BAND TOGETHER
COMMUNIQUÉ

October 6, 2008

Union Notices 

The Union has been working closely with GAO’s Performance Appraisal Study Team, which was formed to conduct a systematic review of the GAO performance assessment system, including focus groups with employees from all pay bands and interviews with executives and managers, as well as a GAO-wide survey, due out in early 2009. Last week, the Union sent a memo with recommendations to improve the system for the current rating cycle:

• Replace the SRS system. This system ranks employees against their peers, which inherently characterizes half of GAO’s employees as below average, and distorts minor differences in employee performance.
  
• Include an independent observer in all employee review panels, such as a director from another team, who could ensure that discussions met GAO standards and minimize bias during the discussion.
  
• Change the rating weights assigned for "meets," "exceeds," and "role model" so that receiving a "meets expectations" rating does not undervalue an employee who receives that rating.
  
• Implement the competency-based system consistently—based solely on the written competencies, not informal subjective factors.
  
• Rate employees as "no basis to judge" when they do not have proper opportunities to exhibit a competency.
  
• Do not rate employees primarily on the complexity of their job, or the number of products they completed that year.
  
• Ensure that any extended leave, such as family or maternity leave does not affect an employee’s rating.
  
• Require actionable feedback—concrete steps—for improving performance in any competency in which an employee receives a rating of less than role model.

In response, management stated that they are exploring an interim alternative to the SRS, with plans to further review the system next year, and agreed to look into using an independent observer on review panels. Management noted that it would be too late to change the rating weights for the current rating cycle, but would be possible as part of a longer term effort. They have heard similar issues with the use of "proxy standards," instead of the written standards, and have briefed DPMs and reviewers on guidelines for consistently applying written standards. They also have efforts underway to address feedback issues, but will have to work with General Counsel to determine whether actionable feedback can be required. 


Interim Collective Bargaining Agreement and Union Constitution Up for Ratification Vote

As mentioned in the Special Communique of Band Together last Thursday, Oct. 2, the Union Interim Council has voted to recommend both the interim collective bargaining agreement and the union constitution to the bargaining unit for ratification. The text of both documents was attached to that edition of the Communique.

The ratification vote on the Interim Agreement and the Constitution will occur between Wednesday, Oct. 15 and Tuesday, October 21. As in the past, voting will be done electronically, with support from IFPTE. All members of the bargaining unit, whether or not you have joined the union, are eligible to participate in the ratification vote.

If the Constitution is approved, the Elections Committee (in consultation with the Interim Council and the Constitution Committee) will conduct the bargaining unit's election for officers in November and the election for the Assembly in December, subject to the approval of the Interim Council. Only members of the bargaining unit who have joined the union are eligible to vote in the officer and Assembly elections.

If you have any questions about the upcoming votes, please contact the chair of the Elections Committee, Todd D. Anderson, at andersontd@gao.gov or 202-512-3666.


Benefits of Joining the Union at GAO; Past and Future Union Issues

Membership in the GAO Union is key to maintaining a democratic process to negotiate with management on policies and practices to improve our work environment. View our Union as an insurance policy; things might be going well for us now, but having a strong Union—and a voice in that Union—provides insurance in case things change in the future. Also consider Union membership as an investment in GAO’s future—to ensure it maintains its reputation as one of the top places to work in the federal government.

Membership in the Union is needed to ensure that existing concerns and issues at GAO can be addressed by the Union during master contract negotiations with management, such as:

• Continuing to involve employees with experience in the application of workplace procedures and GAO orders – thereby benefiting both employees and the agency.
  
• Locking in favorable working conditions that ensure workload and family life balance.
  
• Implementing a 360 degree feedback system where employees can give feedback on their managers, in a confidential and meaningful way.
  
• Increasing the accountability and transparency of the GAO performance rating system and promotion process.
  
• Ensuring gender, race, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation never hold back an employee’s career.

For more information on membership with the GAO Union, please take time to look at the membership website (http://www.gaoanalysts.org/HTML_Pages/Membership.htm). If you have any questions, please contact your Interim Council Representative or Chris Langford (langfordc@gao.gov), Membership Committee Chair.

In the past year, the Union has provided GAO employees several advantages:

• In early 2008, our pay negotiations resulted in high performers receiving more money while also ensuring everyone who met expectations saw an increase in line with the rest of the federal government.
  
• In March and May 2008, we testified on GAO staff concerns with the agencies pay and ratings systems, and on GAO’s budget, staffing, and workload issues and to advocate for an increased budget to allow an increase in hiring.
  
• Over the past year we collaborated with GAO management and assisted Congress in revising H.R. 5683, the Government Accountability Office Act of 2008, which was signed into law in September 2008, and provided employees certain benefits.
  
• Improved the GAO Employee Feedback Survey process in successfully working with management to protect confidentiality and improve the validity of the responses by removing questions that identified particular field offices and years of service and moving analysis from GAO to an external contractor.
  
• Worked with management in a professional manner to resolve individual employee issues without employees having to file costly and time-consuming grievances

Upcoming Brown-Bag Information Sessions

We will be holding several brown-bag information sessions to answer any questions and provide more details on the interim collective bargaining agreement, the GAO Union Constitution, and the importance of being involved in your union as a member.

Field staff can participate by calling the following number: 1-866-285-7778 (passcode 9164844). 


How Do I Join the Union?

To join the Union, please fill out a membership form and give the form to your Interim Council representative. You can also email the membership form to gaounionmembership@ifpte.org. If you chose to have dues deducted automatically, you need to fill out an additional form (GAO Form 676), which you can email to Workforcerelations@gao.gov. Field office staff can email or pouch the dues deduction form to Workforce Relations. Membership forms and more information on payment options are available on the GAO Union website at http://www.gaoanalysts.org.


Please Give Us Your Feedback and Contributions

The Communications Committee would like your feedback regarding articles you'd like to see, questions you'd like answered, or any other suggestions!  Please send your feedback to Charlie Willson (willsonc@gao.gov).  If you would like the next Communiqué to include a Union-related announcement or the time and place of a Union-related meeting, please forward the information to Lise Levie (leviel@gao.gov) by 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 9, to be considered for next week's Communiqué. 


Union Contacts

If you have questions or comments, or need assistance from the Union, please email your Interim Council Representative.  You can also send questions and comments to ICquestions@gaoanalysts.org.

Members of the bargaining unit are welcome to observe Interim Council meetings, either in person or by phone. In addition, members are invited to submit or share thoughts at the beginning of the meeting. Please contact your representative or another member of the IC for more details, including the call-in number for those who cannot attend in person. The Interim Council meets each Wednesday at 3:30 PM ET in room 2T59.


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, IFPTE has developed an advocacy tool to allow Analysts to provide feedback to the Union. GAO Analysts are encouraged to sign up for the Action Center if they haven’t already done so.

DISCLAIMER - Communications that are not sent directly from the IFPTE or the GAO Union Interim Council, 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.