NTEU Chapter 46 -- Home Page

Possible Government Shutdown

December 14, 2011

M E M O R A N D U M

Agency funding could run out Friday, December 16.

Most agencies are currently funded by a Continuing Resolution that will run out at midnight, Friday, December 16th.  Because Congress has not completed work on FY 2012, funding bills there could be a partial government shutdown at that time.

House passes HR 3630 that would result in huge cuts to federal employee pay and benefits.

December 14, 2011

M E M O R A N D U M

SUMMARY:  Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed HR 3630, a bill that offsets extension of the payroll tax holiday with huge cuts to federal employee pay and benefits.

Bilingual Awards Survey

December 12, 2011

M E M O R A N D U M

December 12, 2011

SUMMARY:  NTEU is delivering a survey to assist in preparation for two national grievances over the IRS’s failure to pay bilingual awards to bargaining unit employees in fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011. 

NTEU filed a national grievance on April 14, 2011, in response to data it received from the IRS which indicated that many bargaining unit employees eligible for bilingual awards in fiscal years (FY) 2009 and 2010 were not granted those awards.  NTEU requested similar data at the end of FY 2011 to determine whether or not the IRS complied with the contractual requirement to pay bilingual awards in FY 2011.  We determined that the IRS once again failed to properly compensate all bargaining unit employees eligible for a bilingual award in FY 2011, and filed a second national grievance on October 26, 2011.

NTEU alleged the failure to grant the bilingual awards violates Article 18, Section 5.A. of the 2009 National Agreement II.  As a remedy, NTEU is asking that all eligible employees be granted bilingual awards retroactively for FY 2009, FY 2010 and FY 2011, attorney’s fees, and other appropriate relief.

There are two categories of bargaining unit employees for whom NTEU is seeking relief.  The first group consists of employees who were on a bilingual position description in the fiscal years covered by the grievances but did not receive a bilingual award.  The second group consists of employees who were not on a bilingual position description in those fiscal years, but who should have been compensated with a bilingual award because they used their bilingual skills on a regular basis during the fiscal year.

The purpose of this survey is to assist in gathering evidence for the arbitration and to identify those employees who would be willing to be witnesses at the arbitration.