2003 NEWS ARCHIVES
- News for 31 December 2003
- The CSRS-Offset Hybrid
- Another Case of Taxpayer Rape...Feds pick up legal bills for contractors
- Banning Sale of 'Downer' Meat Represents a Change in Policy...Gee Perhaps AFGE has been all along Mr. President?
- News for 30 December 2003
- January 2004 Law Firm Newsletter from Minahan & Shapiro
- RSVP Notice for Council Delegates Meeting at Feb 04 Legislative Conference
- Local 2040 Files ULP on DFAS Refusal to Negotiate on Inclement Weather Policy Changes for Denver
- News for 29 December 2003
- Monterey California Feds Keep Locality Pay
- Where Are All the Buyouts? Many Expected, Few Offered
- Many U.S. reservists have gone from the front lines to the unemployment line
- Deals [from contractors] with scientists taint NIH research
- More Contractor Fraud?
- For Civil Service in 2003, No Shortage of Defining Events
- News for 24 December 2003
- The Effort to Make Unions Disappear
- News for 23 December 2003
- Judge Halts Forced Military Anthrax Shots
- News for 22 December 2003
- Pentagon completes draft criteria for 2005 base closings
- Hoaxes affect government cards
- Analysts find future budget outlook gloomy even with higher taxes, spending restraint
- News for 19 December 2003
- Gage Addresses Union Members at Human Rights Rally in D.C.
- Senator Barbara A. Mikulski and Representative Chris Van Hollen Vow to Keep Fighting for Federal Workers
- DFAS Employees on duty 24 December to get 1 hour Admin Leave
- Christmas Pork for Contractors ad (4.8M)
- AFGE and Veterans ad (4.7M)
- Don't Shop at Safeway...Help Grocery Workers on Strike Feed Their Families
- News for 17 December 2003
- Claim vs Fact: Medicare Bill Signing
- Feel Betrayed by Congress, the President, Your DoD Employer?
- News for 14 December 2003
- DFAS Common Access Card (CAC) Agreement
- DFAS Common Access Card (CAC) DFAS Regulation
- Minutes From DFAS CAC Negotiations Tuesday 9 December 2003
- Minutes From DFAS CAC Negotiations Wednesday 10 December 2003
- Minutes From DFAS CAC Negotiations Thursady 11 December 2003
- AFGE's Office of Labor Management Relations (OLMR) Slides - Dec 2003 (PPT)
- DoD Plan for Pay for Performance & Pay Banding - Federal Register April 2003 (PDF)
- NAVY NSPS Briefing Slides (PPT)
- Secretary of Defense Briefing Slides on NSPS (PPT)
- NSPS Legislation - Large PDF (2.5M)
- News for 8 December 2003
- Political Activity Guide for DoD Employees
- News for 5 December 2003
- December 2003 Newsletter for Local 2040 (Denver)
- News for 4 December 2003
- December Law Firm Newsletter from Minahan & Shapiro - DoD Pay/Personnel Law Reviewed
- News for 1 December 2003
- Defense Bill Affects Workers in Many Ways
- Full Employment for DOD HR Specialists and Attorneys
- Here is a general outline of how the new pay system will eventually work in DoD
- Bush appearance stuns troops gathered at airport for Thanksgiving
- White House may end up paying a high price for a relatively insignificant victory [competition]
- News for 26 November 2003
- Pat Shine Named Acting DFAS Director
- President signs off on Defense personnel revamp
- White House wins deal to undo job competition revisions
- Big Changes In Store For Defense Workers Under New Personnel System
- White House Officials Attempt to Gut All Pro-Federal Employee, Anti-Privatization Language in Transportation-Treasury, Interior, and Defense Appropriations Bills
- HR Briefing Power Point Slides on New DoD Personnel System
- Senate inaction on huge spending bill could delay pay raise
- Cultural barriers a challenge for Pentagon in homeland mission
- Civilians lose with demise of longevity raises (Step Increases)
- News for 24 November 2003
- "I have real concerns about the future of the civil service, and I am very frightened that we are setting up a scenario where we go back to a spoils system..."
- Defense officials will also be able to rewrite the rules governing collective bargaining with labor unions and establish a new internal appeals system for employees to protest disciplinary decisions
- Link to DoD National Security Personnel System (Rumsfeld Plan) Web site
- News for 21 November 2003
- Creating an effective performance evaluation system is a task that has eluded virtually every other federal agency.
- News for 18 November 2003
- AFGE Government Standard for November/December 2003 (601k pdf)
- Why Government Needs Unions: Dedicated, Professional Workers Crucial to Security
- Tell the whole story on A-76 regulations
- Selling the System...When will DoD's Propaganda Begin?
- News for 15 November 2003
- Hill Negotiators Agree to Revamp Job Competition Process
- Conferees approve 4.1 percent pay raise
- Bill Requires Credit Checks on Travel Cardholders
- News for 14 November 2003
- Denver Special Newsletter on 2004 DoD Authorization Passage
- News for 13 November 2003
- Senate Follows House Lead; Strips DoD Employees of Basic Rights
- Senate Approves $401.3B Defense Bill
- Title XI of Department of Defense National Security Personnel System(483k PDF)
- Full 2004 DoD Authorization Bill as Passed by Senate and House(2.446M - WARNING This will take a very long time load!)
- Defense personnel overhaul headed to President Bush
- A little-noticed measure approved by both the House and Senate would significantly expand the F.B.I.'s power to demand financial records, without a judge's approval, from car dealers, travel agents, pawnbrokers and many other businesses, officials said on Tuesday.
