For federal employees the fight to protect workplace rights does not just happen at the bargaining table, which is why each year NFFE-IAM members from across the country travel to Washington, D.C. to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill. On May 7-9, 2018, our sisters and brothers from federal agencies across the government will be meeting with their elected officials to stand up against the unfair attacks on our nation’s dedicated civil servants.
This year’s Legislative Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill and will feature speakers from the IAM and NFFE as well as elected officials dedicated to supporting working families with not only their words but their votes. After learning more about the issues impacting federal employees, delegates will have an opportunity to bring their knowledge and passion to the doorsteps of the elected officials who make decisions that impact their pay, benefits, and retirement. Year after year, this event provides our members with the opportunity to remind elected officials of their critical work and why it must be supported.
With a hostile administration and a historical tendency to make federal employees the scapegoat for budgetary shortfalls and other Congressional ineptitudes, it is important for our members to make the trip to Washington, D.C. to advocate for their livelihoods. Issues that will directly impact federal employees this year include the FAIR act (H.R.757/S.255) which provides a two percent pay increase and 1.2 percent locality pay increase for federal employees, H.R. 5355 which provides due process for federal employees in sensitive positions, and the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 1205/S. 915) which eliminates GPO and WEP for retirees. Issues related to President Trump’s 2019 budget and the elimination of official time will also be big issues this congressional session.
National President Randy Erwin commented, “The NFFE-IAM Legislative Conference is a great opportunity for our members to come together to fight for the issues that directly impact their wages, retirement, and ability to participate in our union. We are expecting some especially tough legislative fights this term, and we are grateful for all of the sisters and brothers who will be joining us this May.”