computer Week        more...  
• Apr 16, 2008 Family-Leave Plan Is Halved A proposal to provide eight weeks of paid parental leave to federal employees was cut to four weeks by a key House Democrat yesterday as Republicans expressed concerns about the benefit's cost. Still, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) , chairman of the House Oversight and... Washington Post        more   
• Apr 15, 2008 House Passes Bill to Open its Gym to all Federal Employees ...a resolution to grant all federal employees, including members of the military, access to the House exercise facility also passed the House unanimously. The gym, open for a little more than two years, is in the southwest corner of the Rayburn building. Only... The Hill        more...  
• Apr 15, 2008 House passes bill to prevent tax cheats from winning contracts Today millions of procrastinating Americans will rush to their local post office to make sure they file their tax returns on time. For contractors interested in doing business with the federal government, missing this year's deadline may be particularly costly. On Tuesday, the... Government Executive        more   
• Apr 10, 2008 Child of AFSCME Council 26 Leader Wins Scholarship Katherine Porzel, the daughter of Walt Porzel, Council 26 Secretary and Local 3925 President (U.S. Department of Agriculture), won an AFSCME Family Scholarship for $2000 per year for four years of college. Ms. Porzel was one of thirteen winners out of approximately 600 applicants. She is... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Apr 4, 2008 AFSCME and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's been 40 years since April 4, 1968 , when Dr. King . , was assassinated in Memphis , Tenn. Workers have particular reasons to remember and honor Dr. King ...He was in Memphis leading a workers cause: A union... AFSCME        more   
• Apr 2, 2008 Supermarket Workers OK Contract Area supermarket workers overwhelmingly approved a new 4-year contract Tuesday. Nearly 10,000 Safeway and Giant workers -- members of UFCW Local 400 -- turned out for the vote at the DC Armory on a contract proposal that maintained pension benefits and no co-pay on healthcare benefits, as well... DC Labor        more...  
• Apr 1, 2008 Unions beneficial to blacks, report finds When Norman Daniels started out with AT&T in 1974, he faced unequal treatment and prejudice because he was black. The phone company was under pressure to hire more minorities, but some supervisors were holding black technicians to a higher standard, looking for reasons... Miami Herald        more   
• Mar 28, 2008 Visit the AFSCME Store Martin Luther King Jr. shirts, posters and more are available from the AFSCME Store. AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Mar 26, 2008 Top Jobs in Government Increasingly Filled From Outside For decades, the government has hired at lower grade levels and encouraged employees to work their way to the top. But a study released yesterday suggested that agencies are increasingly turning to job seekers from outside the government to fill upper-level jobs. Many of the upper-level... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Mar 21, 2008 House GOP eager to strip debarment provision from contracting bill House Republicans are hoping to strip a controversial provision from a Democratic procurement oversight bill that could allow large federal contractors to be targeted for suspension or debarment based on the actions of a select few employees, according to a congressional aide who specializes in... Government Executive        more...  
• Mar 19, 2008 Supermarket Worker Support Campaign Off to Good Start Well over 100 activists have already signed up to support local supermarket workers in their fight for a fair contract. Many are downloading pocket-sized worker support cards to give to their neighborhood checkout clerks, while others will be delivering solidarity cards to local store managers... Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO        more...  