- Former President Jimmy Carter said Tuesday civil liberties have eroded in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001, and that, in turn, has emboldened governments worldwide to abuse human rights under the guise of fighting terrorism.
- Freedom And Security
- News for 12 November 2003
- Hard Labor
- Several Updates to Palm Page - New OS5 Section
- News for 10 November 2003
- House votes for Defense personnel overhaul
- Pentagon Says a Covert Force Hunts Hussein
- Kansas City (10.26%), St. Louis (9.99%) and Orlando(9.65%) May Loose Locality Pay
- News for 7 November 2003
- House votes against DoD employees... "Among its most egregious provisions, the legislation effectively grants the Secretary of Defense the authority to strip federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, deny employees their right to appeal unfair treatment, and grant supervisors complete discretion in setting salaries and determining raises,"
- To See If Your Representative Voted For (Nay) or Against (Yay) You, Click Here
- AFGE Analysis of Current Language
- News for 6 November 2003
- Unions: Good for America, Good for Government
- Toxic Immunity...The New Kinder DoD
- News for 5 November 2003
- November 2003 Law Firm Newsletter from Minahan & Shapiro
- News for 4 November 2003
- Arbitrator Sustains $75,000.00 Award for Lawyers fees and expenses to AFGE. You really need to read this decision! (502k pdf)
- Lawmaker revives bill [TRACT] requiring competitions for new contracts
- Bush's Merit Pay Plan Is Stalled in Congress
- Our true budget deficit for fiscal 2003 exceeded $1 trillion, and our true national debt now exceeds $20 trillion
- News for 3 November 2003
- Council 171 Settles CAC UPL...Prepares for CAC Negotiaions
- Operation Iraqi Lawsuit
- House eyes long-term anti-shutdown measure
- AFGE President John Gage questions TSA's stance as DHS personnel negotiations proceed in washington, d.c.
- AFGE takes TSA supervisor to court; asks for compensatory and punitive damages
- Full Text of TSA Complaint
- AFGE president outlines union's goals for DHS personnel review process
- Union leaders emerge hopeful from DHS meetings; urge secretary ridge to keep promise to unions
- Union representing TSA screeners urges Congress/Bush administration to maintain federal workforce for airport security
- AFGE President praises legislative efforts to stop Bush privatization plans
- Group of airline employee unions, consumers union & transportation trade department say NO to privatization of airport screeners and other airline employees
- Broad coalition calls on Bush administration to halt plans to privatize government services
- AFGE vows to fight against planned EEOC "changes"
- News for 30 October 2003
- Unions demand federal, organized screening workforce
- Curbs sought on DoD contracting with foreign civil air carriers
- Details on Homeland Security personnel system scarce
- Defense, Homeland Security Employees Can Expect Same Raise as Others
- Fed Center boost
- Lawmakers reject making up pay for federal employees in Guard, Reserves
- News for 27 October 2003
- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's Memo on the War on Terror
- US Puts Blood Ban on Soldiers Returning from Iraq
- Unions upset Kerry, Edwards missed vote on Contracting Out
- Senate approves 4.1 percent federal civilian pay raise
- GAO: Defense fails to follow guidance in development of pay system
- DFAS Looses Travel Day Case to AFGE/Charleston Local...A Travel Day is a Travel Day...You are NOT Required to Work Part of a Day and Then go to/from TDY (1.34MB PDF)
- DFAS To Pay AFGE $75,000.00 in Lawyer Fees for Travel Day Case(1.19MB PDF)
- Demand to Bargain - Accounting Position Review
- Demand to Bargain - Time Keeping Module EBIZ
- Business Case Analysis (BCA) schedule for 2004 (279KB PDF)
- Notice of DFAS Navy Accounting BCA (170KB PDF)
- DFAS Navy Accounting BCA Details(2.41MB PDF)
- DFAS Fails to Comply with Technology Requirements for New [Military] Pay System According to GAO (334KB PDF)
- News for 22 October 2003
- The hit [BRAC] list taking shape today may be the biggest ever
- Senators see momentum to limit anti-terrorism powers
- White House announces record $374 billion deficit...Don't forget the "excess" $200 Billion in Social Security Funds. Without that the real deficit is 574 Billion!
- Legislative progress slow on Defense personnel reform
- News for 20 October 2003
- Retirees Will Receive a Cost-of-Living Increase of at Least 2 Percent
- Army seeks waiver from "50-50" law on contracting repair work
- Union to fight for employee-friendly pay system at Homeland Security
- "We have this thing called the Constitution that we got to protect but we also need to protect our country from another terrorist attack."...Louis Quijas, assistant director of the FBI's Office of Law Enforcement
- "the quality and quantity of information from Syria exceeded the agency's expectations." Yet, the analyst added, the Syrians "got little in return for it."
