NTEU Agreement Brings Transparency to CBP Bid and Rotation System
NTEU and CBP have signed articles on a bid and rotation procedure
and alternative work schedules (AWS) that will be implemented in
the coming weeks, even as the parties continue bargaining over the
rest of the contract.
The new agreement, which covers CBP Officers and Agriculture Specialists,
will bring a fair, transparent and consistent bid and rotation system
to employees. Experienced employees will be recognized for their
years of service. NTEU will have a seat at the table when management
decides who gets what position, and employees who believe they have
been unfairly passed over will have access to an expedited grievance
procedure.
Employees will be permitted to identify up to four preferred assignments,
or more if the local parties agree. The most senior employees will
be assigned to their preferred units first, until 25 percent of
the work unit is made up of newly-assigned employees or until there
are no employees with more seniority who want to move into the work
unit. CBP also agreed to take into account the seniority of all
legacy groups. Along with recognizing experienced CBP employees,
the procedure will give newly-hired employees the chance to move
to a preferred work unit through random selection.
As for AWS, this agreement opens the door for local managers and
NTEU chapters to establish compressed work schedules, with a negotiated
procedure for when parties cannot reach agreement. Compressed schedules
include 5/4/9, 4/10 and other arrangements that allow employees
to work fewer than five days a week. Flexible work schedules with
the opportunity to earn credit hours are another scheduling option
that can be locally negotiated for employees other than CBP Officers
and Agriculture Specialists.
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I am pleased to announce that NTEU and CBP have signed articles
on a bid and rotation procedure and alternative work schedules
that will be implemented in the coming weeks, even as the parties
continue bargaining over the rest of the contract.
This is a tremendous gain for CBP employees, and one that NTEU
worked very hard to secure in the months, and even years, leading
up to bargaining. Your honest responses to the employee survey
contributed to the victory. In congressional testimony and during
meetings with lawmakers and agency leaders, I repeatedly emphasized
the connection between the lack of a negotiated bid and rotation
system and CBP's dismal ratings in employee surveys. This left
management with no choice but to acknowledge that changes needed
to be made. More
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NTEU Charters New TSA Chapters in Fort Lauderdale and
Miami
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Security Administration (TSA) employees at two of the country’s busiest
airports will benefit from strong workplace representation as NTEU charters
two new chapters—NTEU Chapter 312 (TSA Fort Lauderdale) and NTEU Chapter
313 (TSA Miami).
The union expects to charter three additional chapters by the end of the
month, bringing total NTEU representation to nearly 2,000 TSA employees
nationwide.
The chapters also join a growing network of NTEU TSA chapters at some of
the nation’s largest airports across the country. Last year, NTEU
chartered TSA chapters at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia
International Airport in New York as well as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport. More
NTEU Wins Key Victory Against Unfair CBP Scheduling Practices
NTEU has won another victory in its ongoing efforts to bring
fairness and sanity to the work scheduling practices governing CBP employees.
This latest success involves the remedial phase of a grievance NTEU won
providing back pay to Legacy Customs Officers subjected to such illegal
scheduling practices as being denied consecutive days off and having different
start/stop times in the same work week. NTEU beat back CBP attempts to deny
compensation to employees on special teams and severely limit the time period
for which it would have to grant back pay. In siding with NTEU, the arbitrator
ruled that employees can submit claims for back pay dating back to 2000
and ordered CBP to provide the union with records of employee schedules
to ensure accurate payouts.
NTEU is urging CBP not to appeal the decision but to move forward and provide
employees with their rightful compensation.
NTEU is actively pursuing similar grievances on behalf of newly-hired CBP
Officers, Legacy INS Officers and Agriculture Specialists, and will continue
fighting until all employees receive the compensation they deserve and CBP
institutes fair scheduling practices.
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