SEC CBA - how long?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am worried tho if every agency is forced back the SEC is going to look odd if it’s the ONLY one with people not working. My guess is management will use the vague language in the cba which specifies it is employers discretion and not a privilege. Otherwise, the Chair is going to look ridiculous if it’s the only one allowing people to still continue to work just one day a week in the office. I’m hoping management is clueless and we continue to be able to work from home, but I’m more thinking now that the guidance on Friday was just interim and we’ll also have to return to work because of the vague language in the cba.

It’s not though. The majority of agencies with employees covered by CBAs have exempted those employees from RTO. Not all CBAs are the same, so there might be varying approaches, but there is nothing unique about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious with everyone trying to predict 3 years out. Well, here’s my prediction:

They’re not going to allow HQ to sit 2/3 empty till fall 2027. Nor is it tenable for supervisors to work in office 80 hrs per PP while their subordinates waltz in 2 days a PP. Something will have to change. They’ll either loosen up on the telework policy for NBU, try to dissolve the CBA, etc.

This country has the attention span of a mouse. “Stickin it to the feds” is the Current Thing, but in a few months, we will have moved on to something else — a new “beast” to slay, a different emergency to obsess over. And people will forget about how many days feds telework. It’s a dumb, temporary media obsession. (When’s the last time anyone’s heard of Covid, which was sooooo important a couple years ago?)

If they were going to make us come in, they would have done so tonight in the email. They can’t in a few weeks or months decide our CBA is not valid. Their email today makes it clear that telework is a right until at least 2027. If they were going to argue the language is vague in the CBA, they would have ripped the bandaid off and done so. Sorry to the haters, and sorry to management stuck working every day in an office, but SEC employees will be working from home for the next few years.

I heard from a reliable source that there will be an EO coming out that will require all agencies to renegotiate their contracts within 60 days. I am guessing that they will remove telework from the contract then. I think bargaining unit employees will be directed back to the office within 90/120 days.

That only works if there is a reopener which the sec cba does not have.

The union can file a grievance if the agency unilaterally reopens the contract. In the meantime, employees will have to comply or face disciplinary action. The process will take more than a year and the outcome is uncertain. Additionally, there’s a high likelihood that in the next few months, Congress will pass a law requiring in-person work.

Don’t be overly confident about the strength of the CBA. The levers of government are all against expansive telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am worried tho if every agency is forced back the SEC is going to look odd if it’s the ONLY one with people not working. My guess is management will use the vague language in the cba which specifies it is employers discretion and not a privilege. Otherwise, the Chair is going to look ridiculous if it’s the only one allowing people to still continue to work just one day a week in the office. I’m hoping management is clueless and we continue to be able to work from home, but I’m more thinking now that the guidance on Friday was just interim and we’ll also have to return to work because of the vague language in the cba.

It’s not though. The majority of agencies with employees covered by CBAs have exempted those employees from RTO. Not all CBAs are the same, so there might be varying approaches, but there is nothing unique about this.

Other agencies have narrowly exempted a few offices and sub agencies for specific reasons. You’re asking the SEC to broadly exempt all BU employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My brother works at office of comptroller of currency and they will be back full time.

So some financial regulators like SEC will get years of working from home due to this agreement. Unfortunately, other financial regulators will be back working.

SEC regulators will also be working. They will just be doing it from home rather than some performative RTO that doesn’t improve productivity or help anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am worried tho if every agency is forced back the SEC is going to look odd if it’s the ONLY one with people not working. My guess is management will use the vague language in the cba which specifies it is employers discretion and not a privilege. Otherwise, the Chair is going to look ridiculous if it’s the only one allowing people to still continue to work just one day a week in the office. I’m hoping management is clueless and we continue to be able to work from home, but I’m more thinking now that the guidance on Friday was just interim and we’ll also have to return to work because of the vague language in the cba.

It’s not though. The majority of agencies with employees covered by CBAs have exempted those employees from RTO. Not all CBAs are the same, so there might be varying approaches, but there is nothing unique about this.