- A Guy Called Satan
- News for 17 October 2003
- New Report Casts Doubt on Administration's Claims of Taxpayer Savings From Contracting Out
- Al Gore's Speech On President Bush's Iraq Policy
- Law could stop A-76 studies for thousands of Defense employees..."It looks unlikely that there is any way to interpret it other than it looks," he said Joe Sikes
- News for 14 October 2003
- Rewrite of Overtime Rules is Attack on 40-Hour Workweek
- Terrorists and Engineers of War on Terror are Codependent
- President Commenorates Columbus Day
- Notice of Managment Initaited Change - No More FEHB Guide Books for Employees Click Here to Tell the Council How You Feel About This Change
- MEO BCA PowerPoint Slides (519k)
- DFAS Detail Definition
- Default Split Disbursement - What it Really Means
- Unlawful Instructions from Indianapolis HR on Discipline
- Bargain 20031001 FEHB Guide
- Bargain 20031001 Realignment of DITCO
- EBIS II Baseline Summary (99.2k PDF)
- Bargain 20031001 EBiz II
- US Soldiers Bulldoze Farmers' Crops...Americans accused of brutal 'punishment' tactics against villagers
- News for 9 October 2003
- Screening Out Problems at TSA...Contractors are NOT the Answer
- News for 8 October 2003
- Contractors [Ft. Carson] threaten walkout
- Salary council calls for 1.4 percent locality pay raise in 2004
- Law could stop some A-76 studies at Defense...May Apply to FMS A76...
- There really isn't much of an excuse for appropriations not to be enacted on time
- China Details Space Plans...Includes Lunar Landing...Something our Contractors Can't Do...
- Army to spend $100million out its Budget to "bequeath to the nation of Iraq and its people a world-class radio and television network"...How come US Citizens can't get such a deal from the Army?
- Turkey Oks Troops for Iraq; Iraq Doesn't...Can you say "Genocide"
- Bolstered by U.S. support for an airstrike against Syria Israel Hints at Further Attacks on Syria
- News for 7 October 2003
- Our Troops in IRAQ Harmed Because of Contractor No-Shows
- More Than 100,000 Jobs Expected to Face Outsourcing Review
- Federal telework programs slow to catch on, despite agency efforts...DFAS not even close to requirement
- OPM releases suggestions for Homeland Security personnel system
- News for 6 October 2003
- Victories on Pay, Outsourcing Buoy New Union President
- Government Standard - September 2003 Vol 19,Num 5
- Law Firm Newsletter from Minahan & Shapiro - October 2003
- Congress, administration test limits of rocky relationship
- Conferees instructed to reject overhaul of overtime rules
- "This means that an appointed federal bureaucrat will have the power to strip you of your citizenship at will."...Official Terror Worse than 'Night and Fog'
- Iraq under the US-led occupation is a fearful, lawless and broken place...America Brings Chaos to Iraq...
- How DoD is spending some of your tax dollars...
- DFAS Warning on FAKE mypay sites
- News for 28 September 2003
- Congress funds Defense, kills Terrorism Information Awareness
- Panel allows [pre-tax] deductions for retirees' health premiums
- Statement of National President John Gage on Inclusion of Language in the DoD Appropriations Conference on Corrections to New A-76 Process
- AFGE President John Gage Issues Statement on Proposal to Limit Veterans Benefits for Service-Connected Disabilities
- News for 25 September 2003
- House lawmakers seek to curtail anti-terrorism law
- President Bush Addresses United Nations General Assembly
- David Walker is not your usual comptroller general. Instead, he addressed the federal budget situation using straight language with an undeniable meaning. Last week, he gave one of the most astounding and hard-hitting speeches on the budget that any public official has made in at least the past 15 years. Walker didn't pull his punches, mince his words or in any other way say something indirectly.
- David Walker Speech(53k PDF)
- News for 22 September 2003
- Ten Reasons Why Outsourcing Is Bad Business
- Pentagon: We can't afford a bigger military
- Additional National Guard mobilizations for Iraq likely
- Report faults Defense efforts to track contractor work
- Privacy advocates turn tide in homeland security debate
- The Office of Special Counsel has not acted quickly enough to address a substantial backlog in whistleblower cases, a lawmaker claimed this week.
- Peace Force
- Soaring Deficits...Small Steps
- What the $87 Billion Speech Cost Bush
- 20030918 - Centralizing EEO Complaints
- 20030916 - Military Pay Transition Group (MPTG)/Transfer Of Assessment, Operational Testing and Validation Office Employees (AOTVO)
- 20030915 - HR transfer of Workload concerning the processing and approving of DD 1556 training requests
- 20030911 - Non-Monetary Recognition Program
- 20030909 - Security Questionnarie
- News for 19 September 2003
- "From an overall fiscal perspective, it's time to admit that we're in a fiscal hole, and to stop digging," Walker told United Press International last Friday. "We must begin to come to grips with the dawning fiscal realities that threaten our nation's children's and grandchildren's future." "We need a wake-up call," Walker told the Times. "We need to come to terms with reality: The gap is too great to grow our way out of the problem."
- Whistle Blower Laws? Obviously Not Worth the Paper Congress Wrote Them On..Interior official says U.S. cheated Navajos, is fired
- FEHBP's Premium Increase And What It Really Means
- AFGE Again Leads...Fighting Lobbyists to Get Congress to Pass this Legislation for Several Years. Now Comptroller General David Walker says: "The bottom line is that, in my view, the federal government’s current financial statements and annual reports do not give policy makers and the American people an adequate picture of our government’s overall performance and true financial condition"
- House plans month-long temporary funding measure
- Senate Panels Examine Scenarios for Presidential Succession...Now What Has Suddenly Made This So Important?
