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A NTEU Plus…Chapter 247 has one of the most entertaining
and informative newsletters in the nation. And now it’s
available online. It’s all just part of the all-new,
paperless IRS!
DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTERS HERE
Click below for the NTEU Chapter 247 Newsletters in
Adobe PDF Format. After all, it's history!
Newsletter Issue 10 - "War is Over! …If You Want It"
Newsletter
Issue 9 - "Sharks on a Plan"
Newsletter Issue 8 - "Who Leaves a Sinking Ship?"
Newsletter Issue 7 - "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"
Newsletter Issue 6 - "ACS Nightshift Returns"
ON THE RADAR
Chapter 247 has a definite point of view. Read here for
highlights of controversies past and present.
"THINGS HAVE CHANGED"
by EDDIE WALKER, Chapter 247 President
Has the IRS Been Politicized?
A Return to the Bad Old
Days?
“We are very sensitive to political perceptions,”
IRS Commissioner Mark Everson candidly told The New York Times,
after an audacious E-mail demonstrating as much made the rounds
of Compliance managers and their employees.
The E-mail was sent by Beth Tucker, Director of Communications,
Liaison and Disclosure, SB/SE, to Jim Grimes, Director of
W&I Compliance:
“Jim, we just spoke with Commissioner on the enforcement
issue in the gulf…he prefers that we do not resume any
enforcement action until after December 31st due to upcoming
elections, holiday season, etc.”
Apparently, IRS Honchos were not concerned that the Agency
would be accused of being politicized in this very political
season, because this E-mail traveled—uncensored—from
Beth Tucker to Jim Grimes, to Compliance Directors, to Operations
Managers and analysts, to Department Chiefs, all the way down
to firstline managers and their employees. No government cover
up here.
In fact, when the E-mail was published October 27 on the front
page of The New York Times website, under the headline, “IRS
Going Slow Before Election,” the Commish owned up to
the ethical lapse…or the political gaffe…or the
“every day” occurrence, as Mr. Everson categorized
it. The Commissioner admitted that he had “probably”
mentioned the elections to Ms. Tucker during a conference
call with senior IRS staff members.
Okay, using the word “probably” appears to be
hedging a bit, but the Commish was remarkably straight-forward
concerning the suggestion that he might be politicizing the
Agency. Commissioner Everson took the position that postponing
collections efforts was—in the words of The Times—“a
routine effort to avoid casting the Internal Revenue Service
in a bad light.”
“‘We talk about the elections here every day,’
Mr. Everson said. ‘We deal with the Congress—is
there going to be a new Finance Committee chairman, a new
Ways and Means Committee chairman…Of course, we think
about whether our actions will play in the public space…’”
According to The Times, a bipartisan group of four ex-Commissioners
had a different view of the Agency’s actions. “Never,
never, never…Oh my God, that is unthinkable,”
former IRS Commissioner Jerome Kurtz told the paper when asked
if he would have delayed collections efforts on account of
election concerns. Ex-Commish Donald Alexander responded that
“he would never have even thought about delaying enforcement
because of an election,” and former Commissioner Sheldon
Cohen “said it was wrong to delay any broad-based enforcement
actions because of a pending election.”
IRS employees who recall Charles Rossotti, Mr. Everson’s
immediate predecessor, might not be surprised to learn that
his response to the news was, “That’s not appropriate…given
the culture of the Treasury and the I.R.S., I just can’t
imagine anyone would even bring anything like that up.”
Cynics might be reminded of the police chief in Casablanca
who shuts down Humphrey Bogart’s café with the
announcement, “I’m shocked, shocked to find that
gambling is going on here!” right before he is presented
with his nightly winnings from roulette. But things have changed.
The bar is being lowered here, if Watergate-age assumptions
toward the interconnectedness of politics and tax collection
are accepted so lackadaisically in the current era by the
folks at the top.
The Commissioner’s concession that politics are a factor
in the decisions made by the Agency likely diluted this news
story, because Mr. Everson candidly asserted that this confession
was not news. His stance is refreshing for a government official,
but wrong.
The Times described the Commissioner as having “close
ties to the White House,” and Mr. Everson’s assaults
on the union—and his mad rush to outsource collection
functions—underscores that here is a man with an agenda.
Who bases their vote on the policies of the Commissioner of
the IRS? Sadly, Mr. Everson’s admissions in The New
York Times—and his approach to managing the Agency—help
to erase the line between electoral politics and professionalism
in government.
Yes, things have changed.
“THE GOSPELS OF DAVE, DICK, AND CHARLES”
by EDDIE WALKER, Chapter 247 President
IRS Directors Oppose Gospel Music Performance During
Black History Month
Austin Campus Directors Dave Boose, Dick Auby, and Charles
Washington, with the assistance of Site Coordinator Brenda
Ray, have inaugurated a groundbreaking policy when it comes
to free religious expression by employees—they’re
agin it.
The IRS Gospel Choir, made up of Austin IRS managers and bargaining
unit employees, has performed at the Service Center for 25
years. This year, the Directors put the kibosh on the choir’s
celebration of Black History Month by banning them from the
two Campus cafeterias.
