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Solidarity - the combination or
agreement of all elements or individuals, as a group. Complete unity, as of
opinion, purpose, and interest. (Webster's New World Dictionary)
Do
you feel like someone is bent on breaking our back as Federal Employees?
Whether it's settling for a smaller raise, or not speaking up when they try to
eliminate our jobs, our actions (or inaction) could have the effect of "a stake
in the heart". But we cannot die nor can we give up! We must fight for what we
know to be right for all of us.
No one can do all that needs to be done
alone. The officers of AFGE Council 222 are willing to serve, but they are
limited by time and availability. They need you! Think about the union as a
hundred strings - - woven together, we're as strong as a rope and not as weak
as an individual string. In the words of Revolutionary War patriot Patrick
Henry, "we must hang together, or we will certainly hang alone."
We
should all take time to think seriously about how we, as individuals, are
helping to save our jobs, federal jobs, and the mission of our agency.
Especially in these trying times, we cannot be content and let others do the
work for us. What are YOU doing to help make us stronger?
On the
national level, AFGE has just conducted elections. We're tackling issues with
fresh vigor and fresh eyes. Be part of the vitality. Browse around the Council
website, look for things that spark your interest, and volunteer!
YOU
CAN do it!
http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com
Tim Oravec, Editor
HUD
Council 222 E:News
AFGE 2003
Election Results
Delegates to the 36th AFGE Convention
elected John Gage to the position of AFGE National President on
August 20, 2003. Also elected by the delegates were Jim Davis - National
Secretary/Treasurer and Andrea Brooks - National Women's Coordinator. For
more information regarding the elections and election results go to the AFGE
National Web site at:
http://www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=271
The HUD Council held its convention August 14-16. HUD Council delegates elected
Carolyn Federoff (Boston) to the position of President of AFGE
National Council of HUD Locals 222. Also elected by the delegates were
Perry Casper (Portland) - Executive VP; Monique Williams (New York) -
Secretary; and Lisa Lowery (Knoxville) - Treasurer. Elections were also
held during the convention to fill many of the Regional Vice President
positions. These four positions, together with the Regional Vice Presidents,
comprise the Executive Board for the AFGE National Council of HUD Locals 222.
Click below to see who is representing your Region:
http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com/aboutus.html.
Council Web Site
Wins Major Award
In just it's second year of existence, the
HUD Council 222 web site took 2nd Place overall at the AFGE Convention. Our
Webmaster Patty Petry (Fargo, ND office), who has never had any formal computer
and HTML/Web site design training, has taken charge of the site and made it one
of the best in all of the government. Without her dedication, most of the
information we direct you to would not be available. Congratulations and thanks
to Patty and here's to a First Place at the next convention!
Our Website Is
Ever Changing
As information changes, so does the Council 222
website. For example, the HUD job vacancy page is updated once a week and is
located on the website at: http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com/vacancies.html.
Significant news about federal employee issues are linked from our home
page.
What's the easiest and quickest way to find changes to the
Council website? Check out the What's new page at
http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com/whatsnew.html. This page lists the changes to
the site and when the changes are made.
Computer Tips
and Tricks
Most of the computers here at HUD have been, or
soon will be, upgraded to the new HUD XP Professional operating system. The
Council is fortunate to have people that understand this new "environment" and
have created a spot to pass this knowledge on to you. For instance, did you
know that if you press the "windows" key (on the bottom left of the keyboard
between the Ctrl and Alt buttons) and the L key at the same time, that you can
"lock" your computer. This prevents anyone from using your computer while you
step away from your desk. It can be easily "unlocked" by pressing "Alt, Ctrl,
and Del" and entering your network password.
To access the information
and more, go to: http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com/oresources.html and click on
the "Tips and Tricks" page.
The Latest on
Council Bargaining and Grievances
Management has proposed
changes in the customer service level for the ESC - - making it
virtually impossible to access a real person in the event of an emergency. The
Council has proposed improvements to customer service. The website includes
both Management's and the Council's proposals. We're very concerned about the
new IT contracting out plan and its impact on all of us, and we've been
expressing our concern to Assistant Secretary Meadows and Deputy Secretary
Jackson. We'll keep folks apprised of information as we receive it. We received
Management's response to our proposed Hardship Transfer policy; we're
collecting comments for our response back. A copy of their polisy (and ours) is
on the website. We finally got a pilot program for 6:00 am start! It's
limited to five offices right now, but if it's successful, we hope to have it
expanded.
Whenever a change in work is proposed, a new program or idea
is conceived, or other things that effecdt your work and workplace come up, the
Council, in most instances, is given the chance to bargain these things on your
behalf. Whether it's a changing policy, or creating a new benefit, the Council
is there fighting for you. To see what has been, and is continuing to be, done
for you, visit the Council "Bargaining" page at:
http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com/bargaining.html
Making a
Difference outside the Government Workplace
On the first day
of AFGE's four-day national convention, AFGE National Secretary Treasurer Jim
Davis announced an opportunity to show solidarity and seek support against
President Bush's efforts to privatize some government offices by joining a
picket line at the Aladdin Hotel-Casino. To see AFGE in action, go to:
http://afgecouncil222.tripod.com/vegasrally.html
Local Spotlight
- Local 3367 member (Buffalo office) saves little boy
The
article below is taken entirely from the September 5, 2003 HUD Daily Focus.
This is just one story that shows how HUD and employee partnership has paid
dividends in the life of an employee, and the community.
When
Jennifer Propis took the Red Cross cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training
offered at HUD's Buffalo Field Office a few years back, she understood that it
was a valuable skill to know, but never thought she'd be called upon to use it.
Even as a teenage lifeguard, Jennifer never had occasion to save a life. All
that changed on a sunny August afternoon this year when Jennifer, a paralegal
in the Buffalo HUD office, accepted an invitation to relax beside a neighbor's
backyard pool. Jennifer and her children 2were enjoying a hot summer day when
the neighbor's screams punctuated the afternoon.
Three-year-old Hayden
Kuzma tried to retrieve a ball floating on the water and had fallen undetected
into the pool. When the mother saw the boy, he was floating face down in the
water. When Hayden was pulled from the water, hysteria gripped grief-stricken
women looking down at the boy. Armed with her CPR training, jennifer took
action. She started administering resuscitation to the boy, gently at first,
but with more urgency when she got no response. Thankfully, however, Hayden was
soon spitting and coughing up water from his lungs as he started to breath. He
was stabilized by rescue workers summoned by a 911 call and transported to
Buffalo Women's and Children's Hospital where he made a full recovery.
The Department offers a wide range of training as one way to invest in
people - both in their role as employees while on the job and as citizens in
their communities. And while the CPR training was an important investment that
HUD made in one field office employee, it's an investment that paid off even
more for a little boy and his family from suburban Buffalo.
This is
a great story, and I'm sure yours is too! If you know someone, or an event,
that you think should be the subject of a future "Local Spotlight", please let
us know.
We're still
looking...
For anyone that wants to help with getting
information out to other HUD employees. Our goal is to have a person, or
persons, from each area of the country that can write articles, take pictures,
and showcase the work your office is doing. We will place your informaiton on a
web page that will be available on our web site. Vast experience is not
required...just the desire to help. To volunteer, email us.
(the enews is sent to all
HUD bargaining unit employees)
send Council 222 Communication Committee
email to:
AFGE COUNCIL 222/ADMIN/RIC/HUD
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