| AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL Local 2724-Swanton Sector “Facta non verba”.........“Deeds not words” |
News & Updates
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Forum
UPDATE!
Border Patrol Sector Enforcement
Specialists throughout the U.S. have
been placed back in the bargaining unit
after having been removed for “national
security reasons”. The only Specialists
not back in the Union are those working
in Houlton, Swanton, and Del Rio
Sectors.
During a hearing before the FLRA, the
agency placed the employees back in the
bargaining unit after admitting it acted
prematurely in removing them. The
employees in the three sectors still
excluded have access to a Secure
Telephone Unit, which the agency
believes excludes them from collective
bargaining. The agency stated it is their
intent to remove all Specialists from the
bargaining unit once they are
performing national security work.
The NBPC will continue the fight for the
three sectors still excluded by the
agency. Legal briefs are due in 30 days.
Those rejoining the Union are
immediately eligible for all rights and
benefits of membership.
Specialists throughout the U.S. have
been placed back in the bargaining unit
after having been removed for “national
security reasons”. The only Specialists
not back in the Union are those working
in Houlton, Swanton, and Del Rio
Sectors.
During a hearing before the FLRA, the
agency placed the employees back in the
bargaining unit after admitting it acted
prematurely in removing them. The
employees in the three sectors still
excluded have access to a Secure
Telephone Unit, which the agency
believes excludes them from collective
bargaining. The agency stated it is their
intent to remove all Specialists from the
bargaining unit once they are
performing national security work.
The NBPC will continue the fight for the
three sectors still excluded by the
agency. Legal briefs are due in 30 days.
Those rejoining the Union are
immediately eligible for all rights and
benefits of membership.
| We would like thank the brave Swanton Sector Enforcement Specialists who testified on behalf of this volatile issue. We will continue to fight this issue until a positive outcome can be reached. |
THANK YOU
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Local 2724
Official Border Patrol
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NBPC Local 2724
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and comments are that of
the NBPC and NBPC
Local 2724
| Yes your dues have gone up!!! WE NOW HAVE FULL PORAC COVERAGE!! ! NEWS TO COME...SEE THE PORAC LINK BELOW!!! |
| Any members looking to add content to our local website let me know! rschofield@s wblocal2724 .org |
MAXHR
Congress Prohibits MaxHR on Unionized Employees: At
the urging of the American Federation of Government
Employees (AFGE), the House and Senate
appropriations committees this month approved
Homeland Security spending bills that would prevent
the Homeland Security Department from implementing
its controversial personnel system on employees
covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Congress' action marks another major victory for AFGE
and its coalition of unions leading the fight against this
personnel system, previously known as MaxHR. The
unions have won a series of legal and legislative battles
since DHS came up with Max HR in 2005. In 2006, the
appeals court upheld the lower's decision when it ruled
that the labor relations portion of the personnel system
illegally restricted the scope of bargaining and could not
be implemented. Congress subsequently provided no
funding for the agency to implement the system in
2008.
Congress Prohibits MaxHR on Unionized Employees: At
the urging of the American Federation of Government
Employees (AFGE), the House and Senate
appropriations committees this month approved
Homeland Security spending bills that would prevent
the Homeland Security Department from implementing
its controversial personnel system on employees
covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Congress' action marks another major victory for AFGE
and its coalition of unions leading the fight against this
personnel system, previously known as MaxHR. The
unions have won a series of legal and legislative battles
since DHS came up with Max HR in 2005. In 2006, the
appeals court upheld the lower's decision when it ruled
that the labor relations portion of the personnel system
illegally restricted the scope of bargaining and could not
be implemented. Congress subsequently provided no
funding for the agency to implement the system in
2008.
| Hello All!! My email has changed! I am still looking for any content or questions you guys and gals may have! Please let me know Ross Schofield STAY SAFE!! |
Chief Aguilar Wastes Millions of Tax Dollars on Northern
Border New-Hire Program
Apparently wanting to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that his recent
$61,500 bonus was completely unwarranted, Border Patrol Chief David
Aguilar has devised a scheme to waste millions of tax dollars and drive
employee morale to new depths. Rather than allowing experienced Border
Patrol agents to immediately transfer to the northern border, Chief Aguilar
has ordered that every opening be filled with new-hires, who will then be
temporarily assigned to the southwest border for nine months after they
graduate from the Border Patrol Academy. On average, it costs about
$41,000 per person for nine months of temporary lodging, meals,
incidental expenses, and transportation costs at the Border Patrol's
southwest border locations, even at extended-stay corporate rates. This is
$20,000 more than the cost of permanently transferring an experienced
agent to the northern border under the terms of a reduced-cost relocation
program. Thus, taxpayers will have to shell out an additional million
dollars for every 50 agents who are hired under this wasteful program.