- News for 16 September 2003
- Federal employees face insurance premium hike in 2004
- Senate leaders weigh anti-shutdown measure
- Public Says $87 Billion [for Iraq] Too Much
- Local 2904 Visits Senator Talent's Office During Lunch 16 September 2003 - Pictures One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve
- News for 15 September 2003
- Listen to AFGE President John Gage's Message on D-Day (939k MP3)
- New PerDiem Rates Effective 1 Oct 2003
- Administration appeal for more surveillance powers sparks outcry
- HR 3040 - Pretrial Dentention and Lifetime Supervision of Terrorists Act of 2003
- HR 3037 Antiterrorism Tools Enhancement Act of 2003 - "would authorize executive-branch officials to seize Americans' records without any form of judicial review. These are pretty darn close to the writs of assistance that got the founders of this country thinking about a revolution" in 1776, said Tim Lynch, director of the Cato Institute's criminal-justice program. "Administrative subpoenas bring us back to executive-branch warrants, as opposed to judicial warrants."
- Government Terrorism Investigations Out of Control?
- Administration officials downplay Iraq impact on deficit
- News for 12 September 2003
- "Instead of focusing on terrorists and terrorism, we chose to invade a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 and was not an imminent threat or a clear and present danger. Now we are overextended and fighting the wrong battle in the wrong place. In doing so, we have exhausted much of the world's sympathy that we had gained in the wake of 9/11. Very sad."
- "The odds of being killed by a terrorist in the United States are much lower than the odds of being killed in a car accident."
- President Asks for Expanded Patriot Act...They Couldn't Resist, Even Today
- Two years later, difficult questions remain
- Patriot (Act) Games
- Amateurs and Zealots
- News for 11 September 2003
- Fliers to Be Rated for Risk Level...New System Will Scrutinize Each Passenger, Assign Color Code
- AFGE Radio Campaign
- Litan argues that universal service [compulsory] would enable young people to spend a year working in areas related to homeland security-such as law enforcement, immigration and emergency response-possibly inducing them to pursue careers in such areas...You Mean Like the Hitler Youth?
- Trouble...2004 Actual Defict Projected to be $644 Billon
- House Passes 4.1% Raise For Federal Employees...Rules That Require Outsourcing Are Killed
- House rejects OMB's job competition revisions
- News for 10 September 2003
- AFGE President Gage Issues Statement in Response To House Passage of Van Hollen Amendments
- ASC to turn jobs [Retired & Annuity Pay] over to Lockheed
- Agencies face hurdles in implementing 'smart cards'...The lattest buzz word and money waster.
- The provision, contained in the House version of the Project Bioshield Act of 2003, would allow officials to respond to some emergencies by administering drugs to the nation that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
- AFGE Praises House Resolution Providing Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Screeners
- News for 9 September 2003
- Army Troops, Dudget Stretched to the Limit
- Bush to Double Iraq Spending...Tab to be $150 Billion for 1 Year. The Government Could have paid for Health Insurance for Every Man, Woman and Child in the US With This Kind of Money or Looked at Another Way, given 1.2 Million Federal Employees a bonus of $125,000.00 each. Always enough to spend everywhere but on the Federal Employee. And the President says He Cannot Afford to Give the Federal Employee a 4.1% cost of living raise.
- Pentagon Now Says Monthly Iraq Cost is $5 Billion
- News for 8 September 2003
- Will We Look Like the Soviets When We Leave Iraq? - With all the Billions Being Spent in Iraq, will there be a Civil Service Left in the US?
- Europe's Disarming Reply [To Bush's Request to Come to His Aid]
- Government's Hobbled Giant Homeland Security Is Struggling
- Complete Transcript: President Bush Delivers Remarks to Nation
- Bush: U.S. Will Spend [$87 Billion Requested] Whatever is Necessary to Win War Against Terrorism
- 'National Security' Part Of Bush Plan To Gut Civil Services
- AFGE President John Gage Applauds Senate Committee Action to Give All Federal Workers a 4.1 Percent Increase
- Remarks by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney at Labor Day Reporter Roundtable
- Lawmakers grill top cyber official at Homeland Security...$800 Million for 60 People?
- Judge sends TSA bargaining rights case back to labor board...Amazing What Passes for a Judge These Days!
- White House threatens veto [2004 Appropriations Bill] over proposed A-76 amendments-Real Bright Mr President, Remeber What Happened Last Time the Government was Shut Down by the Politicians?
- AFGE Appeals Case To The Supreme Court
- House votes to freeze locality pay areas until 2005...Thank Goodness!
- News for 5 September 2003
- Law Firm Newsletter for September 2003
- CBO report shows military at 'breaking point,' Byrd says
- Contractor workforce grows as civil service shrinks
- News for 4 September 2003
- Locality Pay Can Be Taken Away...Federal employees in Monterey, California could lose locality pay. What would you loose? Cleveland = 11.5% Columbus = 11.78% Dayton = 10.67% Denver = 14.77% Indianapolis = 9.83% Kansas City = 10.26% Orlando = 9.65% St Louis = 9.99%
- White House Prepares New Draft UN Resolution
- Putin prepares post-war Iraq draft UN resolution...Did White House Get Idea from Russia?
- White House Assembles Iraq Package, May Seek $65 Billion MORE for IRAQ
- World Sees US In reverse gear
- It's Time To Seek The U.N.'S Help In Iraq
- News for 3 September 2003
- GOP Bill Would Add Anti-Terror Powers
- Unbelievable! 2004 Deficit to Reach $480 Billion, Report Forecasts
- Lawmakers Returning, [Federal] Retirees Renew Fights Over Insurance Benefits
- 4 Billon per month in Iraq...Wonder how much alternative energy research could be accomplished with that kind of monthly outlay?
