The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) has found that DFAS violated Title V U.S.C Federal Service Labor Relations Statute by refusing to negotiate with Council 171 on EBIZ Time Keeping, Career Learning Centers and Electronic Document Management (EDM) prior to implementation. The FLRA will be prosecuting DFAS in court 18-20 November 2003. DFAS could be required to return to status quo on these items which means turning off EBiz time keeping, restoring and rebuilding the Career Learning Centers, etc. The lesson here is that the agency must honor the Council's demands to bargain on behalf of DFAS employees. The FLRA decisions will be posted to the Council web site as soon as possible.

Meeting with Dr. David Chu Under Secretary DoD and Mark McDonald, President AFGE Local 2040 (Denver) I had an opportunity to meet with Dr. Chu for an hour on 15 July 2003. I found Dr. Chu to be sincere in his belief that the broad authority DoD is asking Congress for to be in the best interests of DoD. He stated that DoD wants to strengthen the Civil Service making it something people will want to be part of thereby reducing dependence on contractors. Dr. Chu noted and shared some of my concerns with pay banding, management accountability, management and employee training, propagandizing employees and the need to build managerial accountability into the new DoD regulations. We did not agree on all issues but had an open, honest dialog.

Accounting Business Line (AF) Excludes Union: Twice the agency has extended a invitation for the Council to participate in the Executive Offsite for Air Force Accounting in Denver. Twice the Union representative was denied TDY funds to attend by DFAS effectively making it impossible for the Council representative to attend. The Council has filed a Unfair Labor Practice (ULP).

National Negotiations: 16-26 July 2003 Council Negotiation team was in Washington DC to participate in negotiations with DFAS. Items on the agenda were: Electronic Leave and Earning Statements (ELES), eW2’s, the CAC "smart" cards, Corporation Resources Restructure, PAL, Consolidation of Systems Support, Resumex, Debt Collection Module, IT Webwatcher, Eportal, Defense Travel System, Entry Level Professional Accountant (ELPA) Survey, Government Travel Card (BOA), Growth & Learning, Re-alignment of Security Assistance, EBiz Time Sheet Issue, Center of Excellence for Reserve Component, Academic Degree Program.

Thanks to the team and to Mark Gibson from AFGE National for working hard to make negotiations a success.

ELES: DFAS proposed to make turning off print and mailing of your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) mandatory for all DFAS employees. After spending considerable time identifying and discussing issues, DFAS withdrew its proposal. Printing of your LES is still your choice. DFAS calculates savings of about $1.12 for every LES not printed so there is a good financial reason why you should consider turning off your LES print.

RESUMEX: Discussed Council concerns and problems found with policies surrounding the use of RESUMEX. Council asked for training and discussion time with staffers that actually use the system. DFAS agreed to provide the training and meeting with staffers.

Debt Collection Module: DFAS proposed providing notification of "routine" debt they collect from you on your LES. Currently if DFAS deducts a debt from your pay you get a letter on DFAS letter head explaining why and what you can do about it. After protracted discussion management declared that we could not come to agreement which means that DFAS must contact the FMCS to begin mediation and determination if DFAS and the Council are at impasse.

Consolidation of Systems Support: Proposal was withdrawn by DFAS as DFAS is not ready.

PAL: DFAS has agreed to meet with a Council Negotiation team to resolve the ULP on PAL and negotiate the DFAS-wide PAL program. A Council Team will meet in Kansas City with DFAS the week of 4 August to negotiate this program.

All other items on the agenda have been postponed pending either resolution of outstanding Unfair Labor Practices (ULP's) or rescheduling to bring the bargaining teams together and finish negotiations on the outstanding items. It was agreed that the Co-Chairs, Mr. McNamara (DFAS) and Ms Dull (Council 171 President) will schedule the next meeting. Meanwhile, all of those issues are on hold.

DoD Management Reforms: Have you been following this? If not you should. DoD's on-going push in Congress to get almost unfettered power over the lives of its employees is history making and will effect all of us in DFAS.

Some employees have said it does not matter what DoD does, current employees will be "grandfathered" in the old system. Absolutely wrong! All DoD Civilian employees will be under the new system, if passed.

Regardless of how you feel about the proposed changes, change is going to come and most likely, this is just the first of round of many efforts DoD will make at changing the Civil Service. The Civil Service has provided the stability needed to weather constant political change that occurs in our country. Hopefully our Lawmakers will not allow the changes to the Civil Service to destabilize the government potentially wiping out over one hundred years of civil and worker rights progress.

Some employees have asked how AFGE could allow this to occur? This is NOT the fault of AFGE. What is happening is the direct result of federal employees not voting, failing to vote for worker friendly candidates and do not bothering to join the Union. Congress and the Executive branch believe that if you don't care enough to join the only organization that fights for your pay and benefits then you must be happy with whatever Congress and the Executive Branch do to you. Through the silence of non-members, this has occurred. Decide to make a change. Join your Local now. Make your voice heard. JOIN THE UNION TODAY! Ask you coworkers to join!