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Press Inquiries:

Matthew S. Biggs
Phone: 301-565-9016
Fax: 3001-565-001

News:

Add Your Personal Comments to Lawmakers—
Here's What UDWC Unions Have Told Them

(This letter got great response from lawmakers who attended the June 13 UDWC congressional reception. Please help us with lawmakers on the Hill by sending the message with your signature to your member of Congress and both your Senators.) Read our comments >

Remarks of Benjamin T. Toyama,, Western Federal Area Vice President IFPTE, AFL-CIO & CLC and Vice President-IFPTE Local 121, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard

Prepared For: The Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
Hearing: Preparing for Transition: Implementation of the National Security Personnel System Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 1:30 p.m. Asian-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Fort DeRussy, Honolulu, HI Read Benjamin Toyama's Remarks

Remarks of Don Bongo, Hawaii Federal Employees Metal Trades Council, Vice President AFL-CIO & CLC & Sergeant First Class, E-7 Hawaii National Guard 227th Engineer Company (combat), 29th Brigade

Federal Court Says No to NSPS
UDWC Lawsuit Prevails

SAN DIEGO, CA – In what can only be described as a victory for DoD workers worldwide, U.S. Federal District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan blocked the Pentagon from moving forward on the National Security Personnel System (NSPS). Read the Release >

Pentagon "Steamrolls" Collaborative Process--UDWC Member Representatives Unable to Meet

WASHINGTON, DC – Continuing to keep workers at arm’s length from the creation of the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), Pentagon officials have strategically scheduled the ‘continuing collaboration’ process in the midst of the holiday season and during the last days of the Congressional session. In what appears to be a well planned effort to move forward without United DoD Workers Coalition (UDWC) member organizations present, the DoD continues to lock out workers from the creation of NSPS. (Read On >)

View the lastest developments on the Continuing Collaboration (pdf)

NSPS Hearing

Read Testimony of Ronald Ault, President Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO 'The National Security Personnel System Is Not About Security' (txt | pdf)

See Photos from the hearings view >

Suit Filed to Block NSPS-- Read the Filing (pdf)

Shipyard Officials Angry About New Labor Regulations

By DOUGLAS P. GUARINO, Democrat Staff Writer--PORTSMOUTH -- Union officials at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are fuming over new labor regulations the Department of Defense plans to implement this month. DOD officials posted regulations for the National Security Personnel System(NSPS) last week and plan to implement the largest portion of them Nov. 28, according to Paul O'Connor, president of the shipyard's Metal Trades Council. Read On >

NSPS Final Regulations Released

Tuesday, November 1, 2005 marked the release of the Final Regulations for the NSPS (read the regulations pdf)

UDWC to Challenge NSPS
Coalition Member Unions to File Suit as Early as Next Week

October 28, 2005 Press Release--
WASHINGTON, DC - Several member unions of the United DoD Workers Coalition (UDWC) are primed to contest the legality of the recently released National Security Personnel System (NSPS). The legal challenge is expected to be filed in U.S. District Court next week, at which time full details of the suit will be available. read on > (html | pdf)

NSPS To Be Published Tomorrow
UDWC, Press to Be Briefed by OPM, Pentagon Today

October 26, 2005 Press Release--
WASHINGTON, DC – Today the United DoD Workers Coalition (UDWC) will be briefed by Pentagon and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) officials on the much maligned National Security Personnel System (NSPS). The 4pm UDWC briefing is to be held at OPM and will be attended by union members and leaders from many of the 36 coalition member unions. This will follow a 3pm briefing at the Pentagon provided exclusively for members of the press. read on > (html | pdf)

Media Campaign Underway

UDWC has commissioned a strategic public awareness campaign—using paid radio messages, newspaper and billboard ads—to point out the absurdity of DOD’s National Security Personnel System (NSPS). The ads charge that NSPS effectively brands patriotic DOD workers as “threats to national security.” Featuring real DOD workers—parents, community members, highly-trained and experienced workers, often military veterans—who are offended by DOD’s plan, the ads ask the public to contact lawmakers and urge them to stop the DOD plan. View the print ad and listen to the civilian employee radio ads >