• Mar 14, 2008 Government Reform panel passes contractor database bill A bill to set up a public database on federal contractor performance and misconduct won approval Thursday from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee despite Republican concerns the measure could allow unfair attacks on contractors as well as end up barring large companies from... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Mar 7, 2008 A Plea for Paid Parental Leave Last summer, Amy S. Costantino suddenly went into labor and gave birth to twin sons -- 3 1/2 months premature. Each weighed less than two pounds, and they spent 90 days in a neonatal intensive-care unit. She soon was confronted with a stark choice: use the sick... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Mar 4, 2008 Federal Pay Caught Up in Fiscal 2009 Budget Debates It's the start of budget season on Capitol Hill . Congressional budget committees begin writing their fiscal 2009 spending plans this week, no doubt tossing out and reshaping many of President Bush 's priorities. Democrats and Republicans -- especially because it's an... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Mar 4, 2008 Moran set to propose FERS sick leave reimbursement Rep. James Moran , D-Va., plans to introduce a bill March 10 that would compensate more retiring federal employees for a portion of their unused sick leave. Moran’s bill would provide employees retiring under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) up to $10,000 in... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Feb 25, 2008 Come Together: In Solidarity John Lennon may have been just a dreamer about world peace, but he was willing to walk the line when it came to issues of workers' justice. On the day of his death, Lennon was making preparations to fly to San Francisco to attend a rally with striking... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Feb 21, 2008 DHS Workers Beat Unionbusting Workers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) won a five-and-a-half-year battle against unionbusting last Friday when DHS officials dropped demands to implement a new personnel system that would have curbed union rights, reported Stephen Barr in Wednesday's Washington Post . The... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Feb 15, 2008 Readers Favor Retaining Time-in-Grade Restrictions for Promotions In a recent article, we highlighted the proposal from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to change the time in grade requirements for federal promotions. Since this change could have an impact on most of our readers who are still active federal employees, we asked readers for their... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Feb 14, 2008 MD Home Care Providers Vote for AFSCME PROVIDERS TOGETHER – Maryland home care providers voted overwhelmingly in February to organize a union with AFSCME.   More than 4,000 home care providers throughout the state voted overwhelmingly this month to make AFSCME their union.   The... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jan 31, 2008 Stay the Equal Course on Raises, They Tell Bush The push-and-pull over the 2009 federal pay raise is underway. Ten Washington area House members, led by Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) , urged President Bush yesterday to provide equal raises to the civil service and the military next year, a practice they said... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jan 22, 2008 Library Workers Win A yearlong battle to protect workers rights and stop unionbusting at the Library of Congress (LOC) ended with a major victory for workers Wednesday, reports the LOC Professional Guild, AFSCME Local 2910 website . "This dispute had broad ramifications for the protection of employees rights... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jan 17, 2008 Union Movement Donation and Dedication Ceremony for Memphis –Area Students On Thursday, Jan. 17 , AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Gerald W. McEntee will join children at Hollywood Head Start to announce a number of donations to Memphis-area children. The donations include a computer lab... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Jan 17, 2008 Martin Luther King, Presente! If you can’t make it to Memphis this weekend, Martin Luther King is just a click – or short subway ride – away: Four brief video clips featuring the civil rights leader are now available online from the AFL-CIO. Included are a 10-minute version of “ I Am A Man ” which tells...    more...  
• Jan 10, 2008 Court Battle Continues Over Defense Union's Bargaining Rights Just as it appeared the Ping-Pong battle between the Defense Department and its largest union was ending, the union has stepped up to the table for one last serve. The American Federation of Government Employees this week filed an appeal with the Supreme Court to stop a... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jan 8, 2008 General Schedule Increase and Locality Salary Scale Salary Table 2008 Incorporating the 2.50% General Schedule Increase and a Locality Payment of 20.89% For the Locality Pay Area of Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Total Increase: 4.49% Effective January 2008 Annual... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jan 5, 2008 Area Federal Workers Get 4.49% Raise President Bush signed an executive order yesterday that provides pay raises this year for federal employees, military personnel, Cabinet officers and members of Congress. The order covers about 336,000 federal employees in the Washington-Baltimore region. Workers will receive a 4.49 percent... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jan 2, 2008 Promises Tracked The Democratic candidates for president are taking aim at federal contracting, which they describe as shoddy and corrupt. The Republican candidates also have ideas about how to fix the bureaucracy and restore trust in Washington . The presidential campaigns are in high gear... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Dec 10, 2007 Compromise On Pentagon Pay System, Union Rights It's a compromise aimed at ending four years of controversy. House-Senate negotiators unveiled legislation Friday that would restore collective bargaining rights to unions at the Defense Department , permit the Pentagon to go forward with new pay rules and perhaps ease the... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Dec 3, 2007 Pay System Causing Turbulence at the FAA Employees at the Federal Aviation Administration have been operating under a performance-based pay system for the last decade. Some still don't like it. Tim O'Hara , a 24-year FAA employee, sent a letter last month to Robert A. Sturgell , the... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Nov 28, 2007 President issues plan to limit pay raise to 3 percent next year President Bush moved Wednesday to limit the locality-based increase for white-collar federal civilian employees to 0.5 percent next year, bringing the total overall increase to an average of 3 percent. Under federal law, the president has until the end of November to propose an... