T H E P U B L I C A T I O N O F I L L I N O I S , M I C H I G A N , A N D W I S C O N S I N F E D E R A L E M P L O Y E E S

..

new tools.

Do Not Distribute on Federal Property

Big Enough to Win:

T h e S o l i d S e v e n t h D i s t r i c t

Rally for Change Fight Back!

American Federation of Government Employees 'Proud to Make America Work'

We are Federal Employees of I l l inois, Michigan, Wisconsin

DOROTHY JAMES

National Vice President

CRYSTAL STOKES

National Representative

JOE DOLAN

National Representative

DON EVANS

District Organizer

afgedistrict7.org afge.org /photos/afgedistrict7

/afgedistrict7 /user/afgedistrict7 /afge0district07

Page 2 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

AAlllleenn KKaappllaann::PPAASSSSIINNGG OOFF AANN AAFFGGEE IICCOONN

, ,

MATT MUCHOWSKI

Office Manager / Editor

ALBERT THOMAS

Retiree Representative

NVP's Corner

Union Shield

Page 3 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

If a grievance is

denied, the local union may

seek arbitration.

Some frequent

topics that are grieved

include confl icts over

scheduling, inconsistent

reprimands, and safety

rules.

.

E-mail your stories

of how your steward helped

fi le a grievance, or how an

agreement was reached to

district7@afge.org.

We Need Staff They Just LaughWe Need Supplies They Roll Their Eyes

We Need Money They Think That's FunnyBut If We Fight They'll Do What's Right

WWhhyy FFIIllee aa GGrriieevvaannccee?? SSuubbmmiitt YYoouurr SSttoorriieessWWhhaatt''ss aa GGrriieevvaannccee??

Bargaining Tips:

Read more and support Big Enough to Win at:

afgedistrict7.org/?p=1 041

Page 4 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Member Focus

Big Enough to Win

Local 789 makes progresson their strategic plan

Back Issues Now Online

Members from District 7 rock this photo.

with their

Page 5 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

DDiissttrriicctt 77 CCoonnttiinnuueess ttoo GGrrooww

201 4 Woman of the Year: Germaine Clarno,

president of AFGE Local 781 which represents

VA workers in Hines, IL, became a whistle

blower in 201 4, highl ighting practices of VA

management that undermined veterans

health. She has worked tirelessly to call

attention to these issues.

201 4 Man of the Year: Ken Brucks has fought

for housing rights for years. As an employee

of the Department of Housing and Urban

Development he works to help provide

adequate housing for al l , and as President of

AFGE local 911 in Chicago, IL, he has worked

to keep HUD offices open in cities that need

them.

Locals that had the highest net increase:

Local 1 395 with 256 new members,

Local 648 with 1 33 new members,

Local 777 with 99 new members,

Local 2483 with 78 new members.

Locals that had the highest % increase:

Local 648 with 40%,

Local 781 with 34%,

Local 3838 with 31%,

Local 2722 with 29%.

networking with their fel low

union members and leaders.

s. District 7 had a large showing at the

conference, with a packed room for our

district meeting, and a

breakfast that

several members

of congress

attended.

See more Online

LLeeggiissllaattiivvee BBrreeaakkffaasstt aa HHuuggee SSuucccceessss

AAwwaarrddss && RReeccooggnniittiioonnss

Legislative Conference 2015

Local 911 Detroit VA members ral ly on Capitol Hil l .

Page 6 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Page 7 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Rally for Safety at TSA

TSO's Demand Safe AirportsSince the shocking

machette attack on

TSA workers in New

Orleans in March,

AFGE has taken a

leading role in cal l ing

for increased safety at

airports. TSO's work

hard to keep the public

safe, and they deserve

a safe workplace as

well . This is why Local

778 took the lead in

organizing a ral ly on

Apri l 1 , at Detroit

Metropolitan Wayne

County Airport to

address the issue.

1.2. - actionnetwork.org/letters/support-safe-airports3.

AAfftteerr MMaacchheettttee AAttttaacckk::RReenneewweedd CCaallll ffoorr SSaaffeettyy

See more Online3 Things You Can Do To Make Our Airports Safer

Union ActionLLooccaall LLeeaaddeerrss ggeett IInnvvoollvveedd iinn PPoolliittiiccss::

Page 8 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Left:

Organizer

Don Evans

watches as

a new

member fi l ls

out thier

membership

application.

LLuunncchh aanndd LLeeaarrnn

MMEEPPCCOOMM CCoonnttrraacctt AApppprroovveedd

Right: Local 2326

President Dale

Richardson (seated)

with a new member and

their bonus bucks!

Changes

WWoorrddss bbyy LLPP EEmmeerriittuuss WWaayynnee LLaauugghhttoonn MMaarrcchh,, 22001155

Mack graduated

with degrees in Political Science and

Sociology from the University of Wisconsin -

Madison and received her J.D. from South

Texas College of Law.

NNaattiioonnaall RReepprreesseennttaattiivvee KKaayyllaa MMaacckkMMoovveess ttoo DDiissttrriicctt 1111::

Page 9 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

AAnnootthheerr AAFFGGEE LLoossss

1. Fil l out these word balloons.2. Cut them out.

3. Use them on your local 's bul letin board withlocal members photos!

Bulletin Board

I Joined AFGE Because:

The Best thing about AFGE is

One time the union helped me was:

Management knows that AFGEMembers are

We want

...and with AFGE we are going to get it!

SSppeeaakk UUpp,, SSppeeaakk OOuutt!!

Page 1 0 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

The 1 978 Civi l Service Reform Act provides

federal employees the right to union

representation during investigations

conducted by management that may

reasonably result in discipl ine. I t is cal led

"Weingarten rights", after a 1 975 Supreme

Court Decision. Many AFGE contracts also

include a "Weingarten rights clause."

WWhhaatt aarree WWeeiinnggaarrtteenn RRiigghhttss??

Weingarten CardsHHooww ttoo UUssee TThheemm

1. Cut this page out.2. Write contact information for yourlocal, LP or Steward on the back.

3. Photocopy double sided in color.4. Cut the cards out along the l ines.5. Hand out to local members.