Welcome to AFGE Local 171
Welcome to the AFGE Local 171 website. Local 171 represents the bargaining unit employees at:
The Federal Correctional Institution in El Reno
The Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City
This site is dedicated to the union members who protect society from the criminals society locks away.
Local Developments
- Click here for the June 2013 Settlement on Intimidation for Union activities at El Reno.
- Click here for the April 2013 Decision about Bad Faith Bargaining at FTC Oklahoma City.
- Click here for the Decision and Order on a Negotiability Issue (64 FLRA No. 41, 0-NG-2980) 11-30-2009.
ATTENTION!!
-The PAGE Act- See Below
-The Holman Rule means lawmakers will be able to vote to cut the pay and jobs of individual federal workers or groups of workers without getting input from the agencies where these employees work.
-Hiring Freeze/Staffing Reduction
-Eliminating/Privatizing Federal Employee Pensions
We are only weeks into the 115th Congress. I don't know about you but we can clearly see a trend.
Please contact your representative and/or senator and let them know to vote against these things. It only takes a few minutes to call. Let them know your a federal employee and if your a veteran.
Video about dangerous staffing levels
This is a video CPL has made to illustrate the dangerous staffing levels and problems associated with those levels.During the legislative conference this video will be viewed by congressional members. Local 171 has sent this video to our Congressmen and Senators. Hopefully we can make headway and get the funding levels we need to make the BOP a safe place to work. Anyone working in a prison will tell you the environment will always be dangerous, but the danger should not be continually raised because Congress will not provide appropriate funding. The Courts put these folks in prison following laws set by Congress and Congress must provide the funding to carry out the sentences required by law.
Do my dues go to support candidates running for office? NO!
It is illegal for any dues monies to be spent on anything that doesn't benefit the membership and operation of the Union. Money for political endorsements comes directly from (PAC) Political Action Committees, which are run by volunteers on voluntary and independent donations from folks who join PAC. Check out the Law for yourself.
Know You're Rights!
Did you know anytime you are faced with disciplinary actions you may (highly recommended) request a union representative? Just tell your supervisor you want a union representative before they begin to discipline you. See your Weingarten Rights here. Click here for a Union Rep.
All Bargaining Unit Employees of the Bureau of Prisons have the right to be accompanied by a Union Representative to all interviews with management officials, in which the employee reasonably believes the interview might result in disciplinary action (e.g. Investigative, Safety, Accident, Mystery Shopper) to include "NOT THE SUBJECT OF THE INVESTIGATION".
The above right is guaranteed in the 1975 U.S. Supreme Court decision, NLRB v. J. Weingarten, and violation of that right has been found to be an Unfair Labor Practice. Simply stated, your Weingarten Rights provide that you may request, and management must provide, a Union Representative to accompany you to all interviews that you believe might result in disciplinary action.
Your Rights During an OIG Investigation: Garrity and Kalkines
While Weingarten and Miranda Rights will still be afforded, Special Agents use Kalkine or Garrity warnings in interrogations that everyone should become familiar with.
Garrity Rights: This is a voluntary interview. Always request a Union Representative and do not answer any questions. You can leave the interview if they inform you that this is a voluntary statement. Do not go forward until that has been explained and you have signed the waiver and assurance form from OIG. Protects the employee from having to choose between self incrimination and job forfeiture for failing to cooperate. The individual has the right to not be threatened with discharge in order for the OIG to secure incriminating evidence that would be used against them for arrest and prosecution. Miranda Rights would be applicable here.
Kalkines Rights: If the individual is given immunity from criminal prosecution, the employee is required to cooperate in the investigation even if the information solicited could be used for discharging the employee. Special Agents do not have the authority to grant immunity from criminal prosecution. However, if Special Agents provide the form "Administrative Warning: Duty to Cooperate" that means that the OIG has obtained such a waiver of prosecution.
As a reminder the AFGE Local 171 union wants to remind all bargaining staff of their right to a union representative during any examination that could lead to disciplanary action. This includes Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) and Special Investigative Services (SIS). The agency does not pick the representative, the union does. The agency also has an obligation to inform you of your right to union representation prior to any examination that they know could lead to diciplinary action, that's even if you don't ask for it, they still must tell you of your right. See Weingarten Rights above.