- Lawmakers, union push to keep flight mapping in government
- Unions say workers under siege
- News for 2 September 2003
- Competitive Sourcing Costs More, Cheats Federal Workers
- Unions, House leader blast Bush’s proposed 2 percent federal pay raise
- President moves to limit 2004 federal pay raise
- AFGE Opposes Bush Pay Plan
- Senators brace for veterans health care battle
- Cost of rebuilding Iraq is rising
- Report spawns rethinking about NASA's reliance on contractors
- News for 27 August 2003
- Image of AFGE Award Certificate to Council 171
- Labor Day Sermon
- History of Labor Day by DOL
- Address of Mayor Angelo J. Rossi to AFL...Now AFL-CIO
- News for 21 August 2003
- AFGE National Election Results! John Gage - President. Jim Davis - Treasurer. Andrea Brooks - Women's Director. Click here to see more.
- Information on John Gage and his Local.
- AFGE Council 171 wins First Award "for outstanding achievement in comminications through use of the Internet"
- News for 14 August 2003
- Union [AFGE] sues TSA over screener workforce reductions
- Accountability in performance management remains elusive
- Domestic [in the US] Military Operations?
- News for 12 August 2003
- DoD May Abandon Contract Awarded To Firm Mistakenly
- Warner May Make The Deciding Call On Pentagon's Civil Service Plan
- Has DFAS complied with the Law?
- Iraq-al Qaeda links weak, say former Bush officials
- Public finds [Washington] government inefficient, study shows
- Just what is wrong with requiring DoD to Buy American? Shouldn't our Tax dollars stay in the U.S?
- Army investigates pneumonia cases, two deaths among troops - Rumors that it is from Anthrax forced innoculations.
- Real info from Doctor on vaccines
- Anthrax Vaccine Not Safe and Effective
- Anthrax Vaccine Causes Gulf War Syndrome
- Anthrax - Father of dead soldier claims Army coverup
- 2003 Federal Reitrement Handbook (496k PDF)
- News for 7 August 2003
- Council 171 & DFAS complete negotiations on Internal Employee Placement Procedures -- MOA
- PAL Procedures
- News for 4 August 2003
- New Feature - Information/Newsletters from your State Delegation to Congress
- News for 31 July 2003
- Denver Local 2040 Newsletter for July 2003
- Big Brother is here...TSA prepares to test revamped passenger identification system
- DFAS Denver Mil Pay Found Guilty of EEO Retaliation (1.51MB PDF)
- Law Firm Newsletter for August 2003
- News for 30 July 2003
- AFGE Government Standard - July/August 2003 Vol 19,Num 4 (591k PDF)
- Blowing the Whistle..."Tom Bloom should resign from office...His disloyalty to his employees is mind-boggling. At least you would think he would apologize to his employees for costing them 500-plus jobs. Apparently that is not in his nature. Instead he would rather stonewall the whole process in an even stronger effort to bilk the taxpayers."
- Firm that replaced Cleveland workers fined...[repeatedly]..."Sometimes you had these widows who could be owed over $5,000 for two months"
- ACLU sues Justice, FBI over broader surveillance powers
- House bill resurrects private tax collection proposal. Proposed by the President
- News for 29 July 2003
- Council Newsletter for July 2003 - Information on recent Negotiations
- More reasons to join the Union - Savings from these benefit programs can more than pay for your membership dues!
- News for 28 July 2003
- OMB'S PRIVATIZATOIN QUOTA IS STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE
- AFGE PRAISES THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEEFOR ITS APPROVAL OF 4.1% INCREASE FOR ALL GS & FWS EMPLOYEES
- FORMER TSA SCREENERS MEET WITH SENATOR VOINOVICH’S OFFICE; RELAY STARTLING SECURITY STORY
- FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WIN SEAFOOD INSPECTION APPEAL
- AFGE EEO Advocate (PDF)
- Outsourcing reform bill sails out of House committee - If the books aren't kept, there can't be a problem with cost overuns!
- Homeland Security may retain standard pay system - perhaps some sanity?
- House panel approves military-civilian pay parity for 2004
- House panel orders reports on costs of job competitions
- OMB eliminates broad competitive sourcing targets
- Defense opposes union-backed changes to job competition process - Of Course...
