The ninth episode of AFGE’s new series, The Activist, highlighting our union members who have stepped up to help make a difference in the lives of their colleagues and our government.
Undine Kipka is an air permit specialist at the EPA Region 1 Office serving the New England states. She’s also president of AFGE Local 3428.
Undine has been an AFGE member since 2017. She joined AFGE because she was concerned about what was happening to the federal employees during the last administration. She became a local president to help join the fight and preserve the protections that her coworkers need in the workplace.
“We felt attacked under the last administration,” she explained. “There was a real push to shrink the federal government, and I knew that wasn’t a good idea because myself and my fellow EPA workers, we are dedicated to the mission of the agency. We believe it’s our duty to protect public health and the environment by reducing air pollution and mitigating or even eliminating climate change impacts.”
As an air permit specialist, Undine ensures that air pollutants are limited so that they don’t negatively impact public health.
Listen to her talk about how her job helps protect the American people:
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