HR 1722, the Telework Improvements Act, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Representatives John Sarbanes (D-MD), Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA), was passed today.  

 

This is important legislation that has long been supported by NTEU.  Telework is a bill with multiple wins. It saves money for federal taxpayers by allowing agencies to reduce office space costs and improve productivity. Local taxpayers save money by curbing costs for road construction, pollution abatement, and commuting costs. Federal employees who prefer to live in rural or suburban areas could still benefit from federal employment without suffering long, daily commutes to federal offices in urban centers. The bill also includes an NTEU supported provision for our members at the Patent and Trademark Office that will allow even further advances in their far-reaching telework program. 

 

            With NTEU support, Telework legislation has already passed the Senate. Today’s House votes reverses a previous House vote where this bill failed to obtain the needed 2/3 votes under a suspension of the rules. 

 

Representative Sarbanes and the other sponsors of this bill, along with Federal Workforce Subcommittee Chairman Steve Lynch (D-MA) were extremely helpful in the difficult struggle to pass this bill. Today’s debate included adoption of a Motion to Recommit with Instructions offered by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) to deny telework to federal employees who have committed certain infractions, including tax liens, government assistance violations and pornography viewing offenses. It also limits the use of official time while teleworking.   

 

            Because of differences between the House and Senate bills, action will be needed to determine a final bill before it can be sent to the President’s desk. NTEU will be looking to eliminate aspects of the Issa changes as the bill moves forward. President Obama is a strong

supporter of NTEU’s position on telework, and I expect he will sign this bill.

 

In an effort to reach agreement on the remaining contract articles, NTEU and CBP recently met with the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP), which is charged with resolving labor disputes between federal agencies and unions. Despite NTEU’s best efforts, not one new article was signed after this three-day session with the FSIP’s Executive Director. NTEU's Team at the FSIP Thomas O’Keefe, Chapter 138, Northern New York Laura Zayner, Chapter 172, Chicago Jennifer Fagerman, Chapter 167, Minnesota Border Jose Lamboglia, Chapter 137, Miami Harold Washington,  Chapter 105, San Diego Gene Gambardella, Chapter 183, N.Y. Seaport The Executive Director began the efforts by working with the parties to identify every dispute in the outstanding articles and then to weigh which articles are easiest and most difficult to resolve. Although management claimed there were six easily-resolved articles, this proved to be untrue. For example, CBP put one of the articles in this category because it expected NTEU to simply drop all of its demands. Much of the time was spent on the awards article with NTEU continuing to oppose management's demand for the unilateral right to decide who will get a permanent three-percent Quality Step Increase, the criteria for granting cash awards and amounts, and the right to grieve decisions. Every conversation about the unresolved articles—from awards and reassignments to scheduling and leave—is about something important to CBP employees. With this in mind, NTEU is doing everything in its power to secure the best agreement possible for employees. The FSIP’s Executive Director scheduled the two final days of mediation for the second week in July. Articles not resolved at that time will be put before an arbitrator to decide and issue a final and legally-binding order. Prior to this hearing, scheduled for late July, NTEU will have an opportunity to present arguments and evidence supporting why the union's proposals are better than management’s.

NTEU and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have signed an agreement that will implement a majority of contract articles covering the 24,000 bargaining-unit employees represented by NTEU.