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Nov 16, 2007 Senate Committee Joins House in Approving Expanded Telecommuting A Senate committee this week approved a bill that would make it possible for more federal employees to become telecommuters, acting a week after supporters of at-home work introduced similar legislation in the House.   The bills would encourage agencies to allow eligible... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Nov 6, 2007 Clearing the Roadblocks to Telecommuting Concerned that too few federal employees are getting plugged into telecommuting, House Democrats are drafting legislation that would encourage agencies to allow eligible employees to telework four days a month, on average. Reps. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) , chairman of the House... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Oct 30, 2007 In Voting Section, Charges of Discrimination Persist When John Tanner , the chief of the Justice Department's voting rights section, goes before Congress tomorrow, he'll have a lot to answer for.   One of the most uncomfortable topics, to be sure, will be continuing charges of discrimination in the section that is supposed... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Oct 30, 2007 In Voting Section, Charges of Discrimination Persist When John Tanner , the chief of the Justice Department's voting rights section, goes before Congress tomorrow, he'll have a lot to answer for.   One of the most uncomfortable topics, to be sure, will be continuing charges of discrimination in the section that is... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Oct 22, 2007 Benefits Guide Helps Decode Alphabet Soup The annual open-enrollment season for federal employees is on its way, loaded with insurance industry argot and acronym-laden programs.   For the first time, the open season is no longer just about health insurance, but also about how to mix and match dental and vision... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Oct 17, 2007 Save My Home Hotline Set Up for Union Members Many homeowners have adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs)—but nearly half who have them admit they do not know how their ARMs adjust or reset, and nearly three-quarters do not know how much their monthly mortgage payments will increase when they do, a new national survey reveals. The... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Oct 15, 2007 Contracting Out Update Federal Unions and our allies on Capitol Hill have been working hard to level the playing field in public-private competitions. This is the status of these efforts to date:     HR 2829 The Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act as passed in... AFSCME Council 26        more...  
• Oct 12, 2007 A Little Lower A few weeks ago, I wrote about how to decide whether to retire from federal service to work in the private sector or continue in your federal career. Several readers commented about the salary rates I used in the examples, saying they'd like to see how scenarios would work out for employees... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 21, 2007 Workers Joining AFL-CIO Unions at Highest Rate in Two Generations The highest priority of the union movement is to help more workers join unions and, in doing so, to open the doors for millions of Americans to enjoy the benefits of union membership. Despite the incessant anti-union efforts of the Bush administration and employers, the union movement is... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 17, 2007 Defense Begins Transition to Merit-Based Pay The Pentagon is taking its first big step to break away from the government's primary pay system, sending a strong signal to Defense Department civilian workers that their salaries will increasingly hinge on job performance. The department's change in pay strategy applies to... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 7, 2007 Congress approves student loan forgiveness for public servants Legislation that would provide student loan forgiveness for federal employees after 10 years of service will now move to President Bush 's desk. The bill ( H.R. 2669 ), sponsored by Rep. George Miller , D-Calif., was agreed upon by a conference committee Wednesday and... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 3, 2007 Labor in Fighting Trim The American labor movement is divided on which candidate to support for president. Its membership is at one of its low ebbs in our history. And yet the nation's unions are more politically influential today than they were in the movement's heyday in the 1950s. Organized labor's clout is... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Sep 3, 2007 Congress Looks Ready To Approve 3.5% Raise Here's a little something for federal employees to celebrate while flipping the burgers and dogs on the grill this Labor Day: a pay raise drawing bipartisan support on Capitol Hill . The House has approved a 3.5 percent raise for the civil service in January as part of the... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Aug 29, 2007 AFL-CIO likely to sit out primary endorsement A day after two unions announced their presidential endorsements, AFL-CIO leaders said Wednesday their union is still unlikely to throw its support behind a candidate during the primary season. Under current rules, a candidate would need the support of two-thirds of the union’s... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Aug 28, 2007 Hurdles ahead for federal pay boost, tax cut Time and the financial bottom line are working against a package of attractive bills that would increase most federal workers' take-home pay and trim the federal tax bite on most federal retirees. The two plans, one to cut federal-postal worker premiums and the other to cut taxes for federal... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Aug 28, 2007 Contracting offices face increased oversight After spending much of 2005 on the defensive in the wake of countless contracting scandals spurred by Hurricane Katrina, acquisition offices at civilian federal agencies had hoped for a more low-key, back-to-basics year. It didn't go quite as planned.   Within weeks of... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Aug 13, 2007 Appeals court deals blow to unions in Defense personnel case An appeals court has rejected a request from federal employee unions for a full court review of a panel's decision upholding rules that would scale back collective bargaining rights for civilian Defense Department employees. The coalition of unions that had asked the full U.S. Court of... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Aug 2, 2007 Child of AFSCME Local 1509 Member Wins Union Scholarship! Danna Thomas , daughter of Duane Thomas , a member of Local 1509 at the Federal Aviation Administration, has received a $1000 AFSCME Advantage Scholarship, which is funded by the Union Privilege Scholarship Program. Danna is one of 103 applicants from 45 AFL-CIO unions who received... AFSCME 26        more...  