- Insanity on the Hill Continues...House committee backs NASA workforce flexibility
- And More Insanity...House subcommittee approves GAO personnel reform bill
- MOA - 334 to 2210 Conversion
- MOA - ELES
- MOA - Ground Rules for Council Negotiations
- MOA - Health Screenings
- MOA - Level of Bargaining
- Limestone OPLOC Agreement
- MOA - MEP
- MOA - eW2
- MOA - eW2 - Info Agreement
- MOA - Rome OPLOC Agreement
- Telecommuting Article
- MOA - Work Force Transition
New Documents for your Palm Device
- News for 24 July 2003
- Council Negotiation Minutes July 24th 2003
- News for 23 July 2003
- Council Negotiation Minutes July 23rd 2003
- Agreement on Electronic W2
- News for 22 July 2003
- Council Negotiation Minutes July 21st 2003
- Council Negotiation Minutes July 22nd 2003
- News for 7 July 2003
- Law Firm Newsletter for July 2003
- Civilian personnel data system upgrade to halt service temporarily
- Union[AFGE] sues to stop A-76
- Now GOA asks for Pay "Flexibility"
- DCPS and the New Federal Tax Witholding Tables
- A76 Circular Revised 29May 2003 (1.38MB PDF Document)
- News for 1 July 2003
- FEDERAL CIRCUIT AGREES WITH AFGE; REVERSES MSPB DECISION
- AFGE Government Standard for June 2003 Vol 19,Num 3
- Demand to Bargain - 20030625 - Systems Question Survey
- Rome NY DFAS Local Fighting to Save Jobs - DFAS Not Returning Calls from Rome Observer-Dispatch
- News for 24 June 2003
- TSP settles lawsuit with contractor
- House, Senate hammer out differences on defense bill
- News for 18 June 2003
- June 2003 Minahan & Shapiro Law Firm Newsletter
- May 2003 Minahan & Shapiro Law Firm Newsletter
- Senate panel takes its turn at Pentagon personnel overhaul
- TSP record-keeping system up and running, finally
- HOUSE LAWMAKERS OPPOSE PRIVATIZATION OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) JOBS
- News for 12 June 2003
- Council Participates in Defense Conference Training June 9-11, 2003 - Click here to see pictures
- Defense hopes automated system will improve procurement management
- Critics assail Davis-backed procurement reform
- TSA screeners press for union representation
- Ever notice how management is always complaining they can't manage unless... Good thing the workers aren't as incompetent!
- What's in Your Wallet? Officials say Iraq reconstruction will be lengthy, costly
- Senate votes down effort to block base closings
- Model Agency [Department of Homeland Secuity] TSA Accused of Bias Against Military and Police Veterans.Our Future?
- DFAS held up as a negative example
- More lies that contractors save money. Just like WMD?
- News for 30 May 2003
- AFGE National President Bobby L. Harnage on New OMB Circular A-76
- DFAS Settlement with Council on ULP DE-CA-03-0119 - TSO Survey
- News for 27 May 2003
- OMB Releases New Outsourcing Rules - Direct Conversion Elminated
- House GOP Blocks Effort to Scale Back Defense personnel Overhaul
- News for 27 May 2003
- New Feature Added to Members Only Section - View Checks Recieved from Your Local or National
- OPM Telework Guide and Manual
- Letter to the Editor - No Agency Should Be Above the Law
- AFGE Activits Win Battle in Senate against DoD Plan as Defense Authorization Bill Passes Without DoD Proposal
- New Feature Added - Council 171 Question/Answer Forums
- Are you letting DFAS Management Determine Council Policy by Not Participating in Opinion Polls?
- New Feature Added - Palm Documents and Programs
- News for 22 May 2003
- House Republicans Include Pentagon Proposals to Waive Pay, Appellate, and Collective Bargaining Laws in this Year's Defense Authorization Bill
- DoD Plan - Links - Info
- What DoD is Going to do to You - PDF Poster
- House Committee Turns Its Back on DoD Civilian Employees
- Treasury Secretary Extends Freeze on Retirment Investments Until 19 December 2003
- Revamp of Defense Personnel System May Hinge on Senate Action
- Federal Workers Protest Outsorcing at Washington Rally
- Defense Personnel Overhaul Backed by Full House Panel
- News for 12 May 2003
The Council Server was down between 7:00pm-6:30am Mountain daylight time due to Qwest internet problems
- News for 9 May 2003
- DoD Guide to Preventing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
- House Panel Approves Rumsfeld Personnel System Plan, Rejects Pro-Federal Employee Ammendments
- Text of HR 1836 - Civil Service and National Security Personnel Improvement Act
- House Panel Approves Overhaul of Defense Personnel System
- New Government Recruiting Tool
- Government Reform Committee Votes to Return to Spoils & Graft
- News for 8 May 2003
Council Server Off-Line May 6-7 Due to Qwest Internet Problems.
- News for 6 May 2003
- What Questions Would YOU Like to Ask on the Opinion Poll? Click Here to Email your Question
- At a 31/2-hour hearing, Republicans and Democrats alike criticized David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, over the handling of proposed legislation that would change the way 746,000 civilian employees are hired, paid and promoted in the federal government's largest department.
- Just out -- AFGE Government Standard for April/May 2003 (pdf - 763KB)
- Rumsfeld Plan Continues To Move Rapidly
- GAO Seeks Personnel Flexibility, Name Change - The Lattest Management Disease Spreads as Predicted by AFGE.
- News for 30 Apr 2003
- Information on the Civil Rights Tax Relief Act
- Interesting Information on the Patriot Act
- Operation Northwoods..."the Joint Chiefs had quietly slipped over the edge."...Could it be that with the Rumsfeld Plan, DoD has Again Slipped Over the Edge?
- What the Rumsfeld Plan will do for you.
- AFGE Renames DoD Proposals "Operation Erode The Civil Service"
- Flyer About Privatization.
- Flyer Showing Toll free Phone Numbers for Your Senator and Reprentative. Do not use Government phone to call them.
- Interesting Power Point Slide Presentation on Job Growth for the Last 58 Years.
- Librarians Bristle at Patriot Act. When Legilation is Passed in Haste...
- An Interesting Read..Rebuilding Americas Defenses 2000
- News for 28 Apr 2003
- The Impact of Collective Bargaining Agreements on The Duty to Bargain And The Exercise of Other Statutory Rights
- Guide to the Federal Labor Relations Authority Negotiability Appeals Process (PDF)
- FLRA Negotiability Appeal Procedural Review Checklist
- Read Representative Waxman's letter to Tom Davis(Chairman Committee on Government Reform). "..would deny employees at DoD their right to congressionally passed pay increases and locality pay increases...would deny federal employees at DoD their existing collective bargaining rights. It would also strip them of their existing rights to appeal adverse actions [discipline]." After you read this, please give the Council your Opinion by clicking on Opinion Polls link to the right.
