Breaking News - December 01, 2009:
   
Click on this link to read our Chief Negotiator's opening statement on the first day of Contract Negotiations.
 "Witold Skwierczynski's Opening Statement" 


Breaking News - November 04, 2009:

Click here to learn more about "Astrue on Swine Flu".  

Breaking News - October 19, 2009:

Click here to learn more on how to improve your PACS ratings : "Gimme Five PACS Appraisal Time"

Breaking News: September 30,2009:

Work on the new AFGE/SSA contract is continuing.  For the latest details,  click on this link: "Contract Update "


Breaking News: September 4, 2009:

OPM Employee Satisfaction Planning Initiative

The Social Security Administration has consistently ignored an initiative from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).  That memorandum urged all federal agencies to meet with labor organizations like AFGE as a way to improve employee satisfaction. 

For more details on this situation, click on the three attached letters.

AFGE's Request to OPM 09-01-2009

Employee Satisfaction Guidance for Agencies 08-19-2009 

OPM Satisfaction Memo 06-18-2009

Breaking News -  July 24, 2009:

   Click on this link to see the details about the  ground rules bargaining completed

Breaking News - July 16, 2009:

Witold Skwierczynski, the Union's Chief Negotiator for the 2009 Contract, has written a letter to Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue about the recent "Management Tango" in Phoenix.  To read the entire letter, click on this link: "Management Tango"


Breaking News - July 15, 2009:

The ground rules for the 2009 contract have been agreed upon. Click here to read the  "Ground Rules MOU ".


Breaking News - July 2, 2009:

Witold Skwierczynski, the Union's Chief Negotiator for the 2009 Contract, sent a letter asking for the support of all union brothers and sisters in every AFL-CIO State Federation and CLC.

He invited everyone to send a letter to President Obama, asking for Michael Astrue to be sent on his way so that our agency can once again be the pride of the American Government.

Click on this link to read the enter letter: " Letter to every AFL-CIO State Federation and CLC"
 

Breaking News - July 2, 2009:

AFGE SSA General Committee

Organizing Plan  2009-2010

The SSA/AFGE National Agreement (“the contract”) expires on August 15, 2009. 

Organizing and communications are key to educating employees about the issues related to contract negotiations.  Given the scope of the SSA bargaining unit, this is a nationwide campaign that must involve every component (including teleservice centers, Payment Centers, field offices, and Hearing offices). 

AFGE has never taken on such an endeavor.  Never has so much been at-risk for bargaining unit employees.  The negotiations which begin later this year could very well set the tone for all contract talks in the Federal sector for years to come.

Please read the information below and get involved.  If you have questions, contact your local Union Representative.  Our goal is to make Social Security a better place to work!

Click here to review : "Organizing Plan 2009-2010"

Breaking News - June 18, 2009:

WHY ASTRUE MUST GO

SOCIAL SECURITY UNDER ASSAULT;

AGENCY MOVING IN WRONG DIRECTION

 The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), with the support of the AFL-CIO, is calling on President Obama to fire Michael J. Astrue, the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Click on this link for the full story: "Why Astrue Must Go"

Breaking News - June 16, 2009:

Two high-ranking members of Council 220 recently discussed problems within the Social Security Administration, especially the anti-employee, anti-Union stance taken by SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue.

Click on the link to preview the radio interview:   “AFGE- Inside Government”

If you want to read the complete response by Chief Negotiator Witold Skwierczynski to the recent message by Reginald Wells, click the link :  "Wells Message to Employees is Misleading"

Breaking News - June 12, 2009:

AFGE Responds to SSA Broadcast

Witold Skwierczynski, the Union’s Chief Negotiator for the AFGE/SSA National Agreement, has issued a statement in response to a flyer distributed last week by Reggie Wells (Social Security’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Resources).

          Mr. Skwierczynski states:  The Union and its leadership remain hopeful that both sides will reach an agreement quickly and negotiate one that is fair to all employees.  I was glad to read that ‘SSA is committed to a collaborative and productive labor-management relationship’ and AFGE will make every effort to achieve that goal.

          “By law, the National Agreement must remain in place until a new contract can be negotiated.  Mr. Wells’ memo basically reiterates the agency’s commitment to follow the law.  There were no assurances in his statement of June 5 that benefits long enjoyed by employees will remain in place in the new contract.

          “Do not assume that Social Security wants to improve the working conditions of its employees.  In the past, when the agency has wanted to re-open negotiations, it has been for only one purpose: to reduce or eliminate and not improve employee benefits.

          “The Union knows that contract bargaining is never easy, but we remain committed to SSA’s many talented and dedicated workers who have chosen a life of public service.”

Representatives from AFGE and the Social Security Administration have agreed to meet again later this month.  Both sides spent several days this week in ground rule negotiations, which are needed to establish rules and a process for the upcoming contract bargaining.  The current National Agreement expires in August, 2009.

The next round of labor-management talks is scheduled for June 16-18 and Witold Skwierczynski, the Union's Chief Negotiator, says several issues still have to be clarified. 

AFGE negotiators began talking with officials from the Social Security Administration on Tuesday, June 2 to discuss ground rules for upcoming contract negotiations.  The current agreement expires in August, 2009 and the agency has already stated that it wants to terminate all agreements at every level implemented since 1982.

 SSA has also announced that it intends to re-open all articles of the current contract with the intention of terminating them.

             For the bargaining unit, this could mean the end of :

·  Credit Hours

·  Flextime, which would mean a fixed shift of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

·  Flexiplace (or, work at home)

·  Compressed Work Schedules (CWS)

·  The Vision Care Benefits

·  Transit Subsidies

·  Child Care

·  Ergonomic Furniture (with employees again having to work at surplus military equipment from World War II)

What Does Social Security Really Need? A New Commissioner.

Since its founding during the New Deal, the Social Security Administration has enjoyed a stellar reputation from all sides of the political spectrum for the excellent services and benefits it provides to America's retirees, disabled workers and their families.

But that reputation is now in tatters due to the mismanagement of the agency by its commissioner, Michael J. Astrue, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2007. His six-year term expires in 2013.

Under Astrue's flawed leadership, the Social Security Administration has turned its back on its historic legacy by adopting policies that hurt the very people it is supposed to protect, including a directive for SSA employees to aggressively steer applicants - despite their age or disability - to use computers and the Internet to file their claims, and a gag rule that prevents SSA workers from guiding citizens as they apply for benefits. This radical change in agency policy prevents SSA staff from assisting the public they are sworn to serve.