NFFE 1450 ONLY REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 550 HUD BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES IN CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA AND NEVADA. IF YOU DO NOT WORK IN THESE STATES PLEASE AFGE 222 or NFFE 1804 (Detroit) or NFFE 259 (Memphis).
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HUD Announces Closure of Dozens of Field Offices under Reorganization
Friday, May 3, 2013
(National Federation of Federal Employees)
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) last week announced a major reorganization that will result in the closure of dozens of offices throughout the country. Targeting the Office of Multifamily Housing Programs and the Office of Field Policy and Management, the proposed reorganization will affect roughly 900 of the department’s 9,000 employees, or about 10 percent of the total workforce.
The reorganization will play out as follows: Over the next two and a half years the department will consolidate the 50 current Multifamily Housing Program offices nationwide into ten regional offices. These regional offices will report to five “hubs” located in Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Worth, New York, and San Francisco. At the Office of Field Policy and Management, 16 of the Office’s 80 locations nationwide are slated for closure or consolidation with other area offices.
“Whenever an agency conducts a reorganization, the first question must be ‘how does this impact our clients and our employees,’” said NFFE National President William R. Dougan. “How long should they travel to get to the nearest office? Should they take their children out of school and move to their new location? Will they have access to the same job or services at the new location? Changes like these are very disruptive and costly events for people and their families.”
Among the offices slated for closure are Tucson, AZ, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, San Diego, CA and Flint, MI – all of which are represented by NFFE Locals 1450 and 1804. These employees work in critical areas such as affordable housing occupancy and development, and homeless/veterans issues. According to NFFE Local 1450 President Elizabeth McDargh, everyone from low income households (including seniors, disabled and Section 8 tenants) to the developers and landlords who create affordable housing options for them, will be affected by the change. Closures will result in upwards of three-hour commutes for workers and customers, making it hard for people to access these key services when they need them the most.
"Morale and productivity have taken a dive since this was announced last week,” said McDargh. “The issue is not so much on the transformation, but in how it was handled and how little transparency and information is truly available.”
According to an agency press release, most of the downsizing will take place over the next 2 ½ years, but the first 16 offices will be closed effective October 1st, 2013. HUD estimates the closures will save upwards of $65 million annually, a figure McDargh challenges since the department has provided little hard evidence to support its claims. Regardless, the true cost of the reorganization goes far beyond the topline estimate.
“This reorganization will make it more difficult for some of America’s most vulnerable populations to access basic housing services,” said Dougan. “Cutting costs on the backs of the poor is the wrong approach, and this reorganization deserves serious review.”
Employees should reach out to their political representatives, neighbors, family and friends, and ask that they support making HUD leaner and smarter, not top-heavy and ineffective.
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FOR INFO ON FURLOUGHS GO TO
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Upcoming 'Union Members Only' Meeting Dates:
April 24, 2013 - Meeting starts promptly at 11:30 am
Future Meetings:
May 22
June 26 ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
July & August - no meetings
September 25
October 23
November 20
December 18
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KUDOS TO OUR BENEFITS COORDINATOR
"Thank you for introducing us to another way to acquire benefits for life after HUD. Dave (Quiett) is helpful, thorough, and very thoughtful. His knowledge in the insurance, retirement benefits , investments, and other areas are very detailed. When you ask questions his answers are effective and his guidance is very beneficial especially to me in my case; and his sensitivity to your needs are phenomenal. Thank you, thank you, and thank you! ----Denise Allison, Los Angeles
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KUDOS TO NFFE 1450
"I want to take this opportunity to let you know about the great assistance that Ms. Charron Tammie Alfonso has provided for me. On May the 25th, her off day, she came to work to assist me in filling out the paperwork for my Telework request. With her assistance it was completed that day and submitted. The assistance and support I have received from you and her have been very important to me. Thank you again for your continued support!" --- Youn Davidson, Santa Ana
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"You're very good at flying the banner and letting them know the union is here." --- Frank Caballero, Los Angeles CPD
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"I am extremely pleased with the invaluable representation NFFE has offered it's members (and non members). They are not a union in name only, NFFE walks the talk and walks along side the employee to ensure our work environment is safe, fair, and equitable. We are constantly kep abreast of important issues in our agency, government and the community. Not all unions do this for it's members. And it's for this reason that NFFE membership is at it's highest compared to previous years." --- Marie Avila, Fresno
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“When I became a member of NFFE 1450 I didn't realize that I would be joining a family. I appreciate the empathy, knowledge base, willingness to help, and passion that I have seen from our NFFE 1450 Leadership. I value the trust that our Leadership brings to the relationship - I know that I'll hear the truth about the circumstance and be presented with possible solutions. It's a privilege to be part of a family who is honest, proactive, and navigating." --- Laura L. Miller-Pittman, Phoenix
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"Thank you so very much for being there with me, you are all so “awesome” and people think Allstate is great, they don’t know my Union." ---Beverly Emerson, Los Angeles MF
NFFE 1450 and HUD concluded the new contract negotiations on February 10, 2011 (a 2 yr process). Ratification vote was unanimous! Contract is effective as of 9/9/2011.