This total does not factor in the cost of replacing experienced agents who
quit because they are not allowed to transfer.
How did this program, which started out as a measure of last resort to fill
a handful of hard-to-fill positions, become the primary means of staffing
the northern border? Sadly, there is no logical explanation. While Chief
Aguilar may claim that there are insufficient volunteers, no one knows how
many current employees would have applied, since none of them were
given the opportunity to do so. Likewise, any claim that the Union is
blocking such transfers is specious at best. The Union has made it
abundantly clear that it is willing to allow the Agency to utilize the
negotiated reduced-cost relocation program as long as the Agency honors
its legal obligation and previous commitment to provide the Union with
information that would allow it to determine which employees were
improperly denied transfers under a previous version of the program that
was illegally implemented. It is also worth noting that Chief Aguilar has
consistently ignored labor laws throughout his reign of incompetence, so
he cannot credibly assert that he suddenly feels compelled to obey them.
How much more money will Chief Aguilar be allowed to waste, and how
much more damage to morale will he be allowed to cause, before
someone fires him? Front-line agents across the country anxiously
continue to hope for a change in the leadership of the Border Patrol.
Border New-Hire Program
Apparently wanting to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that his recent
$61,500 bonus was completely unwarranted, Border Patrol Chief David
Aguilar has devised a scheme to waste millions of tax dollars and drive
employee morale to new depths. Rather than allowing experienced Border
Patrol agents to immediately transfer to the northern border, Chief Aguilar
has ordered that every opening be filled with new-hires, who will then be
temporarily assigned to the southwest border for nine months after they
graduate from the Border Patrol Academy. On average, it costs about
$41,000 per person for nine months of temporary lodging, meals,
incidental expenses, and transportation costs at the Border Patrol's
southwest border locations, even at extended-stay corporate rates. This is
$20,000 more than the cost of permanently transferring an experienced
agent to the northern border under the terms of a reduced-cost relocation
program. Thus, taxpayers will have to shell out an additional million
dollars for every 50 agents who are hired under this wasteful program.
This total does not factor in the cost of replacing experienced agents who
quit because they are not allowed to transfer.
How did this program, which started out as a measure of last resort to fill
a handful of hard-to-fill positions, become the primary means of staffing
the northern border? Sadly, there is no logical explanation. While Chief
Aguilar may claim that there are insufficient volunteers, no one knows how
many current employees would have applied, since none of them were
given the opportunity to do so. Likewise, any claim that the Union is
blocking such transfers is specious at best. The Union has made it
abundantly clear that it is willing to allow the Agency to utilize the
negotiated reduced-cost relocation program as long as the Agency honors
its legal obligation and previous commitment to provide the Union with
information that would allow it to determine which employees were
improperly denied transfers under a previous version of the program that
was illegally implemented. It is also worth noting that Chief Aguilar has
consistently ignored labor laws throughout his reign of incompetence, so
he cannot credibly assert that he suddenly feels compelled to obey them.
How much more money will Chief Aguilar be allowed to waste, and how
much more damage to morale will he be allowed to cause, before
someone fires him? Front-line agents across the country anxiously
continue to hope for a change in the leadership of the Border Patrol.
| Looking for a new career??? |
DHS SECRETARY NAPOLITANO SITS DOWN WITH AFGE
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Immigration reform, TSA among topics of discussion
(WASHINGTON)—In what the union expects to be the first of many
meetings, American Federation of Government Employees National
President John Gage on Feb. 20 sat down with Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to discuss the
Transportation Security Administration and Border Patrol, among other
topics. Also at the meeting were AFGE National Border Patrol Council
President T.J. Bonner, DHS Chief of Staff for Policy Noah Kroloff and
Deputy General Counsel David Martin.
“AFGE thanks Secretary Napolitano for her willingness to meet with
AFGE,” Gage said. “We found her to be open to discussions
regarding the DHS workforce and our concerns as the bargaining
agent for tens of thousands of DHS employees.”
As the union representing the overwhelming majority of DHS workers,
AFGE requested the meeting with Secretary Napolitano within days of
her confirmation to the post. “We learned from the labor folks in
Arizona that Secretary Napolitano was a firm, but fair administrator.
This was clear from her record as governor of one of the most
aggressively right-to-work states in the country,” Gage said. “It was
important to meet with Secretary Napolitano early in her tenure in
order to forge a working relationship that supports this agency’s
critical mission.”
Gage and Bonner shared with Napolitano the union’s opinion on the
need for comprehensive immigration reform, stating that “overhaul of
the nation’s system is long overdue” and stressing the need for
protection of DHS workers. Also discussed were funding anomalies at
Citizenship and Immigration Services and the often poor public
perception of Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees.
