| Jul 2025 |
|
|
|
AFGE, Local 3937 - Local Membership Meeting July 16, 2025 Conference Call Present were: John Pfannenstein, Laura Novakoski, Tonya Boren, Adam Neff, Michael Welcher, Denise Lamphere, Jem Ockey, Janet Azinger, Telma Isayam and Monica Rodgers. 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 $112,440 in checking, and $177,424 in savings. Detailed Treasurer’s information is available on request. We recently concluded an EEO case for which we still need to make a final (private) attorney payment; we were very happy that the employee was given a hefty financial settlement due to his constructive discharge after a Reasonable Accommodation denial. For many cases, AFGE’s Women’s and Fair Practices attorneys will represent our members on a pro-bono basis, and we try to use them whenever possible. This is a good lesson on the benefits of membership, as this former employee did not have to pay anything for being represented. Old Business: Telework. There is a national arbitration hearing set for September, when we expect a decision on the Agency’s indefinite/temporary suspension of telework (TW). New Business: Reassignment of Field Office CSRs to the 1-800#, to serve as TSRs full-time. AFGE has submitted a Demand to Bargain, a Cease and Desist, and an Information Request to determine how many employees are affected. At this time, we believe somewhere around 500-1000 employees were redirected to this “pilot” and were not given a choice to volunteer or to be trained for it. We have serious concerns, including adequate training, work schedules, PACS, and the impact on FOs. We have a bargaining team set up and would like to get a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work out the issues. It is possible the Agency intends to expand the pilot or make it permanent; and in any case, they historically have to be dragged to bargaining even over significant changes. In that case, we may end up filing an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP). Our new Commissioner, Frank Bisignano, is obsessed with bringing our call wait times down to single digits and getting to a 100% answer rate. Maybe he believes that with AI, Social Security could function as mostly just a call center. We have been aggressively reaching out to Congress and the media about this misguided effort to improve our public service. We are interested in impact statements or information from affected employees so that we can pass those along to the bargaining team. Amazon Work Space (AWS). This call share system went live last week, and its facility to allow cross-connection between 800# and local calls is a big part of why the CSR reassignment pilot was technically possible. It will also allow calls to come in regardless of geographic location, so we may end up taking calls from the public far from our own jurisdiction, or from the worker who is actually responsible for their case. Both of these issues ignore our #1 problem, which is that we do not have sufficient staff, period (SSA is at a 50-year low for staffing levels). Reports: None. Open Floor / Miscellaneous: We offered a Q&A session on issues that members brought up during open discussion. Q: Are we prohibited from swearing at work? This came up in a recent FO staff meeting. A: There are Standards of Conduct that should prevent any of us from swearing at a member of the public. However, robust debate or colorful language among staff or out of hearing of the public should not be infringed upon and it would be a violation of employee free speech rights for a manager to moralize on it. It is similar to management making judgments on how employees dress. Please let us know if you are disciplined, or instructed in a way that would violate your contractual or constitutional rights. Q: The DPU still does not have sufficient permanent space. Status? A: They are in the same situation as the TSC employees – there is insufficient space at the new Federal Way location, so telework or partial-week reporting to the office has to continue at this time. If TW for these employees were going to end at some point, the Agency may only reassign employees to a location within 50 miles, and they would be given notice. Q: Does AFGE have advice about signing the acknowledgement about not bringing weapons to work? A: We have not been given any specific counsel from upper levels of AFGE, but in general this reminder appears similar to the annual System Sanctions statement. On Sanctions, we advise employees to use the Decline to Sign button so as to have some protection against being adversely affected by some unknown situation in the future, through some mistake or misunderstanding. However, with both issues, signing or not signing does not change the fact that we are all subject to those rules, and the document will go into your e7b personnel file. We have not been asked to sign about this in the past, and it seems to be more of an intimidation tactic than a logical solution to any actual weapons problem. Q: RIF status? A: We haven’t heard anything. The Agency will probably reach their stated 7,000 reduction goal through attrition like voluntary retirement/resignation. Minutes Review: Janet made a motion that we accept the minutes as written and read; Denise 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. Laura moved to adjourn; Denise seconded. Motion passed. The meeting ended at 6:28pm. Minutes written and submitted by Laura Novakoski. |
|
| |
