NWSEO Files Unfair Labor Practice Against the Department of Commerce
For July 1 Freeze on Payment of Employee Awards
(July 21, 2011) NWSEO has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the Department of Commerce for ordering a July 1 freeze on payment of employee awards without consulting with the Department’s unions. The union submitted a formal request for information about the nature, scope and extent of the award payment freeze. NWSEO is continuing to investigate this issue, but has been given inconsistent and changing explanations from management representatives at various levels. NOAA historically allocates the amount equivalent to 1.5 percent of the payroll for employee awards. The union will take any and all legal action to fight the Obama Administration’s efforts to reduce the amount of employee awards to 1 percent of the payroll. Such a reduction would constitute approximately a $2 million pay cut for employees represented by NWSEO.
National Finance Center Fixes Union Dues Glitch
You may have noticed that your union dues were not deducted from your recent paystub. This is due to an error at the National Finance Center. The Payroll Processing System application where dues are deducted erroneously set the dues for Pay Period 12 at zero. NFC processed a supplemental payment to the union on July 19. The pay adjustment will appear in the year-to-date field of the Pay Period 14 earnings and leave statement as a “salary overpay.”
-NWSEO-