In a letter to Eric Schaaf, Regional Counsel of EPA Region 2, dozens of ORC attorneys called on him to stand up for their safety and convey their concerns to senior leadership regarding the unnecessary pressure to resume working at regional offices before the danger of the coronavirus pandemic has passed.
Read MoreNTEU Contacts Admin. Wheeler Regarding EPA’s Plan for a Safe Return to the Workplace
In preparation for the anticipated return of employees to their workplaces, NTEU continues to raise concerns and issues faced by frontline EPA employees during the coronavirus pandemic. We want to assure employees required to return to their worksites the safest possible return, while continuing to ensure teleworking employees have the support and equipment they need to effectively perform their jobs remotely.
Read MoreNTEU Demands Protections Before Reopening Federal Buildings
On April 27th, the National Treasury Employees Union released the health and safety conditions that must be met before federal employees are required to return to the workplace. “Most federal employees have never missed a beat during this pandemic, either successfully teleworking from home or continuing to report to duty because their job is not eligible for telework,” Reardon said. “But before those away from the office are required to return, NTEU will insist that some basic steps be taken to reduce the risks to their health and well-being.”
Read MoreIncreased Telework Options for EPA Employees During Coronavirus Pandemic
Today, in part in response to feedback from EPA union representatives including NTEU Chapter 280, EPA's Office of Mission Support (OMS) announced that it has waived several of the existing limitations on flexible work schedules to increase the options available to EPA employees working from home during the coronavirus pandemic.
Read MoreDC Declares a State of Emergency over Coronavirus
Today, at approximately 4:30 PM, DC declared a state of emergency and a public health emergency and recommended that “non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions” be postponed or canceled. Mass gatherings are defined as events with 1,000 or more people in one location. These declarations allow Mayor Bowser to make use of a broader array of authorities to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Read MoreNTEU Launches Coronavirus Webpage
The ongoing outbreak of coronavirus has understandably raised many questions and concerns for federal employees. NTEU, on your behalf, is pursuing answers. Just last week, the union launched a special section on the NTEU website that will be constantly updated with the latest information about your workplace safety.
Read MoreChapter 280 Urges Management to Prepare for DC Racist Rally
On the anniversary of the Charlottesville violence, the same racist/nationalist group that perpetrated the Charlottesville violence will rally in DC near the White House. The rally, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, August 11 & 12, could impact federal employees on Thursday, Friday, and Monday as rally participants arrive in DC.
NTEU Chapter 280, in an email to management today….
Read MoreReagan Building Air Quality Concerns
NTEU Chapter 280 helps employees with many concerns. Most recently we worked to ensure safe and healthful working conditions were restored after a floor in the Reagan Building due to a leak in a water pipe.
Based upon our inspection, we discovered that either the new carpet, new paint, or carpet glue was off-gassing. Here's the email we sent to EPA facilities asking them to adopt remedial measures....
Read MoreFlooded Reagan Building Offices to Reopen Monday
NTEU Chapter 280 and AFGE Local 3331 completed their final of three safety checks of the recently-flooded Reagan building offices. We wrote about the flood in a recent post. The office spaces have been cleared to re-open by the unions and facilities, and should be fully open to employees on Friday, April 13.
GSA replaced wet carpeting and wet ceiling tiles. They also steam cleaned the fabric cube walls of flooded cubes and wiped down all desk surfaces. Employees returned to the 5th floor last week, and the 4th floor earlier this week, and will re-occupy the still-closed 3rd floor tomorrow.
During its safety walk-through, NTEU....
Read MoreReagan Flood Closure Update
NTEU Chapter 280 has been monitoring the safety issues associated with the recent flood in the Reagan building closely to ensure it's safe for employees to return to work in the building. Management and NTEU agreed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that we have a role in ensuring safety of employees, which we're exercising.
In case you didn't know, a water pipe.....
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