Gage also focused on the plight of the TSA workforce. While a
permanent TSA administrator has yet to be appointed, Gage spoke to
the Secretary about the unfair treatment and anti-union actions
Transportation Security Officers experience at many of the nation’s
airports. He stressed the urgent need for TSOs to be afforded
collective bargaining rights—as pledged by President Obama in an
October letter to AFGE.
“We don’t believe the Secretary needs to wait for a new administrator
to be named to make good on President Obama’s promise to these
dedicated employees,” Gage explained. “This can be done
immediately by directing the acting administrator to rescind a 2003
directive prohibiting collective bargaining and issue a new directive
placing the TSA workforce under Chapter 71 of the Federal Service
Labor Management Relations Statute.”
NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Immigration reform, TSA among topics of discussion
(WASHINGTON)—In what the union expects to be the first of many
meetings, American Federation of Government Employees National
President John Gage on Feb. 20 sat down with Department of
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to discuss the
Transportation Security Administration and Border Patrol, among other
topics. Also at the meeting were AFGE National Border Patrol Council
President T.J. Bonner, DHS Chief of Staff for Policy Noah Kroloff and
Deputy General Counsel David Martin.
“AFGE thanks Secretary Napolitano for her willingness to meet with
AFGE,” Gage said. “We found her to be open to discussions
regarding the DHS workforce and our concerns as the bargaining
agent for tens of thousands of DHS employees.”
As the union representing the overwhelming majority of DHS workers,
AFGE requested the meeting with Secretary Napolitano within days of
her confirmation to the post. “We learned from the labor folks in
Arizona that Secretary Napolitano was a firm, but fair administrator.
This was clear from her record as governor of one of the most
aggressively right-to-work states in the country,” Gage said. “It was
important to meet with Secretary Napolitano early in her tenure in
order to forge a working relationship that supports this agency’s
critical mission.”
Gage and Bonner shared with Napolitano the union’s opinion on the
need for comprehensive immigration reform, stating that “overhaul of
the nation’s system is long overdue” and stressing the need for
protection of DHS workers. Also discussed were funding anomalies at
Citizenship and Immigration Services and the often poor public
perception of Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees.
Gage also focused on the plight of the TSA workforce. While a
permanent TSA administrator has yet to be appointed, Gage spoke to
the Secretary about the unfair treatment and anti-union actions
Transportation Security Officers experience at many of the nation’s
airports. He stressed the urgent need for TSOs to be afforded
collective bargaining rights—as pledged by President Obama in an
October letter to AFGE.
“We don’t believe the Secretary needs to wait for a new administrator
to be named to make good on President Obama’s promise to these
dedicated employees,” Gage explained. “This can be done
immediately by directing the acting administrator to rescind a 2003
directive prohibiting collective bargaining and issue a new directive
placing the TSA workforce under Chapter 71 of the Federal Service
Labor Management Relations Statute.”
AFGE APPLAUDS NOMINATION OF JULIA
ATKINS CLARK AS GENERAL COUNSEL
OF FLRA
(WASHINGTON) – The American Federation of Government
Employees, today, congratulated Julia A. Clark, who has been
nominated by the White House for the position of General Counsel of
the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
“We believe Ms. Clark will be a valuable asset to the Federal Labor
Relations Authority,” said John Gage, AFGE national president. “She
has a keen legal mind and has extensive experience in labor,
employment and election law. We look forward to her swift
confirmation.”
Clark began her career nearly three decades ago as a trial attorney
for the United States Justice Department in the Special Regulated
Industries Section. However for the past 20 years, she has worked on
the behalf of the International Federal of Professional Technical
Engineers (IFPTE) as General Counsel and Counsel for Federal and
Legislative Affairs where she has represented workers before the
FLRA, National Labor Relations Board, the National Mediation Board,
and the Personnel Appeals Board of the Government Accountability
Office.
ATKINS CLARK AS GENERAL COUNSEL
OF FLRA
(WASHINGTON) – The American Federation of Government
Employees, today, congratulated Julia A. Clark, who has been
nominated by the White House for the position of General Counsel of
the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
“We believe Ms. Clark will be a valuable asset to the Federal Labor
Relations Authority,” said John Gage, AFGE national president. “She
has a keen legal mind and has extensive experience in labor,
employment and election law. We look forward to her swift
confirmation.”
Clark began her career nearly three decades ago as a trial attorney
for the United States Justice Department in the Special Regulated
Industries Section. However for the past 20 years, she has worked on
the behalf of the International Federal of Professional Technical
Engineers (IFPTE) as General Counsel and Counsel for Federal and
Legislative Affairs where she has represented workers before the
FLRA, National Labor Relations Board, the National Mediation Board,
and the Personnel Appeals Board of the Government Accountability
Office.