Marie Owens Powell has recently been elected president for AFGE Council 238 by acclamation. Powell was the local president of AFGE Local 3631 in Philadelphia, which represents EPA workers across Region 3.
Powell together with the Council Executive Board appointed Joyce Howell, former AFGE Local 3631 vice president, to fill the executive vice president position, which had been vacant.
The announcements come as the council announced the ratification of major contract wins that strengthened telework, remote work, and work schedule flexibility.
“As Council 238 President, I am proud to lead AFGE Council 238 as EPA employees continue to fight to strengthen our workplace, ensure a stronger voice on the job, and protect the health and safety of our communities,” said Powell. “I’m grateful to my colleagues for their trust and encouragement. Together, we are ensuring the future of work at the EPA prioritizes fairness and transparency and advances our mission to protect human health and safety and preserve the soul of the EPA.”
Powell currently serves as Underground Storage Tank inspector in the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division and has been a union leader for more than eight years. She replaces Gary Morton, who served as AFGE Council 238 president for three years after being elected in 2018.
The new council president said the council has much to accomplish in the year ahead. The council’s four priorities are:
“EPA workers have fought together to reach landmark agreements that invest in us, and together, we’ve won major policy changes to ensure our voices are heard. We’re going to keep raising our voices to ensure that EPA employees are valued, respected, and protected at work,” said Executive Vice President Howell, who has been an enforcement lawyer in the Office of Regional Counsel and the lead negotiator for AFGE Council 238 for the recently ratified Future of Work negotiations. She will continue as lead negotiator for the council for the master collective bargaining agreement.
In addition to the election of President Powell and the appointment of Executive Vice President Howell, the full executive board includes:
President – Marie Owens Powell
Executive Vice President – Joyce Howell
First Vice President – Undine Kipka
Second Vice President – Justin Chen
Secretary – Kenneth Krebs
Treasurer – Jeanne Schultz
Sergeant at Arms – Ed Guster
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