Other agencies have narrowly exempted a few offices and sub agencies for specific reasons. You’re asking the SEC to broadly exempt all BU employees.

I thought all BU employees were exempted as long as the contract guaranteed telework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother works at office of comptroller of currency and they will be back full time.

So some financial regulators like SEC will get years of working from home due to this agreement. Unfortunately, other financial regulators will be back working.

SEC regulators will also be working. They will just be doing it from home rather than some performative RTO that doesn’t improve productivity or help anyone.

That’s a great argument. Unions across the federal government have repeatedly made that same argument. Unfortunately, many Republicans and Democrats in Congress disagree with that argument and believe that expansive telework is not a good thing.

[Anonymous]

We gave up a third of our office space last year. There is no room to put everyone and budget has been cut. I don’t see how they bring everyone back full time. Also Atkins doesn’t want to burn the place down like some of the other appointees. This isn’t just a CBA matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We gave up a third of our office space last year. There is no room to put everyone and budget has been cut. I don’t see how they bring everyone back full time. Also Atkins doesn’t want to burn the place down like some of the other appointees. This isn’t just a CBA matter.

I think they are planning to get more office space over the next few years, and then push for RTO when the current CBA expires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We gave up a third of our office space last year. There is no room to put everyone and budget has been cut. I don’t see how they bring everyone back full time. Also Atkins doesn’t want to burn the place down like some of the other appointees. This isn’t just a CBA matter.

I think they are planning to get more office space over the next few years, and then push for RTO when the current CBA expires.

The budget is flat. They’ve cut our benefits and frozen hiring. Where is the money coming from for the new office space. Wasn’t the whole point of DOGE to reduce costs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We gave up a third of our office space last year. There is no room to put everyone and budget has been cut. I don’t see how they bring everyone back full time. Also Atkins doesn’t want to burn the place down like some of the other appointees. This isn’t just a CBA matter.

I think they are planning to get more office space over the next few years, and then push for RTO when the current CBA expires.

The budget is flat. They’ve cut our benefits and frozen hiring. Where is the money coming from for the new office space. Wasn’t the whole point of DOGE to reduce costs?

They will fire all probationary employees.
Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We gave up a third of our office space last year. There is no room to put everyone and budget has been cut. I don’t see how they bring everyone back full time. Also Atkins doesn’t want to burn the place down like some of the other appointees. This isn’t just a CBA matter.

I think they are planning to get more office space over the next few years, and then push for RTO when the current CBA expires.

And it will take a few years, look at the fiasco that was our new office. All that effort bidding the contract only for the whole thing to fall apart after a few years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We gave up a third of our office space last year. There is no room to put everyone and budget has been cut. I don’t see how they bring everyone back full time. Also Atkins doesn’t want to burn the place down like some of the other appointees. This isn’t just a CBA matter.

I think they are planning to get more office space over the next few years, and then push for RTO when the current CBA expires.

The budget is flat. They’ve cut our benefits and frozen hiring. Where is the money coming from for the new office space. Wasn’t the whole point of DOGE to reduce costs?

They will fire all probationary employees.
Problem solved.

We actually don't have that many probationary employees due to the hiring freeze that started at the end of 2023. Some, but not many.

[Anonymous]

Just reset to pre-pandemic posture and everyone wins

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just reset to pre-pandemic posture and everyone wins

That would be best case scenario for the long term, but might be a pipe dream.

[Anonymous]

We are in the current building until 2028 and there is no additional space to lease at HQ. Most of the regions have likewise downsized. They can try to get more space in a new building but they need money for that — money that is unlikely to appear in the budget. This is where DOGE can’t have it both ways. They can’t require everyone to come in and save in leasing costs.

I have no idea what Union is doing. Of course NTEU is going to sue when agreements are broken, but that will take time.

And to the people who think Congress will pass legislation shortly, that’s funny. Unless it is all tied to the budget, it isn’t happening. And even tied to the budget, it will get watered down.

I expect as BU to be ordered back in within three months.