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A New Way Forward

There is no question that organized labor in this country is under attack. These attacks have come at the very core of what it means to be a union – our right to collectively bargain. What started in Madison, Wisconsin has spread across this country as state and national politicians seek to vilify labor as the cause of their fiscal woes and make us pay through stripping our rights to bargain on behalf of the working men and women we represent.

This is the landscape we find ourselves in: one in which we must continue to build membership and work for change, or have our rights trampled. The easy path would be for us to become discouraged, hang our heads, and give up. But that is not what we are about, and that is not who we are. That is not our proud history.

At this moment in time, when the very worth and dignity in being an American worker is being called into question, we must continue to build membership and organize the unorganized. Our union’s very survival depends on our ability to grow and mentor future leaders. If we are unable or unwilling to grow, we will soon be out of business.

NFFE’s new Organizing and Recruiting Strategic Plan recognizes NFFE’s need to move from reacting to change to acting on change. To accomplish this will necessitate a fundamental shift in our thinking, requiring us to move from a “servicing model” to an “organizing model.” This is not about emphasizing building membership at the expense of servicing our members; it is about building highly-functioning locals, effective local leaders, and engaged members. It is fundamentally about gaining power for workers.

Building, supporting, and sustaining effective locals and councils is the only way we can be successful at building membership on a continuing basis. Collectively we all have a personal responsibility for the success or failure of our union.

Change will not happen overnight. But we must commit to begin this change if we are to sustain this union. Working together, this is our chance to build something greater than ourselves, and continue NFFE’s proud legacy of working for America every day.

William R. Dougan

Senate Panel Passes Expanded Collective Bargaining For VA Health Care Providers

Friday, August 6, 2010

(National Federation of Federal Employees)

On Thursday, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee approved a bill (S. 3486) that would extend collective bargaining to Department of Veterans Affairs Title 38 health care providers over issues concerning compensation. The measure was approved, 10-6, by the Committee.

Under current statute, VA employees under Title 38, including registered nurses, physician assistants, doctors, dentists, and other health care providers, cannot collectively bargain or be assured of reaching resolution on grievances for issues related to employee compensation.

If passed into law, this bill would expand collective bargaining on compensation issues at the VA; however, rates of basic pay would still be off the bargaining table. This bill also would not impact existing bans on bargaining over issues concerning professional conduct or competence and peer review.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) initially offered the measure as an amendment to another veterans’ bill (S. 3325), but the Committee passed the amendment as a stand-alone piece of legislation.

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (CA-51) has introduced a companion bill (H.R. 5543) that has yet to be considered.

“This is a very important bill for VA health care providers,” said NFFE Legislative Director Randy Erwin. “We just cleared a major hurdle, but we still have several more to clear before this bill becomes law. Right now the schedule is the biggest concern we have. Being an election year, there is not a lot of time left in this session of Congress. But we are trying to find a way to get this done. Clearing this Committee should give us momentum.”

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