| Mar 2025 |
|
|
|
AFGE, Local 3937 - Local Membership Meeting March 12, 2025 Conference Call Present were: John Pfannenstein, Laura Novakoski, Tonya Boren, Joyce Bybee, April Sandstrom, Joseph Otterbine, Shawn Stuart, Denise Lamphere, Jacob, Katrina Ivanoff, Tony Tecumseh, Bryan Whitley, Christopher Shelton, Olga Villasenor, Julie Flaming, Gabriela Cocco, Michael Welcher and Lily Huynh. The meeting was held via Zoom conference call with dial-in information posted to the Members section of our Local website. The meeting was called to order at 5:35pm, chaired by John Pfannenstein, Local President. Agenda:
Jackie was not available at tonight’s meeting, but reported to the Executive Board today that we have $89,080 in checking and $177,395 in savings. She is preparing LM2 information for our accountant. Detailed Treasurer’s information is available on request. Old Business: None. New Business: We wanted to discuss a broad picture and chronology of how we got here. Our previous DCO, Michelle King, who was serving as Acting Commissioner after Martin O’Malley’s departure, resigned because the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) asked her to turn over essential SSA records, including our own personnel profiles and basically all data within the SSA system – including public earnings records and social security numbers. She refused, and resigned. One of her subordinates, Leland Dudek (now the Acting Commissioner) went behind her back and told DOGE he would disclose this information. He was put on paid administrative leave for announcing that he would disclose internal and secured information, while an investigation into misconduct followed. He was later appointed to temporarily head the Agency and did indeed turn over access to all those records. We now have an unqualified person leading the agency, formerly a mid-level IT specialist and OIG analyst, who takes orders directly from the “DOGE kids” and from this administration. From his emails, you can see that he has also taken steps to undermine things we accomplished in the past – including the roll-back from 10% to 100% overpayment withholding. This will result in a wave of reconsiderations, waivers, public inquiries, that will further overload TSC and FO staff. He understands that he will be replaced by Frank Bisignano once he is confirmed by the Senate, and is happily aiding and abetting DOGE to tear the Agency apart. He has admitted that SSA’s public response to the myth of 150-year-olds being paid benefits was tepid and nonconfrontational, because he feels he needs to toe the official line. What is the truth is that our COBOL computer systems were using an 1875 default birthday for many records, many dates of death have never been added, and the vast majority of people over 100 are NOT IN PAY (and if they are, they are periodically screened for Medicare use and proof of life). For this and many other reasons, we are in a bad PR moment and it is negatively affecting employees and the public. We communicate with AFGE National, with our Councils, and we have been doing everything we can to fight this. Court injunctions, multiple grievances, information requests … However, litigation takes time, and the pace at which these chainsaw actions are coming at us is much faster. Even our Region 10 is now gone, as we’ve been consolidated into the “Midwest/West” Region, with a Regional Commissioner in Kansas City. The downsizing of the Agency is proceeding at a pace we could not have expected, but Local 3937 is here to do whatever we can for our membership. We cannot promise anything on a national scale, but at our level we are putting contingency plans in place (WA, OR, ID and AK). All of you have seen the early out offers (VERA) and buy out offers (VSIP). These will tempt employees close to retirement who would be eligible to retire early, or those who are newer hires and may be vulnerable to a future Reduction in Force (RIF). However, most of us are “mission critical” and may not be on either end of their career. No RIF has yet been announced, but if it happens, those employees would be paid severance based on years of service, and may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Council 220 staff: FO, TSC, WSU, or C215 staff: OHO are safe for the time being because politically it would anger the public too much to let them all go. We have lost Council 224 staff, people in IT, CREO, HR, DQB and many others, which strips us of the infrastructure we need to support our work. Some of those have been offered voluntary/involuntary reassignment to other components, which may entail a reduction in pay and certainly will entail reporting to a new office. If anyone has more questions about the Regional Office closure and restructuring, our First Vice President Tonya Boren is happy to share any information she has with you (as a current CDPS/RO employee). In the field, this is also probably why we retain our telework rights while many other components and agencies have lost theirs. Reports: Now that Skype has been decommissioned, be aware that MS Teams has the ability to record everything – so chats and meeting information does not go away at the end of the day. We do expect increasing surveillance, including via AI, so what you are and are not doing will be under more scrutiny than before. Please stay aware of the limitations of the Hatch Act while in the office or on work equipment, and that there is NO expectation of privacy. Open Floor / Miscellaneous: We offered a Q&A session on issues that members brought up during open discussion, and to discuss our MANY concerns about the “Fork in the Road”. There are many good places online to seek up to date information (on your personal devices and personal time), like r/fednews on Reddit. Minutes Review: Bryan Whitley made a motion that we accept the minutes as written and read; Shawn Stuart seconded. Motion passed. You can stay informed about topics like these and much more by going to www.afge.org to sign up for Action Alerts to be sent via text or email so that you are informed of current legislative and political events – please do so on your personal computer or phone, not on duty time or on Agency equipment. Tony Tecumseh moved to adjourn; Bryan Whitley seconded. Motion passed. The meeting ended at 6:35pm. Minutes written and submitted by Laura Novakoski. |
|
| |
