With presidential candidates pledging to eliminate several agencies and slash the skeleton workforce if they win the presidential election next year, AFGE members are understandably alarmed and upset. Coupled with attempts to cut funding by current members of Congress, AFGE has been urging government workers to turn their frustration into action to help educate members of Congress and advocate for the resources and support government workers need to accomplish their agency missions.
To do that, AFGE offers all kinds of training both online and in person at the union’s conferences such as the recent P.O.R.T. Leadership Academy.
At the P.O.R.T. training in June, participants learned how to develop an effective legislative action plan and how to set up the local’s legislative committee to educate members of Congress on issues important to federal workers.
They learned about the history of the United States federal and DC civil service, government workers’ legal rights to petition Congress and the DC City Council, and their responsibility to adhere to laws governing this activity. The course further described the services that AFGE provides to locals, the local union officers, stewards, and their members to effectively meet their obligations.
The class went into detail about the Hatch Act, a federal law that limits what government employees can do while at work, wearing a government uniform, using government equipment, or in a government vehicle. Participants learned the dos and don’ts of political activity in the workplace.
They also learned about messaging and the power of talking points.
“This training is important because it gives all leaders a glimpse of this work and the importance of it since they are required to take it in order to graduate P.O.R.T.,” said AFGE Legislative and Political Organizer Shannon Faulk, who taught the legislative track. “I think most participants enjoyed it and were able to take what they learned back.”
“I would say the class was about 50/50 new and people who have had some training, but it made the class beneficial for all,” she added. “I think a lot of the questions were around what they can’t and can do because of Hatch and creating a plan for the local.”
AFGE Legislative and Political Organizer Ryan Mims, who also taught the legislative track, agreed.
“I also think it helps these locals when they are able to talk about the legislative issues facing their members and use our successes and work as a means to organize new members,” he said.
Bargaining your way to success
AFGE cannot be a successful union without our ability to negotiate a fair contract especially because we don’t know who will be in the White House and Congress next year. In this regard, we offer training on how to successfully negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that maintains workplace rights and protections.
In addition to beginner classes, we offer an advanced contract negotiations course where participants are taken through the entire 11-step process to prepare for negotiations. The class includes a mock negotiations component and techniques on different aspects of negotiations.
Sheria Smith, president of AFGE Local 252 representing Department of Education employees across the country, said her team took the advanced contract negotiations class at P.O.R.T. to gear up for their contract negotiations this year.
“We really appreciated the mock negotiations, which were around remote work, which happens to be the number one issue in our upcoming CBA negotiations,” she said. “As for the upcoming elections, we are determining ways our CBA can be extended beyond the next election.”
Other classes
The P.O.R.T. training in June was a treasure trove of information for union activists and leaders committed to moving the labor movement forward regardless of the election results. It was hosted by District 6, 10, 12, and 14.
Besides the legislative and representation tracks, AFGE provided training on all aspects of organizing, mentoring and teaching, legal brief writing, the Merit Systems Protection Board and the Office of Employee Appeals (OEA), conflict resolution, financial officer training, how to lead an effective local, health and safety, and much more. There were classes designed especially for DC government employees as well.
Participants found these classes helpful.
“I had a great time attending P.O.R.T. in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and completing the organizing and political tracks,” said Justin Bautista, who works at NASA in Houston, Texas, and is chief steward for Local 2284. “I learned valuable lessons to better organize my local and have brought back Lunch and Learns to my local. In the political track, I learned more about the public policy and political considerations that affect our employment as federal civil servants.”
For more information about online and in-person training, visit AFGE’s Field Services and Education page and AFGE events on www.afge.org.
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