Message from Tom Webb,
President, AFGE Local 3615

It is hard to believe that we are already more than one month into 2009.  The new year has started off at a furious pace and I want to take this opportunity to provide you with an update and to welcome you to the Local’s new Web-Site.

First and foremost, was the history making event that took place on January 20, with the swearing in of our 44th President, Barack Obama.  I am very proud of the part that AFGE, particularly our Local, played in helping to elect our new president.  All of our hard work on phone banking and labor walks were rewarded when Virginia “turned blue” on election night.  I again thank our officers, stewards, members and their families for their outstanding efforts.

Unfortunately, change has not yet come to SSA.  Agency officials have started the new year off behaving as if the election never happened.  Among the issues we have been dealing with are proposed suspensions for alleged transit subsidy abuses and OAO management’s intent to change the criteria for case crediting for the purpose of placing analysts on performance assistance plans (PA).  Agency officials continue to bypass the union at all levels.  We expect that in the near future, President Obama will sign an Executive Order on Union/Management Partnerships in the federal government that will require agency officials to meet with their union counterparts and engage in interest based bargaining and allow the union to have pre-decisional input on changes affecting bargaining unit employees.

As many of you know, the 2005 SSA/AFGE National Agreement will expire on August 15, 2009.  Earlier this month, Barbara Jackson, Juanita Jackson, Peter Gillard and I along with approximately 70 other SSA/AFGE activists attended contract training to continue to develop strategy for the upcoming contract negotiations which will start in April.  An employee survey will be distributed within the next few weeks and we urge all of you to participate.  The union will also have a website that will keep you fully informed of all developments.  We are committed to obtaining the best contract possible and we will need your support in order to do so.

Despite the hostile environment we have faced in the last several years, our Local’s membership has grown and we now have a total of 518 members (489 active and 29 retirees).  There is definitely strength in numbers and we look forward to continue working on your behalf in 2009.  In this regard, several of the Local’s officers and stewards will be attending AFGE’s 2009 Legislative Conference during the week of February 8.  We will be lobbying our senators and house members on such issues as our pay raises, health care costs, Flexiplace, expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act and Whistleblower Protection. 

In Solidarity,

Tom Webb
President, AFGE Local 3615
Ext. 8333, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it