UDWC Responds to DHS Decision
Federal Judge Says DHS Rule “fails to comply with the direction of Congress”

WASHINGTON, DC – The following United DoD Workers Coalition (UDWC) member representatives responded to the decision by U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary M. Collyer to reject the Department of Homeland Security’s new human resources rules. (read the press release--download the pdf)

View the Court Decision (pdf)

Homeland Security Dept. Loses Labor Rules Fight

By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 - A federal court has struck down personnel rules adopted by the Department of Homeland Security, saying they violate the rights and protections given to employees by Congress. Read On >

August 8, 2005-- Read the progressive proposals submitted by the unions and denied by DoD."

UNITED DOD WORKERS COALITION PROPOSED REGULATION ON MULTI-UNIT BARGAINING AND BARGAINING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF UNIT RECOGNITION—EXPLANATION OF CHANGES TO THE AGENCIES’ PROPOSED REGULATION (pdf)
DOD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEMUDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART B (pdf)
DOD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM UDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART C (pdf)
DOD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEMUDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART D (pdf)
DoD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM
UDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART E (pdf)
DoD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM UDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART F (pdf)

7-18-05--Press Release--GAO Supports UDWC Claims that NSPS System Flawed; Report Outlines USWC's Exclusion from the Process--Read the Press Release (pdf)

7-12-05--Union Members from labor organizations forming the United DoD Workers Coalition rallied on Capitol Hill against the NSPS implementation. North Carolina Rep. Congressman Walter B. Jones pledged to demand Congressional hearings on NSPS. View photos from the rally >

Congressman Curt Weldon, R-PA urges Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Navy Gordon England to protect the collective bargaining rights of civilian DoD employees. Read the letter. (pdf)

Coalition to Secretary England: DoD employees are Patriots Commited to the Nation and the Mission.

Read the UDWC Letter to Secretary England-- (pdf) (html)
Read UDWC Booklet--“Contrasting Plans for DoD: Labor’s Proposals for Positive Change versus Management’s Unlawful Return to the 19th Century.”

AFGE National President John Gage and Ron Ault, Metal Trades Department President Record 2 Radio Spots Opposing NSPS

Listen to John Gage's 1 Minute Radio Spot
Listen to Ron Ault's 1 Minute Radio Spot

Developments from the May 9th, 10th Meetings -- From the Coalition

Last week, the UDWC and DoD/OPM ended discussions on Wednesday May 4th. Discussions for the week concluded early because the UDWC, acting in good faith, granted management’s request to caucus among themselves with respect to two UDWC proposals. Management agreed to return Monday, May 9th prepared to discuss the aforementioned proposals with the UDWC. GO >

March 9, 2004-Kay Cole James, OPM Director sent a letter to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld setting up the blueprint on NSPS and advising the Pentagon on ways to avoid Congressional scrutiny. Read the Letter

UDWC Proposed Regulation on Multi-Unit Bargaining Documents

UDWC Proposal on Emergencies and Post-Implementation Bargaining
(pdf)
UNITED DOD WORKERS COALITION PROPOSED REGULATION ON MULTI-UNIT BARGAINING AND BARGAINING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF UNIT RECOGNITION (SHOWING DELETIONS FROM AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENCIES’ PROPOSED REGULATION) (pdf) (word)
UNITED DOD WORKERS COALITION PROPOSED REGULATION ON MULTI-UNIT BARGAINING AND BARGAINING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF UNIT RECOGNITION—EXPLANATION OF CHANGES TO THE AGENCIES’ PROPOSED REGULATION (pdf) (word)
UNITED DOD WORKERS COALITION PROPOSED REGULATION ON MULTI-UNIT BARGAINING AND BARGAINING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF UNIT RECOGNITION (pdf) (word)

Developments from the May 2nd & 3rd Meetings -- From the Coalition

1.) UDWC and DoD/OPM open the week by agreeing to designate Monday as a workday. The UDWC, in an effort to continue to engage in Meet & Confer in good faith, developed a proposal on national level bargaining to be presented during this week’s sessions.

