Does being in bargaining unit help in RIF?

[Anonymous]

Title says it all.

[Anonymous]

Probably not

[Anonymous]

I know there are bargaining unit-eligible positions and those that aren't. But who would know if a bargaining unit-eligible employee is actually a member of a BU or if they are eligible? (I.e., will it look bad in any way if one joins the union today? Will that be taken as a sign that a person is part of the deep state?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know there are bargaining unit-eligible positions and those that aren't. But who would know if a bargaining unit-eligible employee is actually a member of a BU or if they are eligible? (I.e., will it look bad in any way if one joins the union today? Will that be taken as a sign that a person is part of the deep state?)

All BU eligible feds belong to the BU. Paying dues is optional. But, even if you don’t, you are still unionized if eligible (I opt to pay dues because our union gets us good concessions that make my life easier). I believe that if you don’t pay dues, you might be entitled to less individual representation if you file an individual grievance?

[Anonymous]

Yes, to the extend RIFs are covered in the CBA. If RIF procedures aren’t being flowed to the letter, or your RIF doesn’t follow policy in terms of who is RIF’d (their is a mathematical formula), bumping rights etc, the union will represent you in a grievance. For this reason, I would imagine agencies are careful to do RIFs for BU employees by the book.

[Anonymous]

DH is not BU eligible as his eOPF says. But his work is purely technical and he does not supervise anyone. How is his position not BU? He didn't even know about it until recently. Does that mean he is not protected by any of the benefits BU negotiated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH is not BU eligible as his eOPF says. But his work is purely technical and he does not supervise anyone. How is his position not BU? He didn't even know about it until recently. Does that mean he is not protected by any of the benefits BU negotiated?

The BU is defined by the CBA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH is not BU eligible as his eOPF says. But his work is purely technical and he does not supervise anyone. How is his position not BU? He didn't even know about it until recently. Does that mean he is not protected by any of the benefits BU negotiated?

The BU is defined by the CBA.

This. He needs to review his agency’s CBA. For whatever reason, his position was excluded when the local union was formed. Maybe there is a typo on his paperwork, but agencies defined BU by PD and that would be unusual. He can also reach out to his local union and just ask.

[Anonymous]

Does the agency find out when you join the bargaining unit? I see that they communicate with personal email (I think?) but the form to join includes work email. I’m thinking just to verify but I don’t want emails from the union coming to my work email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the agency find out when you join the bargaining unit? I see that they communicate with personal email (I think?) but the form to join includes work email. I’m thinking just to verify but I don’t want emails from the union coming to my work email.

Your position is either BU or not: you can't choose. Your agency knows whether your position is BU or not. You union probably sends emails to all BU employees at their work addresses. The CBA applies to the BU employees whether you pay dues or not. By law, a certain amount of union communication is permitted at work.

Separately, you can choose to join the union and pay the union dues. They likely send members additional emails at work and/or home. The reason to join the union is to support their activities that benefit you, to bolster their negotiating position, and to get access to help/info only provided to members (what this is, varies). If nobody joins, they can't do anything to help everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH is not BU eligible as his eOPF says. But his work is purely technical and he does not supervise anyone. How is his position not BU? He didn't even know about it until recently. Does that mean he is not protected by any of the benefits BU negotiated?

The BU is defined by the CBA.

This. He needs to review his agency’s CBA. For whatever reason, his position was excluded when the local union was formed. Maybe there is a typo on his paperwork, but agencies defined BU by PD and that would be unusual. He can also reach out to his local union and just ask.

Better to look at SF-50 to see. I think line 37.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does the agency find out when you join the bargaining unit? I see that they communicate with personal email (I think?) but the form to join includes work email. I’m thinking just to verify but I don’t want emails from the union coming to my work email.

Your position is either BU or not: you can't choose. Your agency knows whether your position is BU or not. You union probably sends emails to all BU employees at their work addresses. The CBA applies to the BU employees whether you pay dues or not. By law, a certain amount of union communication is permitted at work.

Separately, you can choose to join the union and pay the union dues. They likely send members additional emails at work and/or home. The reason to join the union is to support their activities that benefit you, to bolster their negotiating position, and to get access to help/info only provided to members (what this is, varies). If nobody joins, they can't do anything to help everyone.

Right, I know. I am BU but I have not yet joined the union. (Only recently became eligible but not probationary.) Wondering if the agency knows who is BU-eligible vs dues paying. I’m sure none of it matters but I feel like it may not be looked upon favorably to join now.

[Anonymous]

PP here - the BU seems to send out messages to dues paying members and I don’t get that. But also don’t want to bring attention to anything right now!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know there are bargaining unit-eligible positions and those that aren't. But who would know if a bargaining unit-eligible employee is actually a member of a BU or if they are eligible? (I.e., will it look bad in any way if one joins the union today? Will that be taken as a sign that a person is part of the deep state?)

DW has the same question. Does it have any negative consequences if a fed (who has been eligible for years but did not join) joins the union now? Money is not an issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does the agency find out when you join the bargaining unit? I see that they communicate with personal email (I think?) but the form to join includes work email. I’m thinking just to verify but I don’t want emails from the union coming to my work email.

You don’t join. You elect to pay dues or not. But you are a covered member of the BU either way. At various points for various reasons over 20 years — financial tightness or not and approval / disapproval union actions and bargaining positions— I’ve paid dues and not. Right now I’m paying them and would pay triple if I could. But, either way, I’ve been a member, attended meeting when the topic concerned me, gotten emails and been in the BU. You may need to give them a personal email to get emails. But if you do, you’ll get the emails whether you pay dues or not. (Right now, the decent thing is to pay dues. They need a war chest if they are going to go to war for you).