Leadership Training: Executive Order 14003
April 09, 2021
By Joe Corcoran, National Representative, 3rd District
President Biden’s Executive Order is the most extraordinary expansion of union rights in decades. Not only did EO 14003 repeal and reverse Trump’s three union-busting orders (limiting the union’s bargaining rights, taking away union access to facilities and use of official time). More importantly, EO 14003 significantly strengthens the union’s right to negotiate with management. Section 4 of the EO clearly and unequivocally directs agencies to bargain over so-called “permissive subjects". As a result, management must now negotiate over the “numbers, types and grades” of employees assigned and over the “methods, means and technology” of performing the work.
Specifically, section 4 of EO 14003, titled Ensuring the Right to Engage in Collective Bargaining provides that: "The head of each agency subject to the provisions of chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, shall elect to negotiate over the subjects set forth in 5 U.S.C. 7106(b)(1) and shall instruct subordinate officials to do the same.”
This is huge. No more is the union limited to “impact/implementation” bargaining. Now, in plain English, we can finally negotiate over the real stuff. NVP Glover intends for 3rd District Locals to be aggressive in exercising their rights under the Order and in creating opportunities for involving rank and file members.
Accordingly, last month he tasked National Representatives (NRs) Joe Corcoran and Mark Sewak with developing a training module focused on familiarizing local leaders with the Executive Order and exchanging ideas for using the EO to increase member participation in the union. Throughout the month of March, Corcoran and Sewak along with National Organizer Chrystal Killman-Johnson presented one-hour training classes via Zoom twice a day every Wednesday. Over 40 Local leaders participated.
Going forward, the District's focus will be on building power by assisting locals in pursuing their new bargaining rights and maximizing opportunities for direct member involvement.
