Refusal of Official Time

[Area51]

Originally Posted by bop_steward

Interesting, he stopped your official time there, and now he is stopping official time here.....I wonder if it is just the Stewards getting blocked, or are the VP's, EVP, and Pres losing their official time also?

He didn't stop it, he used it as a payment for an inside track to learn about pending grievances or discussed grievances...

Most of the E-Board hardly ever worked any posts. (This I know)

Or so the rumor mill has it...

Since he has left out, official time has been cut back drastically.


Our union is weak, they argue and fight over things such as computers, whether we should wear ties at the hospital or not, silly silly $hit.

While rosters are vacated, when we finally do get to work over time it is two and three months before we can get paid for it. MRSA, lack of safety items or the lack of repair for equipment. Security and the lack there of.

It seems like the Juneteenth celebration and the Staff choir are much more important than issues that really have a meaning to most staff.

The union hall sits in the lobby area of the camp, all the union board members put in for the camp on evening watch and spend entire shifts in there. You can't pry them out to save your A$$.

Hopefully there is a change coming, or it looks like there could be one in the works for us. The group that has had a strangle hold on the union may be a thing of the past on this next election.

We can hope anyhow.

[bop_steward]

Originally Posted by Area51

Hopefully there is a change coming, or it looks like there could be one in the works for us. The group that has had a strangle hold on the union may be a thing of the past on this next election.

We can hope anyhow.

Good luck with this.

[oldtimer]

I believe several institutions have won cases for official time and back pay. Google Official time and back pay for the BOP. ALways request about triple the amount you need and some of them will give you half.

[222]

Obviously this is a problem that is not restricted to one institution, or one geographic area, it could be argued that this is an issue across the country. With that being said, I think it would be prudent to have a Regional Vice President file a national grievance on behalf of all locals, collect information from all locals regarding official time denials, and also whether or not the work was done on the Union officials own time. If the work was done on their own time, then you're looking at an FLSA case, where attorney fees can be recovered, not to mention being paid for the official time that should have been granted, if it was completed on their own time.

Official time is the life's blood of an Federal Union. If the Union is not granted the official time to ensure that the Master Agreement is being followed, then the Union officials will have to work on it on their own time, or it won't be done, and management is fully aware of this.

If we could just get one Regional Vice President to file this Nationally, we'd kick management right in the jewels and you'd see a lot of this B.S. stop. Unfortunately I can't speak for other regions, but it seems like the region located in the North East part of the U.S., the RVP is too busy sucking up to the R.D., too afraid to make the R.D. mad to do anything like file a grievance. Maybe there's an RVP out there who still has a set that's not in a jar on an R.D.'s desk. Let's all hope.

[506sucks]

Originally Posted by Tinkplink

I am kinda of curious, which would be priorty, the security and safe running of the institution or giving official time for the union? I am not for or against either way, I was just curious as to everyones perspective on this issue.

As it usually goes, security and safe running of the institution, and giving official time to the union, often go hand in hand, as the union does alot of filing over things that management does, that decreases the saftey within the institution.

[LTABM]

This should be an ULP, document all requests !

[Tommy]

In Edgefield, I recently filed a Grievance, and preparing for Arbitiration.
I considered it Union Interferance by denying official time. Union Officers
can't do what their tasked to by law, because of the denials. I disagree about the ULP, you won't win a ULP, but in Arbitration 50-50 chance.

[LIFERatUSPLEW]

We're in this battle now for LMR meetings. They refuse to roster adjust for anyone on E/w or M/W to attend LMR meetings. I'm a new steward any help?

[KBCraig]

Originally Posted by LIFERatUSPLEW

We're in this battle now for LMR meetings. They refuse to roster adjust for anyone on E/w or M/W to attend LMR meetings. I'm a new steward any help?

By denying the official time, they're denying the union their choice of representatives.

The solution is for those designated officers to attend LMR anyway, then file a grievance for the time. Repeat as often as possible. In the end they won't get OT for those hours, but they will get paid straight time.

[gijanetexas]

Originally Posted by KBCraig

By denying the official time, they're denying the union their choice of representatives.

The solution is for those designated officers to attend LMR anyway, then file a grievance for the time. Repeat as often as possible. In the end they won't get OT for those hours, but they will get paid straight time.

Another thing I would suggest is quit being nice - at all -about official time.

For example, of my other four fellow E-Boardians, I am the only one who does not need a relief.

So I go to a lot of OWCP, monthly department meetings, etc, and other little meetings because it is just easier for me to go to them.

But you can quit being nice, request all union officials for meetings who need a relief or who work an off shift.

Most union officials do not ask for enough official time and management knows that and if they're smart they will grant the small amount they must give you.