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Not everybody is entitled to union representation.... watch this video to learn more click here !
If not accessible from HUD computer go to youtube and enter "nffe1450" to access videos and look for video titled "Debunk A Myth"
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Want a membership form? click here !
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If you are not a member yet, watch this video about NFFE 1450 click here !
If not accessible from HUD computer go to youtube and enter "nffe1450" to access videos and look for video titled "Get Us In Your Corner".
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Why should you be a Union Member? click here to find out!
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Want to provide NFFE 1450 with feedback or a suggestion or a complaint or a compliment? click here !
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Kudos Received
in response to finishing up contract negotiations...
"Great Accomplishment, kudos to you and your team!!!"
Sheryl Ryan Wood, Union Member
"Congratulations on the successful conclusion of the NFFE negotiations."
Ophelia Basgal, HUD Regional Administrator
"Ricardo, congratulations on your new contract and thanks so much for your very kind words below. Your leadership along with all of our other wonderful Local 1450 negotiators made this happen using brains, great bargaining skills, tenacity, patience and sheer GRIT! As I keep telling you, YOU are now the Master, and I the Learner!! Mega awesome congratulations to you and your team!!!!
Jan Thompson, NFFE National Business Representative (aka Master Yoda)
"Been meaning to e-mail you all to say “congratulations”!!!!! Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you last week. I’m glad the teams avoided going to the FSIP. It was a great experience for me, personally and professionally. Thank you for all you taught me."
D Hankinson
"Great Job Ricardo and the negotiating team. You got some really good language in the new CBA. Nice to have Master Yoda leading the way!! She does an Awesome job!!"
Bill Fenaughty, NFFE National Secretary/Treasurer
"This is wonderful news!! I'm so sorry I was unable to be there although I clearly couldn't have done much to make this better. George is all you say he is and more, he's also a terrific person to work for! We have a bright future working together!!"
Kathi Oglesby
... and in response to the 'Rate Your Boss' survey results...
"What a great job you do for the members. Everyone was very HAPPY AND PLEASED that we finally were heard."
Los Angeles Union Member
"I absolutely LOVED the rate your boss survey, the results are eye opening and I feel should be shared with HQ."
Fresno Union Member
General Kudos...
“Good representation that is strong but fair…and diplomatically firm…is very hard to find, Liz. Keep up the great work. Your efforts are most appreciated.”
Dan Mooney
Santa Ana Union Member
“I have been a member of NFFE for many years. Fortunately, I never had any problems within the work place, until 2009 when I had an illness, that affected my vision and muscular system, that hospitalized me for six months. Before I returned to work, management was bringing up that I should consider retiring. I did not retire and came back to work with expectations that were not necessarily reasonable. Management wrote me up with stipulation that I must perform or there would be repercussions. I deemed this a bit radical for someone who was trying to get up to speed on his health and work simultaneously. I went to my union representative Liz McDargh and she initiated a formal complaint. We were successful in getting management to understand the errors of their ways and they also purged all negative documentation from my file. Since then Liz has helped me acquire handicapped parking and get VLTP problems corrected. The power of the Union is great, but the earnest efforts of our representatives, such as Liz Mc Dargh, is greater. Liz was conscientious and diligent in her efforts to bring about a successful resolution for my family and myself. I will be eternally grateful to her.”
Julian G. Arellano, Real Estate Appraiser, Santa Ana HOC PUD, October 8, 2010
"I would like to thank Ricardo Miranda, President, NFFE-IAM Local 1450 who provided a high level of expertise and truthfulness throughout my case. Thank you for your representation and all the positive results I received. I could not be happier with the decision to have Ricardo Miranda, Union President and the Law Office of Snider and Associates, to represent me. The Union’s perseverance, tenacity, and thoroughness in the advocacy of bargaining unit employees regardless of the needed length of involvement as exampled by the outcome of my discrimination case is exemplary and admirable. Saying "Thank you, Ricardo Miranda and the Law of Office of Snider and Associates " just seems so small for the manner in which Ricardo Miranda, with Snider & Associates took my case."