- Lawmaker seeks delay on Defense personnel reform vote...I urge you to slow down this runaway legislative train.
- News for 24 Apr 2003
- AFGE's 1st Analysis of DoD's Proposed Pay/Personnel Changes
- March 29th Remarks of Charlie Abell DoD Deputy UnderSecretary for Personnel and Readiness
- News for 23 Apr 2003
- [DFAS] Error Fuels Outsourcing Concerns - Defense Contract [ACS] Could Cost Taxpayers $30 Million, Inspector General Finds
- Standards body plans to update government smart cards. Perhaps this is a area where DFAS can save taxpayer money by waiting until new cards are ready.
- "...Defense Transformation for the 21st Century Act...
will help the department deal with its recruitment and retention challenges...Hoped to get congressional approval for the proposal in time to implement it in fiscal 2004...
Ultimately the reason for changing is national security" Chu said.
If your Congressional Representative were to vote to pass this proposal, what would you do? Click here to give your opinion.
- News for 21 Apr 2003
- Ohio Lawmakers Continue To Fight For Taxpayers And Wrongly Privatized DFAS Employees
- New Feature - Participate in AFGE Council 171 Opinion Polls
- News for 17 Apr 2003
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request for EBiz Costs
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request BOA Delinquency Reports
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request Management Travel Vouchers
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request Complete Bargaining History for MUMA
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request EEO Cases Against DFAS
- Demand from Congress to Bloom to Terminate ACS Contract and Bring Work Back into DFAS
- 5 in Congress Want Privatizing Contract (ACS) Broken. Who will win, Congress or Thomas Bloom?
- Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003 - The so called Patriot Act II - Apparently Being Held by Speaker of the House Until Passage is Assured. How does this apply to Labor? It gives an insite into the thoughts behind DoD's Pay/Personnel Legislation. Can management be trusted to do the right thing?
- News for 16 Apr 2003
- Pentagon seeks to create new civilian personnel system
- Bill on new Pay/Personnel System Submitted to Congress (Very LARGE PDF)
- Demand to Bargain Commercial Pay Reorganization
- When the Union isn't there to check managment abuse...Security screeners at Denver airport allege mismanagement
- TSA Management out of Control - TSA Ignores Congressional Information Requests on TSA work rules and managment practices. And DoD want us to look like them???
- Civil Liberties Overview - Reminders are good. Power Point Slides
- DoD Starts Moving Out on Its Reform Agenda
- So Why is Telework Such a Problem for DFAS? Works for this Agency...
- SARS Executive Order by President Bush...Deadly Enough to Get its own paragraph in the Executive Order
- News for 14 Apr 2003
- April 2003 Newsletter for Local 2040 (Denver) Want to see your Local's newsletters here? Send the Word Document to Council Treasurer.
- Can contractors working with Government employees be represented by the Union? These contractors won the right to do so.
- Defense recommends crisis support centers for employee families
- News for 10 Apr 2003
- DFAS Tranformation Power Point Slides
- Schedule for Paying Employees Retroactive 1% Pay Raise won by the Union. See where DFAS employees are on the list.
- Very useful grouping of lists to help organize, track, improve daily life. Thanks to Denise.
- Travel for the Gvernment? Then you should be aware of the Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-screeening System (CAPPS II). It will determine how much security screening you will get at the airport.
- Second Link quoting DHS Director Ridge on CAPPS
- CAPPS in use by Delta Airlines. Does it matter that you are traveling for the Agency?
- Congress Concerned About Use of CAPPS
- News for 7 Apr 2003
- When DFAS will pay out Locality Pay Increase
- Sounding An Alarm About Leadership
- What Would it be Like without the Union? Ask a TSA employee...
- Bloom questioned at hearing where GAO accused DoD of mismanaging more than $1 billion in four DFAS computer systems modernization programs "You guys [DFAS] have fittered away as much money as the GDP of many countries..."
- Treasury to Tap TSP Funds Again!
- News for 4 Apr 2003
- Bidding for Cleveland Defense Jobs Botched, Report Says
- News for 3 Apr 2003
- Listen to AFGE National President Bobby Harnage Discusses "What's to Come for Federal Employees" at 11:00am EST - Friday 4 April 2003
- Replacing The General Schedule With Pay For Performance
- DoD Inspector General's Report on DFAS's $31.8 Million "Error" in awarding R&A contract to ACS
- DFAS Financial System Upgrades failing, Investigators say
- Government Flunks Sixth Straight Financial Audit
- Bloom renews ACS Contract though he knew it would cost millions more...
- Law Firm Newsletter for April 2003
- News for 27 Mar 2003
- Instructions to Council 171 Delegates
- Agenda for April 2003 Council Meeting
- News for 26 Mar 2003
- Extra Pay Raise to Become Locality Pay - OPM Pay Tables not yet updated
- DoD Transformation of Combat Support Processing - Power Point Slides
- News for 21 Mar 2003
- Good News! OMB weighs changes to direct conversion process
- News for 19 Mar 2003
- Information on Work/Family Prepardness for Terrorist Acts
- OPM's Employee Emergency Guide
- President Bush Speaks to the Nation on Iraq 17 March 2003 - Click here to read/print his speech
- Power Outages in Denver Area take Council Web Site off-line on 17 March 2003 for seven hours(1200-1900)
- "... the House Budget Committee has decreed that federal employees must give up either a portion of their earned retirement benefits or their health care..."
