FederalDaily - October 26, 2005
CBP Dress Code Ruled Illegal
An arbitrator recently ruled that the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection
(CBP) violated its national labor agreement with the National Treasury Employees
Union (NTEU) when it implemented new personal appearance standards for all
uniformed officers—setting rules on issues such as hair color and mustache
length and outlawing beards—without meeting its bargaining obligations
with NTEU. The union announced that the arbitrator ordered CBP to rescind the
standards, but stayed implementation of his decision to allow a related legal
proceeding to conclude. NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley criticized the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) for focusing on what she described as “trivial
pursuits.”
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Senate Passes Protections for RIF FAA
Employees
The Senate on Oct. 20 passed an amendment (S. 2150) to the Transportation
and Treasury Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3058) that would protect the retirement
benefits of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees who recently lost
their jobs when their work was privatized. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, authored
the amendment; it was co-sponsored by Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Tim Johnson,
D-S.D., and John Thune, R-S.D. Earlier this month, the FAA began turning functions
of flight service stations over to a contractor. But Snowe said the provision
would allow any flight service station employee who is within two years of
retirement to remain employed with the FAA, thereby retaining their federal
benefits and pension. These employees could be loaned to the contractor, Lockheed-Martin,
but they would remain on FAA’s payroll, Snowe said.
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Holiday Mail for Troops
Military families who plan to send care packages to servicemembers overseas
for the holidays need to mark Nov. 12 on their calendars. The U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) said that packages being sent by Parcel Post to all Air/Army Post Office
(APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) zip codes should be mailed no later than Nov.
12 to reach troops stationed overseas in time for the holidays. Letters and
cards sent by First-Class Mail should be posted no later than Dec. 10. "We
are asking families and supporters to mail and ship early this year to insure
a happy holiday for our troops," said Postmaster General John E. Potter.
USPS has created a special kit based on the most popular items ordered to send
care packages to the troops. This kit may be ordered by calling (800) 610-8734
and requesting CAREKIT04. The kit contains 10 Priority Mail boxes, five "Mili-Pacs," one
roll of Priority Mail tape and 10 customs forms with envelopes. There is no
charge for the kit.
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Defense Counter-Drug Programs Recognized
The Department of Defense recently held a ceremony highlighting the best counter-drug
programs in each service and defense agency. Thomas W. O'Connell, assistant
secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, said
the program was created 15 years ago. There were six award winners. For example,
the Army Substance Abuse Program, Fort Stewart, Ga., received the award for
its program to combat drug use in a division returning from Iraq. And the Camp
Pendleton Drug Demand Reduction Program in California was awarded for presenting
drug use prevention classes to more than 12,000 servicemembers. The program
directors at Camp Pendleton also conducted classes at a local elementary school
and taught courses to hundreds of new substance abuse prevention officers.
For more, go to www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2005/20051024_3149.html.
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