Brenda Ray claimed to NTEU that it was her vigilance that
resulted in management shutting down the celestial sounds.
According to the Site Coordinator, “one or two”
employees complained that they found the religious sub context
of the Gospel Choir’s program to be offensive. Those
employees said that they had no alternative to eating in the
cafeteria during the one day that the Gospel Choir would be
performing.
Brenda’s research of the issue led her to review the
federal Guidelines on Religious Exercise. In her reading,
policy prohibited any government endorsement of a public display
of religion. If the Gospel Choir wished to sing, they would
have to go underground like the Christians of old. They would
be permitted to perform in cramped training rooms in the Submission
Processing and Customer Service buildings, with bad acoustics
and less accessibility to employees. According to Brenda,
she had sought and received the “blessing” of
the Directors for the new policy.
Chapter 247’s view is that gospel is distinctly American
music, and that the performance of the Gospel Choir as an
event is more cultural than religious. Gospel is the historical
basis for much of our secular music. Any inspiration that
folks receive from the sounds of their fellow employees singing
up a glorious storm is entirely their own business. Which
is what freedom is all about.
The performance of the Gospel Choir would have been the centerpiece
of the Austin Service Center’s Black History Month celebration.
Gospel itself celebrates the triumph of joy over adversity,
a central theme of Black History Month.
Black History Month has been under attack here for a few years,
ever since Accounts Management Director Charles Washington
began consistently denying Administrative Time to employees
to participate in BHM events.
In fact, Charles has one-upped the other directors on the
issue of religious expression. For the past two seasons, he
has included Good Friday on his list of “leave denial
days.” Charles’ approach is to bar every single
employee from taking off during his or her leave denial days,
no exceptions.
In a meeting between Charles and his staff and Chapter 247
leaders this year, Charles gave ground on leave, granting
Spring Break to employees. He opined long and hard in his
distinctive style, however, that Good Friday did not merit
special consideration for leave. In defense of Charles’
position, an AM Operation Manager told NTEU that it was unfortunate
that Good Friday had to fall at such an “inconvenient”
time during the Peak Season. NTEU charitably held its tongue,
although each chapter leader was secretly marveling at this
statement and musing bitterly, “Yes, too bad that Christ
had to be crucified at a time inconvenient to your business
needs!”
Charles ended by promising NTEU that his management would
consider Good Friday leave on a case by case basis. This resulted
in some managers questioning employees about the address of
the church where they would attend services, how many hours
the services would last, etc.
Is there a hostility to religion that management has been
harboring that is sometimes seen but not heard? Or is it that
any thing that belongs exclusively to the individual—that
resides in the individual’s heart and mind alone—is
subconsciously considered to be an intrusion on the right
of management to control the employee’s work life?
Most employees would maintain that it is our deep-seated birthright
as Americans that management not stick its noses into our
inner lives.
NTEU says, “Amen” to that.
STATE OF THE UNION III: "Reversal of Fortune”
by EDDIE WALKER, Chapter 247 President
NTEU Chapter 247 Thrives In Spite of Management Attacks
The state of our union is sound. NTEU Chapter 247 is larger,
stronger, and more effective than at any time in our history.
Our stewards are better trained and more determined than ever
before. Our members are more involved and more confident of
the ability of their union to have a positive impact in the
workplace.
At a time when federal employees and federal employee unions
are under attack, Chapter 247 is thriving. Our once sleepy
little chapter has fought the powers that be, and we have
experienced a stunning reversal of fortune.
“First they ignore you.”
Three years ago, when the current chapter team was elected
to office, management was disinterested in working with 247,
as opposed to working us. They expected that we would be co-opted
and roll over, or that we would get mad and go away, or that
we were never really serious to begin with. They did not believe
that we could keep our campaign promises—they probably
didn’t even believe that we were interested in keeping
them. They had no idea how far we were willing to go to succeed
against odds that we knew going in were possibly insurmountable.
Those first days were a challenge. Our job was to carry the
boulder up the hill, knowing that there was an excellent chance
that we would be back at the bottom by the end of the day.
Management believed that we could not figure out how the game
was played. They believed that they alone knew the rules,
and that the union had no choice but to follow their rules.
They believed that we would remain irrelevant.
“Then they laugh at you.”
The new Chapter 247 leadership rejected the notion that we
were left to rely on the small kindnesses of management, and
that it was somehow rude or “bad form” to fight
for the rights of employees. Our first instinct was to settle
disputes the easy way; if that didn’t achieve results,
we didn’t hesitate to move on to Plan B.
We resisted management’s attempts to maneuver us into
negotiating our local Alternative Work Schedules agreements
out of existence. Instead, we stuck by our guns, through the
arbitration process; through management’s unsuccessful
appeal to the Federal Labor Relations Authority; through the
Accounts Management Director’s failed efforts to resist
implementation; and through management’s harassment
and union busting tactics.
“Then they fight you.”
