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WESTERN REGIONAL UPDATE 2001

 

Manny Borquez, Regional Vice President, CPL-33

I hope to hear that everyone had a great season of holidays and the special $120 million gift from the agency could not have came at a better time.

I wish to extend my congratulations to the new local Presidents in the Western Region.

­ Bill Peel, Local 3955 FCI Tucson, AZ.

­ Jennifer Wells, Local 3969 FCI Victorville, CA.

In addition I wish to congratulate the following Presidents on their re-election.

­ Scott Zinn, Local 3619 MCC San Diego, CA.

­ Andre Davis, Local 1680 FCI Terminal Island, CA.

­ Tim DeBolt, Local 3979 FCI Sheridan, OR.

How the WEST is growing:

We will have the privilege of chartering two locals in the Western Region this year. Therefore I want to congratulate and welcome aboard to the Western Region the following new Local Presidents-

­ Phil Rodriguez, Steward USP Lompoc, Local 3048 to Local President, Local 1242, USP Atwater, CA.

­ Max Mann, Vice President, FDC Oklahoma, Local 179 El Reno, Oklahoma to Local President FDC Honolulu, HI.

With great pride I can vouch for the quality and integrity of these two dedicated union members and the knowledge that their experience will help these facilities to get off to a productive Labor Management relationship.

FUTURE EVENTS:

­ February 4-9, National LMR will be held in Washington D.C. Additional topics will include Ground Rules for National Negotiation of the Master Agreement.

­ March 26-30, Western Regional Caucus, Modesto, CA. Reservations at the Doubletree Hotel later then March 5, will be at full price. Phone: 209-526-6000, Fax: 209-526-6096. Please decide who is going to represent your local and notify the appropriate management official. If extra hours are needed contact me so that I can make the necessary request for the additional hours, the sooner the better. Don’t forget to bring your Master Agreement!

­ April 1-6, AFGE Legislative Week Washington, D.C. This is an extremely important time for us to make our presence known on Capital Hill. With the changes in elected officials it is to our advantage to NOT BE SILENT! Check AFGE Web sites for additional information.

­ September 2-7, CPL Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada. Don’t delay making reservations for our Council Convention. This is your opportunity to play a vital role in how your Union works for you.

 

ADDITIONAL EVENTS

AFGE 11th and 12th District Training.

Training for the 11th District will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, in May.

Training for the 12th District will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in March.

Contact AFGE District offices for dates and additional information.

 

 

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT

I am proud to announce that Gary Hungerford, President Local 3955, is the Quarterly recipient of the Regional Leadership Award. For his years of dedicated service to this Council and his Local that we give him this award. Gary retired January 2001.

 

Western Regional Vice President

 

I want to again express my appreciation to the locals for responding with their LMR reports. These reports have helped me to clearly define what is occurring in the West between the locals and the agency.

 

However, I am going to implement a new procedure for our reports for this next physical year. To prevent the agency from trying to skew the meaning of a rating of a local in an arbitration hearing I am going to discontinue requesting you to give me a designated rating of good, fair or poor for LMR at your local. We need to address your concerns but I will give an overall rating for the Western Region. It is more appropriate to address the primary source of the Western Region. It is more appropriate to address the primary source of the problem verses an offshoot symptom. Our Wardens act according to the leeway granted them by the Regional Director. Therefore ratings for the next physical year will reflect the entire Region.

I would like to recognize the National Work Groups:

Tim DeBolt, Pres. L-3979 Sheridan-EDM National Workgroup

Barry Ferdiue, Chief Stewart L-3048 USP Lompoc-Unicor/gains sharing

These dedicated union members need to be recognized for their dedication in representation our union members need to be recognized for their dedication in representing our union at these workgroups.

VOTE: Do not ignore your constitutional right to vote. November 7, 2000 get out and use this privilege given to us by our great ancestors generations ago. Focus on the issues that impact your union, your family, and your lively-hood.

ORGANIZING: During the week of September 18th I participated in AFGE metro/organizing drive. We signed up 26 new members.

FCI Phoenix L-3954 (11 new members)

FCI Tucson L-3955 (11 new members)

FCI Safford L-2313 (4 new members)

My appreciation and thanks go out to the Local Presidents Jim Leo, Gary Hungerford, and Jeff Smith for their support in making this happen and special recognition to Kelley Romero, local steward FCI Tucson for her assistance. It is always exciting to see our local stewards become involved.

As I stated to our Council President, Phil Glover, now is the time for these organizing drives with AFGE in successfully eliminating the .5 percent tax on Federal Employee Benefits and the completion of the Pre-Post Settlement.

REMINDER: It would e great for our local to take pictures of members holding their pre-post checks and to post these pictures on their local bulletin boards.

