ICE Overseas Escort Wheel Proposal and Counter-Proposal

There are an estimated 27+ deportation officers & immigration enforcement agents within local 2660 (indianapolis & louisville). If you would like to comment please do so to the following email:   michael_afge2718@hotmail.com. 

Management's Proposal: 

RE: Overseas Escort Wheel

Proposal Date: Wednesday, December 12th, 2012.

Management would like for you to review and consider the below bulleted items:

• Implement one overseas escort assignment wheel that will be created to include all of the following: Immigration Enforcement Agents (IEAs), Deportation Officers (DOs), Supervisory Immigration Enforcement Agents (SIEAs) and Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officers (SDDOs).

• High Profile Removal escorts will only be assigned to DOs.

• The overseas escort wheel will list all of the above mentioned personnel in descending order based upon the last overseas trip that they completed.

• Employees who transfer in from other offices will be placed at the bottom of the list as well as those new employees who enter on duty after successful completion of the ICE Academy.

• The name of all SIEAs and SDDOs will comprise one spot on the rotation list.

• All escorting teams must consist of one (1) Deportation Officer.

• At least one (1) of the two (2) escorting officers selected for each foreign escort must be assigned at Chicago or Broadview to allow for local logistical issues—ensuring that the alien is timely transported to BSSA, obtaining visas as needed, coordinating luggage drop off with family members, assisting with cashing checks, coordinating transportation to the airport and other detention duties associated with the removal of an alien.

• Passing on an escort is not permissible by any of the personnel named in the first bullet for any reason other than approved annual/sick leave, administrative leave, voluntary leave without pay, medical disability or military leave.

• The foreign escort wheel will be posted on the Share Drive.

• Fug Ops officers are excluded from conducting foreign escorts due to HQ policy.

This Overseas Escort Wheel will only involve the following AFGE Union Local 2718 (Chicago) and Local 2660 (Indianapolis) 

Union Counter Proposal:

  

RE: Overseas Escort Wheel

AFGE Union Local 2718 and Local 2660

January, 18, 2013,

The AFGE Union Local 2718 and Local 2660 has carefully considered and reviewed Management’s pre-decisional involvement (PDI) proposal regarding the “overseas escort wheel policy” received on December 12, 2012. As exclusive representative of the Bargaining Unit Employee (BUE), the AFGE Union as one collective body has prepared for management a proposal based on the comments and concerns of our bargaining employees.

• Implement one “overseas escort assignment wheel” that will incorporate all of the following: Immigration Enforcement Agents (IEA), Deportation Officers (DO), Supervisory Immigration Enforcement Agents (SIEA), and Supervisory Detention and Deportation Officer (SDDO).

• Deportation Officers (DO) and Immigration Enforcement Agents (IEA) will be eligible and assigned to High Profile Removals escorts.

• The “overseas escort assignment wheel” will list all of the above mentioned personnel in descending order based upon the last overseas trip completed by officers/agents. All other officers and agents not assigned to an “overseas escort assignment” will remain in place, unless otherwise assigned.

• All officers and/or agents who transfer to the Chicago ICE District Field Office from another field office and/or sub-office will automatically be placed at the bottom of the “overseas escort assignment wheel”. New employees who enter on duty after fully successfully completing the ICE academy training will also be placed at the bottom of the “overseas escort assignment wheel”. New employees must take their first (1) “overseas escort assignment” with a senior deportation officer (DO) and/or Immigration Enforcement Agent (IEA).

• The name of all SIEA’s and SDDO’s will comprise one single spot on the “overseas escort assignment wheel”.

• All Deportation Officers (DO) and Immigration Enforcement Agents (IEA) will be eligible for an “overseas escort assignment”.

• At least one (1) of the two (2) assigned escorting deportation officer(DO) and/or Immigration Enforcement Agent (IEA) selected for each foreign escort must be assigned to the Chicago or Broadview (BSSA) office, in order to allow for local logistical issues-ensuring that the alien is timely transported to BSSA, obtaining visas as needed, coordinating luggage drop off with family members, assisting with cashing checks, coordinating transportation to the airport and other detention duties associated with the removal of the alien.

• Passing on an “overseas escort assignment” is permissible for any deportation officer (DO) and Immigration Enforcement Agent (IEA).

• The “overseas escort assignment wheel” will be posted on the Shared Drive and updated before the close of business (COB) every day. An electronic notification, via email, will be forwarded to a member of the local 2718 after deportation officers (DO) and Immigration Enforcement Agents (IEA) have been selected for an “overseas escort assignment”.

• Deportation Officers assigned to the Fugitive Operations Team will be eligible for “overseas escort assignment”.

The AFGE Union has considered several elements in an effort to maximize manpower and cross train officers and/or agents with minimal disturbance to daily operations.

Respectfully,

Gregory M. Ortiz

Vice President, Union

AFGE Union Local 2718

2013 Proposed Budget

AFGE Local 2718 2013 Proposed Budget

Total Cash On Hand $74,693

Projected Payables to 2718 from national $8,670

Other projected Revenues $ 3,000

Total Revenues Projected $86,364

(with no growth)

Expenses

Affiliation Fees:

$519

Office Expenses:

$1,072

Training /Meetings:

$7,100

Organizing:

 $1,000

Other :

$5,000

Carryover Expenses from Previous Budget(s):

$1,060

Total Projected Expenses and use of Funds $ 15,751

Total Projected Revenues and Funds Available $ 70, 613

All of these figures are estimates. The executive Board (EB) cannot guarantee that some of these expenses may be more a less. Last year our local was more than $8,000 under budget.

