Agency Declares Unwillingness to Negotiate Standards

December 23, 2011: After inviting proposals regarding the extensively-changed standards for 2012, the agency declared all proposals non-negotiable (as interfering with Management rights) and refused to bargain.

New Orleans Employees Dispute Agency Conclusions

December 16, 2011: The agency maintains that conditions necessitating an area retention incentive for New Orleans no longer apply.  A petition begun by Senior Steward Debra Reese-Jolly received overwhelming support from New Orleans passport bargaining unit employees. 

Changes to 2012 Performance Standards Denounced

December 15, 2011: The Union filed a grievance over changes announced for the 2012 rating cycle.  The dispute centers on whether the new standards for Passport Specialists, as stated by the agency, can be objectively applied, and whether the changes allow for adequate time for employees to perform the required tasks and still detect passport fraud.

Union Requests Details on New Performance Standards

November 30, 2011: Local 1998 requested the presence of an Office of Adjudication representative at a pre-arranged conference call between the Union and Management, so that changed for 2012 could be fully explained.  No representative attended and no answers were received.

Delayed Promotion Prompts Union Grievance

November 22, 2011.  A Passport Specialist achieved promotion to grade 11.  A grievance filed by the Union maintains that the change came well past the date of her demonstrated readiness for higher grade level.

Union Veteran's Day Newsletter Is Hot Off the Presses

November 10, 2011: Featuring articles from Atlanta, Seattle, Portsmouth, and Charleston, NFFE1998's newsletter shipped out today, for Monday arrival at all agencies.  The online version can be located here.

New Officers Bolster Local's Ability to Represent You

November 3, 2011: Vice President Boyd Hinton announced the ratification of three new officers to fill existing vacant slots.  Local 1998 extends a hearty welcome to newly-elected officers Edward Gonzalez (Miami), Robin Pickens (Colorado) and Diana Dibble (the San Diego agency's first officer).

Local Alerts OSHA to San Francisco Safety Hazard

October 24, 2011: Following completion of an office renovation, San Francisco Union Rep Gil Yap questioned the relative darkness of the employee restrooms.  When local inquiries yielded no results, Yap contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Association.  OSHA conducted a surprise inspection of the facilities, determined the dim illumination presented a safety concern, and issued the agency a citation.

IAMAW Accepting College Scholarship Applications

October 23, 2011: The 2012 Union Plus Scholarship Program will provide $150,000 in scholarships to union members and their dependents.
Applicants are required to demonstrate academic ability and submit essays of no more than 500 words describing why they are deserving of a union scholarship.  The application deadline is January 31, 2012.  Visit this  link to find applications and benefit eligibility information.

Local Welcomes New Law Enforcement Employees

October 4, 2011: NFFE 1998 grew a little today.  PPT Headquarters announced that the paralegals of SA-19's Law Enforcement office are officially part of our bargaining unit.  Led by their new Senior Steward, Michael McPherson, these employees questioned their non-bargaining unit status until the results of a desk audit finally confirmed their view..

FLRA Sides With Union In Seattle Negotiability Appeal

September 20, 2011: Questions regarding employee rights to negotiate aspects of new office space were answered in a decision by the Federal Labor Relations Authority.  For 7 out of the 8 proposals in question, the FLRA determined Management was incorrect in declaring it had no duty to bargain.  The decision holds implications for future agency renovations.

Agency Provides Partial Time and Motion Data

September 3, 2011: National Union officers met in Seattle with the heads of the Management Production Working Group to discuss the results of the 2011 Time and Motion Study.  Passport Services shared the summaries from the study.  Union officers expressed doubts about some of the group's findings, and suggested a more comprehensive study.

PPT HQ: Daily Reminders Not For Disciplinary Purpose

September, 2011: The Union was assured by multiple Passport Headquarters officials that the answers given on the daily security quiz would never be used to justify disciplinary actions against employees,

Union Questions Need For Daily Computer Reminders

August, 2011: Local 1998 requested negotiations and submitted proposals to deal with agency changes that require employees to take a new internal security quiz.  The Union was not notified prior to implementation of the daily pop-up quiz, which duplicates coursework employees already take.

Local Disputes Validity of 2011 Time & Motion Study

August 17, 2011: Local President Rob Arnold submitted a grievance concerning the manner in which the agency was conducting the 2011 study which measures averages times for various adjudication duties.

Union Reaches Official Time Settlement With Agency

August 7, 2011: A hearing scheduled for August 10th was averted by an agreement reached over the manner and amount of time granted for union representational activities.  The Union agreed it would not double-up posts with official time attached to them except for instances of acting in place of other existing officers or for officers covering multiple agencies.

Local 1998 Protests Supervisor Treatment of Employee

August 1, 2011: San Francisco Senior Steward Gil Yap filed a grievance to protest inappropriate behavior by a supervisor in meetings with an SF employee.  The grievance charges that Management allowed the supervisor to yell at the employee, chide the employee for adjudication decisions not supported by national policy, and twice send the same employee's private information to other employees.