- News for 14 Mar 2003
- "Defense's civilian personnel policies need to be more along the lines of the flexible practices allowed by the legislation that created the Homeland Security Department", Chu said.
- House of Representatives Recomend Massive Civil Service & Retiree Benefit Cuts to Preserve New Tax Cuts
- DISA Announces 50% Nation-wide Cut of Federal Employees as Part of Its Transformation Plan (PowerPoint required to view these slides 334KB)
- DISA Web Site
- News for 13 Mar 2003
- Employees & Retirees must share the pain of the Budget Deficit
- Secretary Rumsfeld Addresses How DOD will change
- Bobby Harnage Letter to the Editor 20030221 on Contracting Out
- Bobby Harnage Letter to the Editor 20021230 on Proposed New Contracting Out Rules
- News for 09 Mar 2003
- Registration Form for 1 April 2003 Council Meeting
- DEFCON - All DOD Locals Need to Have Their Leadership Attend this Important Training Event
- DEFCON Training Agenda
- News for 05 Mar 2003
- Minahan & Shapiro Newsletter for March 2003
- AFGE Creates TSA Nationwide Local
- DOD's Reform Plan Getting Serious Look
- Washington's Deadwood: Political Appointees
- Your FMLA Rights Summarized
- News for 26 Feb 2003
- Workforce Transition Plan for RIFs
- Law Firm Newsletters - Contain references to useful cases
- DOD Reveals to AFGE the Rumsfeld Plan for Stripping DoD Civilian Employees of Civil Service Protections and Replacing the General Schedule with Radical "Pay for Performance" Scheme.
- News for 21 Feb 2003
- 29 March 03 Council Meeting Location
- DOD's Bold New Personnel Plan
- Union Officials Can Earn Credit Hours
- Negotiations Over RIF
- News for 19 Feb 2003
- Letter from Rep Tom Delay about American Workers
- Notice of Proposed Council Constitution Changes
- News for 17 Feb 2003
- AFGE Gonverment Standard Newspaper
- 1100.8 Management Studies
- 1426.3-r Performance Management
- 1442.1-r Telecommuting Regulation
- 4500.55-I Government Travel Card Program
- 5010.1-G Most Efficient Organization Corporate Management Guide
- 5145.5-R Alternative Dispute Resolution
- News for 12 Feb 2003
- OPM FEGLI Calculator
- Vendor Pay Business Case Analysis Plan 2003
- FAQs - Priority Placement Program (PPP)
- FAQs - Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA)
- FAQs - Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP)
- CAC Smart Card Notification
- Draft CAC Smart Card Policy
- News for 8 Feb 2003
- Council Fiancial Reports are now available. To obtain a userid and password to access these reports send an email to the Council Treasurer at treasuer@afge171.org Email must contain your first & last names, return email where you want your userid/password sent, local number and your office (President, Treasurer, Delegate or Member). After your Local Treasurer has verified your standing a userid and password will be sent to the email address you specified.
- 2003 Perdiem Rates
- Senators Oppose Outsourcing Plan - "We have deep reservations about privatizing so much of the federal workforce, especially in the absence of a reliable and comprehensive process to determine the cost, quality and scope of the tens of billions of dollars of work already performed by private contractors."
- Spy Agency Busts Union
- OPM Federal Employees Retirement Calculator
- Spouse Benefits - Death of an Employee
- Salary Tables
- CSRS & FERS Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices
- OPM USA JOBS Link
- #01 - CSRS Retirement System
- #02 - Military Service Credit
- #03 - Deposits and Redeposits
- #04 - Disability Retirement
- #05 - Survivor Benefits
- #06 - Early Retirement
- #07 - Computing Retirement Benefits
- #08 - Credit for Unused Sick Leave
- #09 - Refunds
- #10 - Voluntary Contributions
- #11 - Information for Separating CSRS Employees Who Are NOT Eligible for an Immediate Annuity
- #12 - Information About Reemployment for CSRS Annuitants
- #13 - CSRS Offset Retirement
- #15 - Work Related Injuries and Fatalities
- Rough Estimate CSRS Annuity Calculator (Excel)
- News for 7 Feb 2003
- AFGE Urges Passage of FEHB Legislation to Reduce Federal Employee Premium Costs
- Bush's Budget Proposals Brazenly Ignore The Law
- News for 31 Jan 2003
Council negotiations with DFAS ended today. Below are the agreements reached. EBiz is at impasse. Telework implemented for
bargaining unit members. Pay Guide not negotiated at this time. Focus groups will be formed for Telework and Pay Guide to recommend solutions to issues presented. Minutes available, click on
documents and then minutes.
- Click on Agreement Below to Read:
- Ground Rules
- Conversion of 334 to 2210 Series
- Electronic Leave & Earning Statements (ELES)
- Preventive Health Screenings
- MOU on Most Efficient Process (MEP)Studies
- News for 28 Jan 2003
- Johnson vs DFAS Rome NY "…testimony of Messrs. Higgins, Bonta and Shea equates to a deliberate and concerted attempt to fabricate a pretextual explanation for Complainant's non-selection. In short, I find that the Agency attempted to disguise otherwise illegal conduct..."
EEO Decision Against DFAS -