Up votes (yay)

Down votes (nay)

Any member that conferences into the meeting must provide a member number to verify your vote.

February 6, 2013 Quarterly Meeting Follow-up

** Please note - the 2013 budget was an agenda item for the January 30, 2013 quarterly meeting, for which notice was given on January 22, 2013.  The treasurer had a last-minute emergency to deal with and could not attend the January 30 meeting.  Therefore, it was announced that the budget presentation and vote would take place on February 6. 

As announced at the quarterly meeting on January 30, the 2013 budget discussion will be held on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, at 12:30 p.m. via teleconference.  Please call in to participate in the discussion.  The call-in information is:

218 844-0850
Code# 967450#

Quarterly Meeting Location

The January 30, 2013 quarterly membership meeting will be held at 536 S. Clark in the 5th Floor Computer Room from 12:30-1:30 p.m.  Please see the previous post for agenda and call-in information.

January 2013 Quarterly Meeting Notice & Agenda

Thanks for your input on the quarterly meeting survey (see results in the January 12 post below).  We have scheduled our January 2013 quarterly meeting according to the wishes of the majority of our members.

There will once again be a call-in option:  Call-in number: 218 844-0850
Code# 967450#

MEETING NOTICE

AFGE Local 2718

Will hold its January 2013 Quarterly Membership Meeting

on

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

12:30-1:30 p.m.

536 S. Clark, Chicago, IL

5th Floor Computer Room

Agenda:

-Budget for 2013.

-Local Supplemental Agreement (LSA) update for CIS

-Legislative Conference February 9-14, 2013.

-Labor/Management Forum update.

-Local Supplemental Agreement (LSA) update for the Chicago Asylum Office.

 -ICE Update – implementation of wheel.

Is there an item you’d like to see added to the Agenda?  Contact your union rep.

USCIS January 2013 Labor Management Forum

USCIS District 14 Management and Union had a very productive January LMF meeting on January 17.  Some highlights:

      *  Ground rules include rotating bargaining unit members and supervisors into the meetings so everyone will have the chance to participate.  Look for management to solicit for volunteers in the near future.
      *  LMF Meetings will typically occur on the second Thursday of the month from 10:30-11:30 a.m.  Please contact your union rep if you have an item you'd like to see on the agenda.
      *  Our joint goals are to improve our office, increase transparency, and increase trust between employees and management.
      *  Management proposes to institute a voluntary District Mentoring Program, an Individual Development Plan campaign, and a District Survey.
      *  The union asked for a report of the current demographics of the District.
      *  Management will provide an informational notice and begin allowing 30 minutes to conduct each naturalization interview instead of the current 20 minutes.

We hope everyone will become involved as these LMF meetings continue.  We are making great strides toward a more cooperative relationship with management and welcome your input.

Survey Results

Thanks to all who participated in the survey regarding quarterly meetings.  We had a great response rate, and it's clear that the great majority of you want to be involved.  We will be taking these results into account as we schedule our upcoming meetings.

The results are:

AFGE Local 2718 holds quarterly membership meetings in January, April, July, and October. Which of the following best describes your interest in participating in these quarterly meetings? (Please choose only one.)

• Answered: 74
• Skipped: 0

Answer Choices	Responses
I would like to attend and participate in person.	55.41% 41
I would like the option to call-in to participate.	20.27% 15
I am not interested in attending or calling in, but I would like to read the meeting minutes afterward.	17.57% 13
I am not interested in attending, calling in, or reading the minutes afterward.	6.76% 5
Total Respondents: 74

Which day of the week would you prefer quarterly meetings to occur? (Please choose only one.)

• Answered: 74
• Skipped: 0

Answer Choices	Responses
Monday	12.16% 9
Tuesday	10.81% 8
Wednesday	35.14% 26
Thursday	24.32% 18
Friday	17.57% 13
Total Respondents: 74

What time of day would you prefer quarterly meetings to occur? (Please choose only one.) Keep in mind that any meeting time that is not your lunch hour or after work may require you to take leave in order to participate.

• Answered: 74
• Skipped: 0

Answer Choices	Responses
Morning	12.16% 9
Lunch hour	32.43% 24
Afternoon	28.38% 21
After work hours	27.03% 20
Total Respondents: 74

What location would you prefer for the quarterly meetings?

• Answered: 74
• Skipped: 0

Answer Choices	Responses
A meeting room in the federal building at 536 S. Clark St., Chicago, IL	64.86% 48
A bar or restaurant near 536 S. Clark St., Chicago, IL    Other (please specify) ( 10 )   Chicago Union representatives are a poor representation of the bargaining unit, unlike other field offices Alternate, the Milwaukee Field Office 1 qtr, Chicago next qtr, etc Realize that not everyone works or lives close to the damn city. Stop making everything easy for CITY PEOPLE!!!!!!! Sorry I'm working out of the Saint Louis Field Office broadview I live in Wisconsin bruce allen's house PLEASE CALL TO CHICAGO HEARING SOCIETY PHONE NUMBERS TO CONTACT TO ROLANDA KING ON PHONE PROVIDE TO GIVE ME INTERPRETER FOR ME AND DEAF EMPLOYEE MUST BY ADA'S LAW (AMERICAN WITH THE DISABILITY ACT'S LAW AND GOVERMENT MUST PAY US TO GET PROVIDE TO GET US INTERPRER BY ADA'S LAW BY PRESIDENT BUSH PASSED ADA'S LAW IN JULY 26, 1990 HE SIGNED UP HIS NAME BY ADA'S LAW, PLEASE OKAY. THANKS. Meeting held at 5 pm Call in,