A&R met with OLR and DRS on Friday 9/8/17 to discuss the impact of the recently released fingerprinting/background check policy.  There will be a follow-up meeting, but this is where we are as of now:

Current employees who refuses to grant authorization and have FTI involvement will first either be transferred to non-FTI units/assignments within DRS if possible, secondary to that, would be treated as a "lack of work layoff" under the Job Security Provisions which can be found on pages 8-11 of the 2017 SEBAC agreement (read relevant Job Security Provisions here).  This would mean that the State

DRS employees have been notified that they will be asked to consent to fingerprinting for the purpose of conducting background checks.  Federal IRS code was amended to require background checks on all DRS employees who access Federal Tax Information ("FTI") systems.  While the State/DRS must follow federal regulations, and the Union cannot amend or even contest federal requirements, the Union has filed an institutional grievance on behalf of DRS employees over the DRS Background Check Policy and Procedures (July 2017) (“DRS Policy”).

In addition, the Union has issued a demand to bargain over

AFT raised their dues at their annual convention, the impact will be an increase of 11 cents per paycheck (roughly $3 per year).   This increase does not go to A&R, it is passed to AFT.   This increase will be reflected in your pay check dated September 29, 2017.  The increase may be offset by a reduction in A&R dues.  Based on the reduction in salaries (due to furlough days) through June 2018, some members may have a decrease in their A&R dues by roughly 20 to 30 cents per pay period.  So although you may see a decrease in the total dues amount deducted, the decrease will actually contain an increase to AFT. 

A&R is AFT Local 4200.  Although we have not raised our dues (in fact, they may be lower this year), we are required by the union's constitution to implement the dues increase approved by the national and state organizations, in this case, 11 cents per paycheck.  -9/1/17

Monday is Labor Day.  It is exactly what it sounds like: it is a day set aside to honor and commemorate all that labor unions have contributed to the work environment.  All of the gains achieved through the labor movement have had such a tremendous, positive, and noteable impact on the wages, hours, and working conditions of this country that this day was created and maintained as a national holiday for over 120 years.  9/1/17

IMPORTANT: DEADLINE OF THURSDAY 9/14

Reduction of Retiree Health Fund Contribution Form (CO-1330 fillable form
Word Version)

Reduction of Retiree Health Fund Contribution Form (CO-1330 pdf version)

Anyone wishing to offset the 1.5% pension contribution increase must complete and submit the attached form NO LATER THAN September 14, 2017 to your Human Resources Department:

If you choose to offset the 1.5% pension contribution, please know and understand how this operates.  While it will provide monetary relief this year, it WILL cost more as the defered contributions MUST be paid back between July