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Welcome to the National Council of HUD Locals Council 222 (also known as National HUD Council #222). Affiliated with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), we are comprised of 40 HUD Locals throughout the U.S. Members elect delegates and the Council Executive Board meets monthly to set our direction/priorities.

A War Against Organizing
Washington Post - Kate Bronfenbrenner
"For the vast majority of workers who want to join unions today, the right to organize and bargain collectively -- free from coercion, intimidation and retaliation -- is at best a promise indefinitely deferred. In election campaigns overseen by the National Labor Relations Board, it is now standard practice for companies to subject workers to threats, interrogation, harassment, surveillance and retaliation for union activity." article >

No Holds Barred (The Intensification Of Employer Opposition To Bargaining)
Kate Bronfenbrenner
"I looked at a random sample of more than 1,000 union elections over a five-year period to determine the parameters of employer behavior during union representation elections in the private sector and the limitations of the labor law system established to regulate that behavior." article >

Legislation Leaves Retirees on One Side, Unions On Other
Joe Davidson-Washington Post
"This plan to ease retired folks back into the federal workforce isn't universally embraced. While federal employee unions generally support efforts to improve the lot of retirees and to strengthen the federal workforce, some union leaders are not happy with the Collins bill."

"Managers would have complete discretion to hire annuitants of their choice, without any regard to veteran's preference, or any objective, competitive criteria," Beth Moten, the American Federation of Government Employees legislative and political director, said in a letter to Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. "This lack of hiring standards violates all merit system hiring principles." Moten added that retiree applicants would have "an enormous competitive advantage over regular federal workers" because the hiring agencies would not have to pay for annuitants non-salary benefits, such as retirement costs. "This cost-savings is likely to provide a strong incentive for federal agencies to bypass, for example, a veteran who is a qualified experienced federal worker in favor of a reemployed annuitant," Moten said. article >

AFGE Council 222 presents "Transition Reports" to incoming Assistant Secretaries - In an effort to ensure that employee concerns are communicated to the incoming administration, AFGE Council 222 has established Transition Subcommittees for each of the major cylinders. The Subcommittees have been meeting via conferene call, reviewing the impact of the stimulus package and the 2009 and 2010 budgets. The Council also appointed liaisons for each major cylinder, to serve as a point of contact between the Assistant Secretaries´ offices and the Council.

The Subcommittees for OGC, Multifamily Housing and FHEO completed preliminary transition reports that focus on issues presented during recent national Labor Management Relations meetings. "Before an LMR meeting, Local Presidents from around the country brainstorm about the issues in each cylinder, and then prioritize them for presentation at the LMR," said Carolyn Federoff, chairwoman of the Council Transition Committee. "The process helps ensure that we are accurately reflecting our members´ concerns," she added.

Federoff met briefly with Assistant Secretary for FHEO John Trasvina, General Counsel Helen Kanovsky, and, accompanied by Perry Casper co-liaison for Multifamily Housing, DAS Carol Galante. "My goal has been to welcome the Assistant Secretaries to HUD, to express our interest in working with them and in HUD´s success, and to introduce them to their liaison. Our meetings have been very positive, " Federoff said.

Transition Liaisons | 08 Transition Letter | 2008 LMR Report
Subcommittee Reports - FHEO | OGC | MF

DOL Final Rule Standards of Conduct for Federal Sector Labor Organizations

The Department of Labor June 2, 2006 Final Rule requires labor organizations subject to the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to periodically inform their members of their rights as union members. The Final Rule will help ensure that federal union members are given basic understanding of: 1) rights as union members; 2) responsibilities of union officers.

Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) - The standards of conduct provisions in this Act, among other statutes, guarantee certain rights to members of unions representing Federal employees and impose certain responsibilities on officers of these unions.
read about the CSRA >
DOL 06/02/06 Federal Register Final Rule | DOL Fact Sheet | Council 222 Constitution/ByLaws
Foreign Service Act of 1980 | Congressional Accountability Act of 1995