FederalDaily - March 30, 2007

Measure Would Scrap Parts of DHS Personnel System

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) on March 28 applauded a move by the House Homeland Security Committee to scrap controversial elements of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel system. The committee—as part of its markup of the DHS Fiscal 2008 authorization bill, HR 1684—included language to halt elements of the proposed personnel system that relate to employee appeal rights and performance management. The union has challenged both elements of the system in court. Although the courts have enjoined DHS from implementing the labor relations segments of the regulations, the agency recently said it intends to move ahead to execute portions of its rules dealing with adverse actions, appeals and performance management. In another development, NTEU said the committee also included language in the bill that would grant law enforcement officer status to officers in the agency’s Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, retroactive to March 2003. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org

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APWU, USPS Agree on Contract for Tech Units

The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the Postal Service (USPS) have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract that covers more than 1,200 employees at four regional Information Technology/Accounting Service Centers. The contract, which is still subject to member ratification, guarantees a 5.1 percent wage increase over the course of contract, an extension of twice-a-year cost-of-living adjustment salary increases and a continuation of the union’s unqualified no-layoff clause. The Postal Service would pay 95 percent of health care premiums for employees enrolled in the APWU Consumer Driven Health Plan, effective in 2008. The employees’ share of health care premium costs in other plans would increase 1 percent each year in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. The two parties also have agreed to consolidate and revise several job descriptions and pay levels. “Although we didn’t achieve all of our demands, we have negotiated significant improvements to wages and working conditions,” said APWU National Business Agent Bill Manley on March 26. The affected USPS facilities are in Eagan, Minn., San Mateo, Calif., St. Louis and Wilkes-Barre, Pa. To see more, go to: www.apwu.org/news/webart/2007/webart-0725-it-asc_contract-070326.htm

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GSA’s Doan Can’t Recall Details of Teleconference

General Services Administration (GSA) head Lurita Doan testified March 28 that she could not recall details of a videoconference on Jan. 26 when a White House official briefed political appointees about targeting 20 congressional Democrats in 2008. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said the panel was investigating the videoconference, which took place at GSA facilities and included only political appointees, because the event may have violated the Hatch Act—a federal law that restricts government agencies and employees from engaging in political activity while on the job. Waxman said committee investigators took statements from participants who said that Doan asked employees how they could help Republicans in the elections. Under sharp questioning, Doan testified that she could not recall asking employees to help the GOP or remember details of the presentation. Waxman said the presentation “would be perfectly appropriate for a meeting at the Republican National Committee or among campaign operatives. But it’s the last thing taxpayers would expect at a government agency like GSA.” To see more, go to: http://oversight.house.gov/Documents/20070328101414-35030.pdf

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