FederalDaily - October 24, 2007
GSA Workers Sign 3-Year Pact
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the General Services Administration
(GSA) signed a new three-year labor agreement Oct. 22 that will cover the 3,500 GSA
employees who are AFGE members. The contract includes new language on performance
awards for eligible employees, clarification of the grievance and arbitration processes,
ethics training and a point of contact for employees, as well as computer-based management
training on the new labor agreement, GSA said in a statement. Also present for the
signing ceremony were AFGE President John Gage, GSA Chief Human Capital Officer Gail
T. Lovelace and members of the GSA and AFGE negotiating teams. For more, go to: www.gsa.gov.
:: Back to Top ::
NATCA: Number of Experienced Controllers at 15-Year Low
The number of certified air traffic controllers has reached a 15-year low, according to the National
Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), which said that dissatisfaction over a lack of a contract
has resulted in a record number of retirements. Attrition at airport control towers has well exceeded
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) projections and is exacerbating an already stressed air traffic
system, NATCA said in an Oct. 22 statement. There are 11,256 fully trained and certified controllers
working at the FAA’s 314 facilities. That’s a 4 percent decline from one year ago, and
the lowest total of experienced controllers since 1992 (10,696), said NATCA President Patrick Forrey. “This
is a problem entirely of the FAA’s making,” Forrey said. “It didn’t have to
happen. We do not have a contract and that is taking a very serious toll on the controller workforce
and the nation’s aviation system.” For more, go to: www.natca.org/mediacenter/press-release-detail.aspx?id=459.
:: Back to Top ::
Union Says VA Refuses to Act in Good Faith
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) said that Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
officials at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NF/SGVHS) have refused to act
in good faith in resolving VA employee grievances. AFGE on Oct. 22 said that the NF/SGVHS decision
not to resolve employee grievances is having a direct effect on patient care. AFGE said that in addition
to ignoring the dispute resolution process, NF/SGVHS officials have repeatedly denied union representatives
access to employees. “It has become standard operating procedure to deny union officials meetings
to even discuss pending grievances, let alone resolve their underlying issues,” said J. David
Cox, AFGE national secretary treasurer. AFGE said the North Florida/South Georgia system has more unresolved
discrimination complaints than any other facility in the region, For more, go to: www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=798
:: Back to Top ::
|