Last but not least, a special thanks to AFGE 12th District National Vice President, Eugene Hudson.

Remaining Events for Year 2000:

October 22-27, Fourth Quarter LMR at USP Marion, ILL.

November 13-17, Joint Labor Management Training, San Diego.

***Every 30 days the Council negotiates policy with the BOP. The next negotiation will be at FCI Jessup Georgia, 30 days later Washington D.C. and the last policy meeting of the year will be at FCI Dublin CA.

When you see new changes in policy, do not assume that the union has signed off on it. Please notify us A.S.A.P.

PICKET- - - - PICKET- - - - PICKET- - - - PICKET- - - - PICKET

Don’t forget to support our Union Brothers and Sisters at FCC Florence Colorado, October 18, 2000. Send E-mail, money, bodies if possible.

Manny’s quote: “Start putting on your war faces and start cutting wood for picket signs, I’ll be there”.

CONCLUSION: This quarter I will be giving the Western Regional Ed Hernandez award to the following:

Ben Franklin. Vice President L-4048 FCI Lompoc and Solidad Kennedy, Vice President, L-3048 USP Lompoc for their outstanding work in VRA which won many employees back-pay from the Veterans Administration.

Today’s times are stressful and don’t ignore help. We now have private assistance through the EAP and they are ready to help. All you have to do is call. Remember, it’s free and confidential. Help available all day, all week, all year. 1-800-222-0364, 1-888-262-7848 (TTY) or www.foh.dhhs.gov

This Region is one of two that have negotiated such programs with the Agency by the Union.

In Service to My Union,

 

Manny Borquez, CPL-33 Western Regional Vice President

Updated-10/16/00

FROM THE WESTERN REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

As the Western Regional Vice President I want to express my personal thanks for all of the support, commitment and sincere dedication that you give to the Western Region.

We are definitely in an era of communication and I want to encourage you to continue with your commitment to keep the lines open with management and other Locals throughout our regions.

REMINDER: National Contract negotiations begin next year and it is imperative that any issues of concern or suggestions for improving our contract must be delivered to me no later than 12-31-00 if you want your input to be considered.

NATIONAL PROGRAM STATEMENTS: When you see new changes in policy don’t assume that the union has signed off on it. Please notify us A.S.A.P.

VOTE: Do not ignore the Constitutional right that you have in this country. November 07, 2000 go out and make your vote count.

NATIONAL LMR: If you have concerns that you would like to have voiced at the National Labor Management meeting please fax or E-mail me.

JOINT TRAINING: We will be having Joint Labor Management Training this November 13th – 17th for Western Region. More information will be provided.

ORGANIZING: The soon to be pay out on the Tucker grievance will be a great tool to use as an example of your Union working for the bargaining unit. All Local Officials please review your local by-laws pertaining to organizing. 97,3million reasons to join the union.

REMAINING EVENTS YEAR 2000

Lulac Conference Washington D.C. June 25th – 30th

National LMR, FCI Memphis TN. July 17th – 20th

Council Prison Local Convention Orlando Florida, August 16th – 19th

AFGE Convention Orlando Florida, August 20th – 25th

Year end LMR Washington D.C. October 22nd – 27th

ANNUAL LEAVE

I will be on annual leave on the following dates November 19th – 25th and December 24th – 30th Watch for Designee.

CONCLUSION

This year I will be giving the Western Regional Edward Hernadez Award to Donald R. Tucker. Don was our CPL President from 1993 to 1995. It was his initiative and demonstration of concern for all bargaining unit members that will bring to us the greatest pay out in the history of the Bureau of Prisons to settle a grievance in the amount of $97,000,000. Don did many other things that demonstrated the importance to maintain strong labor. I hope that we can learn the significance and importance of filing a grievance when we remember what 1 grievance netted for the bargaining unit. I hope the non-members who will reap more than 97 million of this settlement will realize that it was the Union that made this happen.

The Western Region is the second region to adopt the new EAP program that provides outside resources to Bureau Employees. This is a part of the work that I have been doing to help us receive benefits and assistance we are entitled to. I also want to continue to express the cooperation that I have received from the Western Regional Management, which has helped this become a possibility. We have even made a way to provide more then 175 staff houses available to employees that may go to Hawaii.

Western r Regional Director Haro is helping me in demonstrating to our Locals and the Bureau of Prisons what positive, and innovative Labor Management can do. We are utilizing the benefits of men and women of every aspect of Bureau of Prisons to help us in finding a better way to benefit the working conditions of the employee and the professionalism of the Bureau. Sometimes it may seem impossible but I want to assure you that it is possible even when all that seems to remain is blood, sweat and tears.

In service to My Union

 

Manny Borquez, CPL-33 Western Region Vice President