Greetings,

BAND TOGETHER
COMMUNIQUÉ 

November 9, 2007

Union Notices

• Interim Council Election Notice

• The Interim Council Needs You!

• Questions for Candidates

• Advisory Council on Persons with Disabilities

• Union Designated Representatives

• Committee Updates

• Call for Communiqué Contributions

• GET ACTIVE Action Center

• DISCLAIMER

   

Interim Council Election Notice

Consider a Run for the Interim Council!

The Elections Committee encourages individuals throughout the bargaining unit to consider stepping forward to run for a seat on the Interim Council. It's crucial that every unit put forward at least one candidate, to ensure that no seat is left unfilled. This is an important opportunity for individuals with talent and commitment to step forward and help GAO to become a true model agency.  Nomination forms can be found on at www.gaoanalysts.org under the "Election Committee" heading.

In response to numerous questions about the roles and responsibilities of Interim Council members, the Election Committee has developed a position description.  The description is attached and may also be found at www.gaoanalysts.org under the "Election Committee" heading.

Questions for Candidates

What questions would you like to ask the Interim Council candidates?  Let us know by sending your thoughts to Communications Committee members John Bumgarner (Norfolk, bumgarnerj@gao.gov) or Rod Rodgers (HQ, rodgersr@gao.gov) by Monday, November 19, 2007.

Advisory Council on Persons with Disabilities

On November 1, 2006, the Advisory Council on Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) held its initial Working Group meeting with recently named Chief Human Capital Officer Cynthia Heckmann; Maria Santos, Human Capital Office Management Analyst; and Ron Stroman, Managing Director Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness to discuss goals for the group. Recruiting and retention of persons with disabilities will be discussed in a meeting on November 15, 2007. The Working Group will also have discussions in the future, at dates to be determined, aimed at developing proposals for:

• Collecting more accurate data on employees with disabilities
• Improvements to ergonomics
• Improvements to the reasonable accommodations program
• Better meeting the needs of individuals with short-term disabilities and family members of persons with disabilities at GAO

Several of these proposals may impact current terms and conditions of employment and may require contract negotiations. ACPD members on the Working Group include Nancy Barry (Boston), Suzanne Rubins (Seattle), Amy Shefrin (HQ), Diana Zinkl (HQ), Tammy Stenzel (HQ), and Jenny Rellick (HQ).

Union Designated Representatives

The union is entitled to the opportunity to designate a representative to participate in GAO meetings involving a GAO management representative and a GAO bargaining unit member(s) in which a grievance, personnel practice or policy or other general condition of employment is discussed. GAO management has been working closely with IFPTE to make sure the union has the opportunity to provide representation at these meetings.  IFPTE has been designating employee volunteers to perform this role for each meeting.  Every effort is made to designate an employee who will already be participating in the meeting and to give as many GAO bargaining unit members as possible the opportunity to share the new representational responsibilities we have as a result of the union election.

We would like to recognize and thank the bargaining unit members who have stepped up to serve as designated representatives to date. They include: Leo Acosta (NRE-San Francisco), Mario Artesiano (FMA-Atlanta), Beverly Breen (ASM-Huntsville), Ramona Burton (EWIS-Boston), Rudy Chatlos (ARM-HQ), Betty Clark (SI-Boston), Charles Egan (NRE-HQ), Dan Egan (FMA-Denver), Tim Fairbanks (IAT-Los Angeles), Barbara Gannon (DCM-HQ), Chris Jones (HSJ-Seattle), DuEwa Kamara (ARM-HQ), Dan Kaneshiro (HSJ-HQ), Christine Kuduk (FMCI-HQ), Ron La Due Lake (ARM-HQ), Gay Hee Lee (HC-HQ), Lise Levie (EWIS-HQ), Lesia Mandzia (HC-HQ), Alexandra Martin-Arseneau (FMCI-San Franciso), Carolyn McGowan (CR-HQ), Dan Meyer (EWIS-Chicago), Rob Miller (ASM-Dayton), Carol Patey (SI-Boston), Kathy Peyman (EWIS-HQ), Angela Pleasants (PDP-Denver), Leslie Pollock (NRE-Denver), Jennifer Rellick (HC-HQ), Jeff Rose (ASM-Boston), Suzanne Rubins (HC-Seattle), Gina Ruidera (DCM-Norfolk), Lorene Sarne (ASM-HQ), Ronni Schwartz (EWIS-HQ), Sam Scrutchins (SI-San Francisco), Edward Staples (KS-HQ), Ken Stockbridge (EWIS-HQ), Henry Sutanto (IT-HQ), Thomas Taydus (FMCI-Boston), Opal Winebrenner (HC-HQ), Shamiah Woods (PDP-Atlanta), Paul Wright (EWIS-HQ), and Nancy Zearfoss (PI-HQ).

If you have served as a representative and your name is not listed, please forgive this oversight and let us know by sending your name to Angela Pleasants (Denver, pleasantsa@gao.gov), so we can recognize and thank you in the next Communiqué.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Data Committee

The following staff answered the call for volunteers to serve on the Data Committee: Orlando Copeland (HQ), Carrie Davidson (HQ), Sandra Davis (Denver), George Duncan (HQ), Daniel Meyer (Chicago), Rhiannon Patterson (HQ), Jennifer Rellick (HQ) and Jerome Sandau (HQ). The committee is chaired by Beverly Ross (HQ) and Barry Kirby (Chicago).

Elections Committee

The Election Committee is still looking for volunteers across all teams and field offices.  To volunteer, please contact Paul Wright (HQ, wrightp@gao.gov) or Terry Saiki (Seattle, saikit@gao.gov).

Call for Communiqué Contributions

The Communications Committee is soliciting contributions to the GAO union's official newsletter. If you are scheduling a union-related meeting or have a union-related announcement and would like to ensure that the information is circulated throughout the bargaining unit, please forward the information to Shaunessye Curry (Chicago, currys@gao.gov) or Regina Santucci (HQ, santuccir@gao.gov) by 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) on Thursday, November 15 for inclusion in the next edition.

Get Active Action Center - Give the IFPTE feedback

As we get more volunteers, we have better ideas. To assist Analysts in advancing their rights and representation within GAO, we have developed an advocacy tool to allow Analysts to send feedback on local union governance matters. GAO Analysts are encouraged to sign up for the Action Center if they haven't already done so.

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DISCLAIMER - Communications that are not sent directly from the IFPTE, or communications posted anonymously on the Web, do not represent the views of IFPTE or the official position of the collective members of the GAO bargaining unit.