Local 1450 Scores Two Big Wins for Bargaining Unit Employees

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Recently, NFFE Local 1450, representing United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) employees in California, Nevada, Arizona & Albuquerque (SWONAP only) (Region IX), has scored two big wins for its membership.
 
On November 12, 2015, agreement was reached between a Local 1450 member and HUD to settle an EEOC discrimination complaint.
 
The original complaint was filed in March of 2013 on a basis of reprisal, hostile work environment and age discrimination. Local 1450 suggested that the member agree to participate in HUD’s Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process. Unfortunately, HUD’s ADR process did not result in settlement.  
 
The HUD attorney requested that the EEOC case be dismissed. However, Local 1450 requested one more try through the EEOC’s mediation process.
 
On November 2, 2015, the employee and Local 1450 – Santa Ana Chief Steward Karen McNamara met via conference call for a settlement hearing ordered by the EEOC. The meeting also included the HUD attorney and EEOC Mediator Patrick Matarazzo. In the settlement hearing the parties were urged to consider the cost and time involved in taking the matter to a formal court hearing. 
 
The parties agreed to settle the matter in exchange for the agency agreeing to restore sick leave to the employee and in exchange the employee agreed to withdraw the case.
 
More recently, on December 4, 2015, Local 1450 settled an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge filed against HUD for bad-faith negotiations. Local 1450 settled the case by requesting written acknowledgement by the Agency that they misrepresented lease terms for the new Los Angeles office. The Agency acknowledged in writing the following: 
 
“HUD acknowledges that the OIG lease is not separate from the rest of the HUD lease. Also HUD recognizes that The Federal Labor Relations Authority has declared that the location of an employee’s work station is one aspect of the office environment that is at the very heart of the traditional meaning of ‘conditions of employment’. We certainly intend to honor this concept for space moves in Region 9.”
 
This settlement permits Local 1450 to hold management accountable and puts in writing their promise of behavior modification going forward.
 
“Local 1450 fights tirelessly for HUD employees in Region IX, and these two recent wins are evidence of the excellent work being done by our Local officers,” said NFFE Local 1450 President Liz McDargh. “HUD employees in our bargaining unit know that if they ever need help, NFFE will be there for them. These are big wins for our entire bargaining unit, not just a specific employee here or there, and I thank our proud dues-paying members for the financial capabilities to defend our contract rights. Without dues-paying members, our rights would erode to nothing because the political climate is against hard working men and women in the Federal sector.”
 

Local 1450 members (from left): Debra Martel, Marilyn Patterson,
Dave Larsen, Chris Granger, Liz McDargh