2024 Sister's Keeper Summit and Training
April 26, 2024
Register now for the 2024 Sister's Keeper Summit in San Diego from May 31–June 2, 2024.
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Barring any unforeseen circumstances, 42,000 Social Security Administration (SSA) employees could have an updated contract on or before Nov. 26 following the employees’ ratification vote last month. The contract is currently at agency head review.
AFGE and SSA in July agreed on updates to six articles of the contract, originally ratified in 2019, covering such issues as employee training and career development, employee rights, childcare and elder care, disciplinary and adverse actions, and employee details to alternative duty stations.
The updated six-year contract not only benefits employees but also the American public they serve as several provisions directly affect customer services.
“Through this contract deal, we have secured our fundamental rights through 2029, protecting our workforce through any shift in the winds regarding labor rights in the federal sector,” said Rich Couture, chief negotiator for the AFGE SSA General Committee. The committee oversees AFGE councils representing SSA employees in field offices, teleservice centers, workload support units, hearings and appeals, payment centers, and quality review as well as AFGE locals representing employees at SSA headquarters and the operations center in Wilkes Barre, Pa. “This deal also improves several areas of the contract that are important to employees and lays a foundation for building further improvements in the future.”
SSA employees and activists hope that the new contract will help shore up morale that took a nosedive due to chronic staffing shortages, overwhelming workloads, lack of competitive pay and benefits, bullying and harassment, among other issues that plague SSA offices. Numerous surveys consistently show that many SSA workers are looking for and taking jobs outside the agency, especially if their telework remains uncertain, or is reduced or eliminated.
SSA used to be one of the best places to work in the federal government. Now it’s dead last.
“The new terms in this contract will go a long way toward improving working conditions for employees, which in turn will result in better customer service for SSA beneficiaries,” said AFGE Council 220 President Jessica LaPointe, who also led the union's contract action team and mobilization efforts. “Now we have to turn our attention to making sure Congress provides us with resources and support we need.”
A few highlights of the updated contract include:
Register now for the 2024 Sister's Keeper Summit in San Diego from May 31–June 2, 2024.
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A recent AFGE town hall in Hawaii was a huge success as locals, staff, and members of Congress joined forces to make the federal government a better place to work.
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The Federal-Postal Coalition, which includes AFGE, is asking the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to increase uniform allowance for federal workers.
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