Sequestration News

Check out AFGE's Sequestration Central page for the latest:
http://www.afge.org/?Page=TheyCutYouPay

Rally to Stop the Sequester

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

***MEDIA ALERT***

Contact:               Dorothy James  (312-421-6245)                 Tim Kauffman (202-639-6405)

                                John J. O’Grady  (312-886-3575)                                Brent Barron (815-343-8634)

Federal Employees Rally to Stop the Sequester and Impacts to Government Services in Chicago Sequester Cuts will Severely Impact Government Services to Public

The American Federation of Government Employees Bureau of Prisons, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education and Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency, Railroad Retirement Board, Social Security Administration, and Veterans Affairs, in conjunction with the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Illinois AFL-CIO will be having a protest rally in downtown Chicago to “Stop the Sequester” and to educate the public about the devastating impact of sequestration on government services provided to all Americans.

WHAT:                 Stop the Sequester Protest Rally

WHEN:                                 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 pm, Wednesday, March 20, 2013

WHERE:               John C. Kluczynski Federal Building Plaza

                                230 South Dearborn, Chicago, IL               

WHO:                   Federal civilian employees represented by the American Federation of Government Employees at the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education and Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency, Railroad Retirement Board, Social Security Administration, and Veterans Affairs, in conjunction with the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Illinois AFL-CIO.

WHY:                    Federal employees are planning to hold about 100 rallies across the country on March 20 protesting sequestration, as part of a mass demonstration organized by the American Federation of Government Employees.

“Our message is very clear: sequestration has got to go,” AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said. “If federal employees are furloughed without pay, if offices and plants are shut down, if vacancies aren’t filled because of these across-the-board budget cuts, then federal employees won’t be able to do the work that the American public expects them to do.”

For a list of cities holding rallies, visit http://local.americawantstowork.org/all

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 675,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Colu

Sequestration Rallies

Chicago Locals:

TUESDAY 3/19 RALLY PREPARATION 7:30 am Tuesday morning (3/19) we need volunteers to assist with handbilling with flyers infront of the Metcalfe building downtown, 77 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604, and other federal buildings while folks are heading into work to spread the word about Wednesday’s rally.

Please contact Nick Kreitman, District 7 Office Manager, 847-970-0575, if you are available.  Handbills about the rally will be provided.

-          Please send over a bullet point list of how Sequestration is impacting your agency as soon as possible- we need press handouts for the rally!!

RALLY WEDNESDAY 3/20

To AFGE Local Presidents and Points of Contact: Please arrive about 10:15 a.m. at the Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building the morning of the Rally (Wednesday, March 20, 2013) – Rally begins promptly at 11:30 a.m. in the Federal Plaza.

-          Please be prepared to speak to the press about sequestration, and to share your story about cuts at your agency

-          Bring your iphone and camera --- TAKE SHORT SEQUESTER STORIES AT THE EVENT the more content we can create from our events the better.  There will be ample time to record brief stories and appeals between chants, and waiting between speakers

-          Wear BLUE and any AFGE gear

-          The Chicago Federal of Labor has endorsed the rally and affiliate unions and community allies will be sending representatives to the rally. Either Jorge Ramierez or Bob Reiter from the CFL will be speaking at the rally.

-          Rally chants will be distributed the morning of the rally on papers,

Signs will be available:

1. Sequester Congress – Not Jobs!

2. Jobs Not Furloughs!

3. More Unemployment Brought to You by Congress!

4. Sequestration Hurts Working People

UPDATES ON OTHER RALLIES TAKING PLACE

Rock Island, IL AFGE Local 15

Call Tracy Leone at 309-738-3196 (Cell) or 563-324-9414  (office) with questions or to RSVP

What: Community Forum on Sequestration's Impact in the Quad Cities 

When: Wednesday March 20th

Time: 5:00-5:30pm

Where: Community Health Care Rock Island 2750 11th St

Speakers: Steve Beck, Federal employee on Arsenal Island with AFGE 15; Tom Seymour, President of the Quad Cities Alliance for Retired Americans; and Tom Bowman, CEO of Community Health Care, Inc. Each speaker will highlight how the sequester cuts will affect the various sectors of our local and national economy. 

MICHIGAN

For SE MI, Metro Detroit: An Informational Pickett/Rally on the public sidewalk in front of the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, MI, hosted by AFGE Local 1658, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm (6501 East 11 Mile Rd., Warren 48397 - North side of 11 Mile Rd., between Van Dyke and Mound Roads. Parking is available across the street at 6400 E. 11 Mile Rd.)

For Western MI: A Rally in McCamly Park near the Hart-Dole-Inouye DI Federal Center, in Battle Creek, MI, hosted by AFGE Local 1626, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm.  (McCamly Park is located at the Southeast interseaction of W. Van Buren St. and S. Wash8ington Ave.)

Locations and times are set for Four Rallies by AFGE Local 3272 :
Rally 1: Social Security Administration Office
455 Bond Street
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
Start: 11:45 am
End: 1:00 pm
Please park on side street.

Rally 2: Social Security Administration Office
3045 Knapp Street NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
Start: 11:45 am
End: 1:00 pm


Rally 3: Social Security Administration Office
1115 Washington Ave
Bay City, MI 48708
Start: 11:45 am
End: 1:00 pm


Rally 4: Social Security Administration Office
611 E. Genesee Ave.
Saginaw MI 48607
Start: 11:45 am
End: 1:00 pm

USCIS February 2013 Labor Management Forum

Union and Management met on February 21, 2013.  The highlights of the discussion:

*  Chicago Field Office Branch Structure - the Field Office Director, Martha Medina, will propose a plan to do away with the 3 branches, merge Adjudications and Customer Service, and form two teams, Team One and Team Two.  Every adjudicator would work on all types of applications.  The idea is to keep everybody fresh with all applications.  The FOD is still working on the plan details, including the roles of the current branch chiefs.  More information will be forthcoming.

*  Management would like to start a District Awards and Recognition Program.  Will solicit for volunteers to form a working group of employees and management, who will decide on categories, frequency, etc.  Look for management to solicit for volunteers soon.

*  USCIS has no plans for a furlough.  If anything changes, management will inform the union.

*  LSA update - We are still waiting on an effective date.  The agreement went back up for agency head review.  Our LER contact is looking into the status.

*  March 6, 2013, USCIS will hold an EEO overview given by an EEO judge from 1:30-3:30.

As always, please contact your union rep if you have input, concerns, or ideas.  We would like to hear from you.