Ms. Sayana Chhe, Los Angeles Union Member,Sep 13, 2010
“By the way thanks for all the information you provide us every day it really keeps us up on everything otherwise I would not realize all that the union does.”
Ms. Linda Evans, Santa Ana Union Member, 7-29-2010
“WOO HOO, I GOT THE CHECK TODAY. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your perseverance and help.”
Marjorie Carpenter (to Steward Vicki Bouchee regarding FLSA payment), 7/26/2010
“I would like to take this time to say THANK YOU to you all but especially [LA Steward] Mrs. Alfonso for putting her all and all into getting the Telework in place, not 1 day but 2 days. I must say our union is a caring and very inspiring and challenging group of people who do not just allow management walk over us or mistreat us. Whenever there is a problem you are willing to step up for the employee and that is what Union Support is about. These past 2 years, I do not know what I would have done without the support of you all almost losing my son, and management felt no pain in inflicting more pain when I was down. [LA POR] Rick Lombardi called and checked on me every couple of days. I would have lost everything I had including my child, and they (management) did not care. I just want to say thank you again Charron for not allowing these people do this to me again."
Ms. Denise Allison, Los Angeles Union Member
7/14/2010
“First, let me say THANK YOU! I am so appreciative of your professional style, your resourcefulness, your diligent patience!
This was an extremely painful past four days due to this unbelievable event. But, it would have been an INSANE and UNBEARABLE past four days had you not been monitoring your email and taken your private, off duty hours to do this. I am so grateful and want you to know how extremely grateful I am for everything you have done. I see that you are passionate for what you do… I DO appreciate you and thank you!”
Ms. Sheryl Ryan Wood, Phoenix Union Member, 7/12/2010
"Hats off to Local 1450! You all are doing a fantastic job of representing Region IX employees. Your newsletter is an excellent example of communicating Union's message and keeping members and BUEs informed. Wonderful job!"
Ms. Janette Owens, President, NFFE Local 259, 7/2/2010
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OUR STRENGTH IS YOUR ADVANTAGE!
NFFE 1450 proudly representing HUD employees in California, Nevada, Arizona & Albuquerque(SWONAP)since October 2, 1971!
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Note: HUD has 3 National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) locals. NFFE 1450 Represents employees in Region IX. HUD Memphis employees: please contact Janette Owens. HUD Detroit employees: please contact Steven Spencer.
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For a list of our NFFE 1450 Union Representatives click on 'about us'
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RECENT NEWS!
NFFE Local 1450: We hit 240 membership level!
November 8, 2011: For the first time ever, NFFE Local 1450 has 240 dues-paying Union members! Our members are the foundation and strength of our Union. To learn more about benefits of membership and who can join see our new 'Frequently Asked Questions'> by clicking here .
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We THANK OUR MEMBERS who make taking matters to Arbitration possible via their member dues.
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Things you maybe do not know...
Did you know that being a member of the bargaining unit is different than being a Dues Paying Union Member? Some Federal employees think that unions must represent them whether or not they choose to join. That is not true.
The law says the union’s duty to represent a non-member is limited, and that the union must only negotiate and administer collective bargaining agreements. Therefore, Dues Paying Members can be represented by the Union in, for example, EEO, MSPB and Workers Comp cases. In contrast, non-members would not be represented by the Union. Comprehensive union representation goes only to those who are union members.
MEMBER BENEFITS:
Member benefits are noted at www.nffedental.com, www.nffe.org and www.iamaw.org. To enroll you would choose either NFFE or IAM (International Association of Machinists) and you will need your membership number which is printed on your Union Member card.
*** To print out a membership form click here . (Download form from bottom of the website after click). Fill out the SF-1187 form and mail to NFFE 1450 at P.O. Box 811967, Los Angeles, CA 90081 ***
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Department of Labor Reports that NFFE 1450 files yearly can be seen at:
www.unionreports.gov
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NFFE 1450: The Union for HUD Region IX (CA, NV, AZ & SWONAP Albuquerque) Bargaining Unit employees.
VISION STATEMENT
We envision a flexible, fair, workplace that fosters opportunity and growth for all employees, with progressive policies affecting family and personal lives.
Our values are:
Integrity - Respect for Diversity
Accountability - Professionalism
For more information contact our NFFE 1450 Executive Board President Elizabeth McDargh at:
elizabeth.mcdargh@hud.gov
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The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) and the Civil Service Reform Act (CSRA) guarantee certain rights to union members and impose certain responsibilities on union officers. For more information go to our the "About Us" page!
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