The chapter’s most important actions were those we took
to build support among employees and boost membership. We
increased the flow of information to employees. If management
insisted on behaving badly, we exposed their actions to our
members, through our newsletter and through flyers, posters,
and even video. We reintroduced informational picketing to
the Austin Campus. As Justice Brandeis expressed it, “Publicity
is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial
diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants;
electric light the most efficient policeman.”
“Then you win.”
With the return of Toll Free employees to their original,
early morning Tours Of Duty, and the comeback of the ACS nightshift,
Chapter 247 achieved what it set out to do: to prove that
a determined, steady group of individuals with a common interest
can join together to fight City Hall and win. When that happened,
we truly turned our world around.
We, as a chapter, have moved beyond cynicism and established
a model for future action. When NTEU refused to go away, management
eventually discovered a way to work with us. We have more
cooperation with more campus operations than we have had since
the unfortunate, unilateral announcement in 2001 of the “death”
of partnership between the IRS and NTEU. And as for those
in management who continue to ignore the needs of employees—and
the input of the employees’ representative, NTEU—it’s
time for them to get out of the way.
When we had little else, 247 took solace from Gandhi's quotes
above. They lay out the traditional stages of opposition from
those in power when they face those who seek to defend human
rights and diminish injustice. Here, on this spot, Chapter
247 will continue to stand up for employee interests, big
and small.
RALLY AT FEDERAL BUILDING, Austin, Texas: "LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND"
by EDDIE WALKER, Chapter 247 President
Union Protects America Against
Outsourcing of Jobs
NTEU Chapters 52, 72, and 247 united for a Legislative Rally
at the Federal Building in Austin attacking the outsourcing
of federal jobs. The crowd joined with Chapter 247's president
as he spoke, shouting NTEU's slogan: Stand up, speak out,
fight back!
NTEU members…At this incredible, frightening, fascinating
time in our nation’s history, this is the time for us
to ask: What is our country all about?
When our fighting forces are out there—out there—in
a far off land, taking a stand for freedom—our freedom,
or another people’s freedom—it is our unshaken
determination, our code, our faith, that we leave no one behind.
In our workplaces, the duty falls upon us—NTEU—to
protect freedom and dignity, and to leave no one behind.
How have we come to this? The attacks on our union, on our
members, on federal employees, on human dignity itself?
NTEU represents the former Customs employees who help make
up the Homeland Security Administration. Our opponents have
said that our members are not sufficiently patriotic…us!…to
trust us to protect the security of America…America!
Our country! Our homeland! Our America!…and to retain
our rights to influence our working conditions…and our
freedom…and our dignity.
Shame on them!
We are the ones who have stood up for Americanism in the workplace,
while our presidents—and their political appointees—have
taken a vacation.
As representatives of federal employees, we have power—but
management doesn’t want us to use it. They tell us that
we are children, who possess this awesome, stumbling power
to rise up…and touch the top of the stove! They promise
us that we will be burnt.
I can’t resist using a cliché here—“Curiosity
killed the cat…but satisfaction brought him back.”
We know, that to reach upwards is to touch, to grab, to hold
on to those things that will make us strong: Control over
our jobs, our futures—for ourselves and our families.
I promise management: We will continue to reach.
Yet, what have we been told?
Sit down, shut up, and give up!
What is our answer? Stand up, speak out, fight back!
When it comes to outsourcing our jobs to politically connected
companies, here and abroad, whose first loyalty is to profit
without responsibility to the taxpayer, without an obligation
to their employees, without regard for taxpayer privacy—or
to public service—without putting up their hands and
taking an oath, as WE do…What is our answer? Stand up,
speak out, fight back!
When it comes to under funding our agencies and under funding
our need for health care…What is our answer? Stand up,
speak out, fight back!
When it comes to denying us a fair pay raise, when it comes
to insecuring our retirement…What is our answer? Stand
up, speak out, fight back!
When it comes to stripping us of our union rights, to denying
us the rights to third party arbitration, to negotiate, and
even to air our grievances to an open-minded party…What
is our answer? Stand up, speak out, fight back!
Before I was a union president, I was a singer, and a songwriter.
A songwriter lives inside himself. He slowly, finally, learns
how to project himself outward. First, you find your soul.
Then you find your heart. And finally, you find your voice.
One who long ago found his voice—Bob Dylan—writes
in his new book, “Chronicles”: “I’d
come from a long ways off and had started a long ways down.
But now destiny was about to manifest itself. I felt like
it was looking right at me and nobody else.”
Well, destiny is looking right at us—the American labor
movement—and nobody else.
And how will we answer? Stand up, speak out, fight back!
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE LINKS
Here are a number of links that could prove valuable to you
as a federal employee. Go ahead. Explore. Knock yourself out.
Federal
Employee Health Benefits
Thrift Savings
Plan
National
Finance Center
USA Jobs
Retirement
Services
CSRS
and FERS
Info
Federal
Employment for People with Disabilities
Family
& Medical Leave Info
Federal
Holiday Listing
Free
Federal Handbooks
Federal Employee
Education and Assistance Fund
Federal News
Service
Fedweek
Retirement
& Financial Planning Info
Statement
of Union Member Rights and Officer Responsibilities
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