Amer Al-Mudallal to Replace Joe Edgell

Amer Al-Mudallal, NTEU Chapter 280’s new President

Joe Edgell is leaving NTEU 280 and EPA HQ to assume a position at EPA Region 10 to be closer to his aging parents.

The NTEU Executive Board met on November 29, 2018 and voted for Executive Vice President Amer Al-Mudallal to assume the President’s role. Amer has previously served with distinction as President of NTEU Chapter 280. Amer’s bio is here.

Joe Edgell, NTEU Chapter 280’s outgoing President

Joe will be sorely missed. Over his 11 years of NTEU activism, and especially in his 5 months as President, he has helped many members and strengthened NTEU at EPA. Whether it was his leadership, lawyering, negotiation skills, grievance-handling, communication skills, or fierce defense of NTEU and its members…. Joe gave us 1000%.

Joe often says that all of the members are the union, not just the officers. He hopes that he leaves EPA Headquarters inspiring employees to join NTEU as members, and participate as stewards and on committees. Joe set the bar high for all of us, and he will be very disappointed if our membership doesn’t step up and increase their involvement and support of NTEU.

Trump to Sign Bill Impacting Federal Employees

On Monday, August 13th, President Trump will visit Fort Drum to sign the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. The bill includes several government-wide personnel provisions. The General Services Administration will extend its pilot telework program until December 31, 2020. The pilot telework program authorizes agencies to pay, with certain restrictions, necessary travel expenses for employees participating in a telework program. Also, agencies will be able to use direct hire authority for college and post-secondary students. This authority allows agencies to fill vacancies in specific occupations, grade levels, and locations when it can be proven that there is a critical hiring need or a severe shortage of candidates. View the text of the bill here. 

Shutdown Averted: Congress Passes Spending Bill

From NTEU National.....

“The Senate today followed the House in approving a [spending package] to fund the federal government though the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. The president is expected to sign the measure before funding expires Friday night. Passage of this bipartisan spending bill eliminates the threat of another government shutdown for the next five months.

While NTEU is pleased that the $18 billion in cuts originally proposed were not part of the final agreement, many federal agencies remain underfunded and understaffed after several years of cuts and inadequate funding. 

As the debate shifts to the fiscal 2018 congressional budget, NTEU is pressing for adequate and stable funding for the federal government so that agencies have the resources they need and federal employees are not left anxious with another shutdown countdown.”

In the passed spending bill, the Environmental Protection Agency received an $81.4 million decrease from fiscal year 2016 (FY16). EPA was operating on a continuing resolution, allowing it to spend at FY16 levels. The $81.4 million budget cut amounts to approximately a 1% spending reduction.