The full UDWC national level bargaining proposal was presented to management on Tuesday. GO >

Developments from the April 19th and 20th Meetings—From the Coalition

UDWC and DoD/OPM still debating Meet & Confer procedures to solidify “tentative” agreements.

In continuation of the efforts of the UDWC to memorialize any agreements reached with DoD/OPM during Meet & Confer, intended to provide true meaning to the Meet & Confer process mandated by law, UDWC negotiators exchanged proposed procedures on proper handling of issues agreed upon and not agreed upon.
Because DoD and OPM have repeatedly held that the ultimate authority on NSPS details rests with the Defense Secretary and OPM Director, UDWC members have asked for continuing input from the Secretary and Director, or their designees, during the M&C process to make aware to all parties what individual issues are acceptable to senior management and what issues require additional collaboration between employee representatives and NSPS officials, in spirit of the law defining the M&C process. GO >

April 18th and 19th—Today’s Developments—From the Coalition

Management denies UDWC suggestions aimed at addressing congressional concerns.

Recommendations laid out by Senators Susan Collins (R, ME), Edward Kennedy (D, MA) Daniel Akaka (D, HI) and Carl Levin (D, MI) at last week’s Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing (16-April-2005) were wholly rebuffed by management. GO >

April 12, 2005—Metal Trades Department President Testifies on the Perils of NSPS Before the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce and Agency Organization, House Committee on Government Reform. Read His Testimony GO >

April 12, 2005—AFGE President John Gage Tells Congress: Proposed Rules for Defense Workers Need Fixing. GO >

Audio: US Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia—Hearings—The purpose of the hearing is to consider the proposed regulations jointly published by the Department of Defense and Office of Personnel Management on February 14, 2005, for the National Security Personnel System.
Listen to the hearings GO >

News Aritcle: Defense Moves from Listening to Meeting on Personnel System Changes Steve Barr, Washington Post, Wednesday March 16, 2005;
Page B02 GO >

DoD NSPS United Defense Workers Coalition Comments
We are extremely disappointed by the progress of our discussions during the last year. At times, the Coalition sensed that many of the concerns we voiced fell on deaf ears as the Agencies (Department of Defense, hereinafter DOD or the Department and Office of Personnel Management, hereinafter OPM) had a predisposition toward a human resources system that substantially mirrored the system proposed by the Department of Homeland Security. (pdf)

Press Advisory—Congress Set to Hold Hearings on NSPS—UDWC Leaders to Testify Before Senate Subcommittee (pdf)

View photos:
Representatives from the UDWC recently briefed Congress and Congressional Aids of the perils of NSPS. GO >

Press Advisory—Union Leaders Turn to Courts for Relief from NSPS (pdf)

United DoD Workers Coalition (UDWC) Responds to Release of NSPS—Union Leaders Call NSPS a ‘Train Wreck Waiting to Happen” (pdf)

ALERT:
DOD and OPM have scheduled a by-invitation NSPS briefing for UDWC officials for Thursday, February 10, from 1-2:30 p.m.

Executive Summary:
In Our Nation’s Defense: Taking the Right Steps to Redesign the Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Human Resource System

Whitepaper:
In Our Nation’s Defense: Taking the Right Steps to Redesign the Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Human Resource System
This document analyzes various broad concepts on the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) that have been advanced by the Department of Defense and the Office of Personnel Management. It does not waive the rights of the Coalition or its members to comment on proposed NSPS regulations or to initiate appropriate legal action.

Joint Comments and Recommendations:
Submitted By the United DoD Workers Coalition RE: National Security Personnel System/Department of Defense Human Resources Management Syste