• Aug 1, 2007 Outsourcing in the Dark You don't trifle with Robin Smith when it comes to keeping America safe. Smith is a former airman first class who won a Sharpshooter badge and was one of 125 women selected by the Air Force for a test combat training program. She comes from a family that was almost a stranger to civilian... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jul 31, 2007 Democrats’ Field Creates Pleasant Predicament for Unions Union leaders say they are so happy with the Democratic presidential aspirants, though unsure of whom to support, that they are unlikely to endorse any of them before the primaries next year. If the unions do delay throwing their weight behind any candidate early in the campaign,... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jul 17, 2007 House members weigh alternate paths to TSA bargaining rights House lawmakers selected to negotiate with the Senate on major homeland security legislation said Tuesday that they are unsure whether they'll be able to address an effort to grant collective bargaining rights to federal airport screeners. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jul 3, 2007 Unions seek full court review of Defense personnel ruling  A coalition of labor unions on Monday filed a petition for a full appeals court review of a ruling that upheld the Defense Department's new personnel and labor relations rules. The unions are seeking a rehearing of a decision issued in May by a panel of judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• Jun 18, 2007 You Have the Right to Protest…Quietly Your free speech rights to protest in DC may be in jeopardy. The proposed Noise Law bill -- introduced by Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells and co-sponsored by Councilmembers Mary Cheh (Ward 3) and Kwame Brown (At-large) – currently being considered in the DC City Council “would ban the use...    more...  
• Jun 14, 2007 Union might not endorse before 2008 primaries WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Given a strong and crowded 2008 Democratic presidential field, a prominent labor leader said on Thursday his union will have a tough time reaching a consensus to make an endorsement before the primaries. Gerald McEntee, president of the public employees union AFSCME...    more...  
• May 22, 2007 Labor Night with the Nats Over 3,000 tickets have already been sold for the Community Services Agency’s “Labor Night with the Nats” on Friday, 7/20. Tickets are still available! Buy 50 or more tickets and your local’s name will appear on the scoreboard. For more info, email Kathleen McKirchy, kmckirch@dclabor.org .    more...  
• May 22, 2007 DoD Unions to Appeal Court Ruling Labor Coalition to Appeal Ruling at Defense Steven Barr, Washington Post, May 22, 2007 A coalition of 40 unions representing Defense Department employees will ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review a decision by three of its judges upholding a 2004... AFSCME Council 26        more   
• May 22, 2007 Labor Coalition to Appeal Ruling at Defense Labor Coalition to Appeal Ruling at Defense Steve Barr, Washington Post, May 22, 2007 A coalition of 40 unions representing Defense Department employees will ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review a decision by three of its judges upholding a 2004... AFSCME Council 26        more...  



Federal workforce

• Jun 19, 2008 House passes paid parental leave bill The House on Thursday passed legislation that would institute a paid parental leave policy for all federal employees. The House voted 278-146 to pass H.R. 5781, which would provide four weeks of paid maternal or paternal leave for the birth or adoption of a child. It would, for the first time,...     Government Executive        more   
• Aug 9, 2007 AFL-CIO Decides Not to Endorse for Now... The A.F.L.-C.I.O. ’s executive council voted on Wednesday against endorsing any presidential candidate, reflecting divisions over which Democrat to support and setting the stage for its 55 member unions to make individual endorsements. Labor leaders said several large unions were leaning... New York Times        more...  
• Aug 4, 2007 Administration - Competive Sourcing, R.I.P? One of President Bush's most ambitious efforts to reform government, one that struggled for years to overcome high-level neglect, bureaucratic resistance, and congressional Republican opposition, now faces its Waterloo in the Democratic Congress. ... In the spring of 2006, OMB officials... John Maggs, National Journal        more...  



Working Families

• May 29, 2007 Rebusting the Air Traffic Controllers Union It’s not easy for air traffic controllers with a Republican in the White House. First, it was Ronald W. Reagan firing 11,000 of them in 1981 for striking to try to better their onerous working conditions. Now, it’s George W. Bush making the conditions even worse. The controllers aren’t...     TomPaine.com        more   
• May 25, 2007 Senate panel moves to scale back Pentagon personnel system A Senate panel on Thursday approved language that would significantly limit the implementation of a controversial personnel system at the Defense Department and authorize a 3.5 percent 2008 pay raise for members of the military. In a markup of the fiscal 2008 Defense authorization bill that... GovExec        more   
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