Author: local_staff

UPDATE:

During arbitration on June 30, 2016 and July 1, 2016, Beecher Falls SBPA Zavala indicated that Swanton Sector Management disagreed with EMS’s assessment that an Agent suffered from mild hypothermia.

To support his position, SBPA Zavala stated that the only accurate way to take his temperature would have been to administer a rectal thermometer.

To wit, Zavala stated: “With the equipment I have, it would have been necessary to use the invasive method of inserting the thermometer into the anal region to obtain core body temperature. The anal cavity is a sealed orifice, which is not affected by outside effects such as wind and stuff.  In the oral cavity, the person may have drank cold water or…..as they are traveling with their mouth open…. air comes into their wet mouth and cools it.”

Just imagine your reaction if your Supervisor tells you that the only equipment he/she has to take your temperature is an anal thermometer and because any other method just isn’t accurate enough for management. Also, consider that this is not the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in emergency rooms throughout the United States.

For clarification purposes, Local 2266 feels compelled to advise the membership that they are not required to submit to Swanton Sector Management’s literal or figurative desires to “stick it to them.”

Watch your “six!”

www.bpunion.org

Published on June 21 2014

Chief Patrol Agent John Pfeifer is disregarding the exclusive representative of Swanton Sector agents and has let his managers run amuck.  His actions have revealed that there are two standards in Swanton Sector:  one for managers and another for Union members.  Union members are being held to higher standards of conduct and facing greater levels of discipline for violating those standards.
The Union has repeatedly brought their concerns to Chief Pfeifer only to have them ignored.  This failure of Chief Pfeifer to take the Union’s concerns seriously has given a green light to Patrol Agent In Charge (PAIC) Kuhn of the Beecher Falls Station to conduct operations in a dangerous manner. Continue reading »

UPDATE:  (A)DC Nikki Johnson flops on providing the case law that she said refutes the Union’s grievance as Chief Pfeifer denies grievance without substance.

Now let’s just forget for a second that Chief Pfeifer again rejected the existence of our CBA and Title 5 of the United States Code that provides our right to be represented and take a look at his response.  Chief Pfeifer admits to violating the Statute (Federal Law) and Article 2 of the CBA but still denied the grievance in whole.

UIG Response Bypass Termination

Bypass-Termination

FLRA MEETINGS GUIDANCE

Chief Pfeifer’s Designee, (A)DC Mission Support Nikki Johnson stated in a grievance meeting that she had case law that refutes the violations of the CBA, Federal Laws and cited cases in the grievance. Naturally, the Union asked about these cases. However, (A)DC Nikki Johnson could not provide the Union the case names, the case summaries or any hint to their existence. Maybe, management will let us know in their response….or maybe not….

Just an update on the never ending saga of trying to schedule a meeting with the Chief to improve morale in Swanton Sector.

The Chief and his Deputy decided to not attend or even let us know before the start of the meeting. If Chief Pfeifer doesn’t like having to work with the Union or common folks, he should take Kerlikowske’s advice and just quit.

21 days just to set up a meeting with Chief Pfeifer.

58 days in total it takes to have a scheduled meeting with Chief Pfeifer.

DAY 1: January 5, 2016

Union requested a meeting with Chief Pfeifer.

DAY 6: January 11, 2016

Chief Pfeifer’s Designee responded by stating she was still checking on possible dates and wanted to know any specific topics.

DAY 8: January 13, 2016

Union responded  “to discuss and explore strategies that would improve the present relationship between labor and management. Specifically, we would like to discuss bid for shifts and utilizing the FMCS for both their grievance mediation process, and one of their Building Labor-Management Relationships Programs. If there are any other specific topics that management would like to discuss please let us know in advance. Thank you”

DAY 21: January 26, 2016

Chief Pfeifer’s Designee’s responded, “ Chief Pfeifer and DCPA Garcia are available to meet with you on March 2^nd or 3^rd at 0900 hours, Swanton Sector.”

DAY 58: March 3, 2016

Tentative meeting scheduled with Chief Pfeifer.