Do not fall for the old line "Well, you're not the subject of the investigation" and ask them to call the union president. The union is the one who assigns representation. Contact Tom Townley or any other union representative if you have any questions.
New Staff Members
We encourage all bargaining unit staff to become union members. Remember, strength is in numbers. As a member of Local 171 you WILL be heard. Click here to download the form to join the AFGE Local 171 Union. Contact any Union steward for more information about becoming a member.
Visit the Council of Prison Locals for National news.
Click here to read the lastest AFGE Week In Review.
Correctional Peace Officers Foundation
The CPOF was created in 1984 as a national, non-profit charitable organization. Its primary function is to preserve and support the surviving families of Correctional Officers who lose their lives in the line of duty. Membership is as little as $5.00 per month. Membership benefits to the CPOF include:
Full coverage under the CPO Foundation's Death Benefit Program
Membership Card and Membership Decal
Subscription to the CPO Foundation's Quarterly Publication
Remember, your membership is tax deductible!
Click here to visit The Correctional Peace Officers (CPO) Foundation's website.
Want to become a member now? Contact any e-board member at FCI El Reno or FTC Oklahoma City
You do not have to be a bargaining unit employee for this benefit
Join us for a nationwide meeting to discuss how we will fight for our pay, jobs, and our families.
What: NATIONAL UNION CALL by AFGE National
When: January 12, 2017
at 6:00 - 7:00 PM (CST, EST)
and 6:00 - 7:00 PM (PST, MST)
Dial in: 877.229.8493
Pin Code: 110858
Feel free to join any call.
H.R. 6278 (114th Congress)
Summary:
The PAGE Act would create at-will employment status for new federal employees, immediately suspend employees due to misconduct or poor performance, prevent employees found guilty of convicting a work-related felony from collecting a retirement pension, allow agency heads to cut Senior Executive Service employees’ pay by re-designating them to General Schedule and ensure that taxpayers are only paying for official work activities by prohibiting union activity during the work day.
Section by Section:
Section 1- Short title
o Placeholder is “Promote Accountability and Government Efficiency Act”.
Section 2- At-will employment status for new Federal employees
o New federal employees are hired at-will (may be removed/suspended without notice or right to appeal for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all).
o List of protections still afforded to at-will employees, including antidiscrimination provisions, whistleblower protection, etc.
o Appeal rights- allows at-will employees to appeal adverse personnel
This provision only allows for an appeal to one agency, such as the Merit Systems Protection Board or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
o Provides for this section to apply to employees hired 1 year after the passage of the Act.
o Sets a deadline for each agency to develop standards to meet the requirements found in the Act.
Section 3- Immediate suspension of employees for misconduct or poor performance.
o Allows an agency head to immediately suspend (with or without pay) an employee.
o The employee is to be provided within 10 days a written statement detailing the reason for the suspension, and the employee has 10 days to furnish a response, may be represented by an attorney, and a review of the case by the agency head is to be finished at the earliest practicable date.
Section 4- Limitation of appeal rights
o An employee may only appeal an adverse personnel action to a single agency.
o Limits within grade pay raises to employees scoring higher than a Fully Successful rating, as designated by the agency.
Section 6- Forfeiture of Civil Service Retirement System or Federal Employee Retirement System annuity for any employee convicted of a felony.
o Current employees would lose pension when convicted of a felony offense in relation to the performance of their job.
o Future at-will employees would lose pension when finally convicted of a felony offense while employed, or when finally convicted of a felony offense in relation to the performance of their job after they have retired.
o Provision allowing an Inspector General to continue an investigation even if an employee has retired, providing the employee is receiving a pension.
Section 7- Transfer from Senior Executive Service (SES) to General Schedule (GS).
o Clarifies that an SES employee may be transferred down to the GS and his/her pay will be deducted to correspond to the pay applicable to the new GS grade.
Section 8- Limitation of official time and use of government resources in carrying out union activities.
o Limits federal employees from engaging in official time or using government property to conduct union business.