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YOU’VE GOT MAIL!

January 3rd, 2017 | Posted by admin in Did you know? | New Address - (0 Comments)

OR NOT!

YOU'VE GOT MAIL
There's nothing worse than trying to reach out to one of your family members or friends, but realizing you don't have their current email, phone, or mailing address. When it comes to our union family, having accurate contact information is just as important.
 
That's why AFGE members voted at the 2015 National Convention to make January “Data Update Month.” And this year, when you update your profile with your contact information, you'll be put in a drawing for AFGE swag – and maybe even a brand new TV. 
 
To kickoff 2017, we're asking every member of the AFGE family to take a couple minutes to update their contact information so we can mobilize members and spring into action when the time comes.  
 
When you update your profile, you’ll be automatically entered in a drawing to win a brand new AFGE coffee mug. Each week up to 5 names will be drawn and winners will be announced on Facebook. To keep up with weekly drawings and to see if you’re the lucky winner, follow AFGE on Facebook. 
 
The Deadline for updating your information is January 31st, so don't delay. Need Help? Contact us at comments@afge.org.  
 
 
Website:   www.afge.org
 
 
 

AFGE Election Results

October 4th, 2016 | Posted by admin in Did you know? | ELECTIONS | Events | Local 1395 - (0 Comments)

AFGE Local 1395 held its Tri-Annual election on Thursday July 28, 2016.

The following were elected:

President (1)

Agatha Joseph

Executive Vice-President (1)

Cheryl Bellamy-Bonner

Vice-President at Large (3)

Monica Harris

Eddie T Smith

Vacant

Vice-President for D.O. (3)

Mario Connie

Patricia Hayes

Yesenia Navarro

Vice-President for OQP (3)

Todd Madsen

Evelyn Nesteruk

Sonia Samson

Vice-President for P.S.C. (3)           

Gregory A. Cole

Sean Shideler

Richard Sorokas

Vice-President for ODAR (3)          

Karen Clelland

Gerald Francis (Frank) Cavanagh

Vacant

Administrative Director for P.S.C. (1)

Holly Justine James

Administrative Director for D.O. (1)

Charlotte Lewis

Administrative Director of OQP (1)

Earl Tucker

Administrative Director of ODAR (1)

Gregory Senden

Treasurer (1)

Deborah Flynn

Financial Secretary (1)

Monwella Foster

Office Manager (1)  

Marie Robinson

Recording Secretary (1)

Catherine A Mulligan

Correspondence Secretary (1)

Patricia Washington

Sergeant at Arms (1)

Janice Antonio

 Executive Board Member for ODAR (2)

Shirley Evans

Donald Terry Jr

Executive Board Member for P.S.C. (2)

Angela Barnhart

Executive Board Member of OQP (2)

Archester Neal

Ke Juan Stroud

 

Executive Board Member for D.O. (2)

Kimberly Ponder-Chism

Vanessa McCollum

Council Delegate for P.S.C. (1)

Monica Harris

Council Delegate for D.O. (3)

Patricia Hayes

Patricia Washington

Kimberly Ponder-Chism

Council Delegate for OQP (1)

Earl Tucker

Council Delegate for ODAR (1) ** 

Delegates and Alternates to the National Convention & 7th District Caucus

Patricia Washington

Patricia Hayes

Kimberly Ponder-Chism

Gregory Cole

Archester Neal

Monica Harris

Monwella Foster

 

**Local President -Automatic delegate by virtue of office.

 

 

Voting has already started in a scattering of locations.

Here’s when early voting begins in a few states.

Illinois — Sept. 29 to Nov. 7. Starting Sept. 29, voters can only cast their ballots at their local election authority or a temporary location, but early voting expands to permanent polling places starting Oct. 24.

Indiana — Oct. 12. Early voting starts at the local county election board office or another designated location, but with an excuse, voters can cast a ballot by mail.

Michigan — There is no early voting in Michigan, as voters require a state-approved excuse to vote absentee.

Minnesota — Sept. 23

Ohio — Oct. 12.

Wisconsin — Early voting opening dates are set by the county/municipality. Wisconsin Rapids began voting Sept. 19.

Link to Complete List: Early Voting by State - 2016

How Do I Register To Vote?

September 16th, 2016 | Posted by admin in Did you know? | Events | Vote - (0 Comments)

Election Date

Who can Vote in Illinois?

To register to vote, you must:

  • Must Be a United States Citizen
  • Must Be at least 18 years of age by Election Day
  • Must have been a resident of the precinct at least 30 days prior to Election Day
  • not be in prison/jail serving time for a conviction. (Note: Ex-convicts who have completed their sentences and who meet all other requirements listed above are eligible to register and vote in Illinois.)

ILLINOIS REGISTRATION DEADLINES: 

Registration is open year around except during the 27 day period prior to an election and during the 2 day period after each election (1 day after in Chicago).

VOTER REGISTRATION LINKS:

 

Illinois Voters

Who can vote In Indiana?

In order to be eligible to register to vote, you must:
• be a citizen of the United States,
• be at least 18 years old on the day of the next general, municipal, or special election,
• have lived in your precinct for at least 30 days before the next general, municipal, or special election (except for certain military voters); and
• not currently be imprisoned after being convicted of a crime.

In order to register online, you must also possess a current and valid Indiana driver's license or Indiana State identification card. The State of Indiana will use your digitized signature on-file with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles as your voter registration signature. Only the voter registration information you provide and your digitized signature will be sent to your county voter registration office upon concluding the online voter registration application process.

INDIANA REGISTRATION DEADLINES:

Registration is open all year throughout the County except during the 27 days preceding an election and reopens the second day following an election.

Under federal law, citizens may apply to register to vote by mailing in an application. When you register by mail your mail-in form must be postmarked prior to the close of registration. In addition, a person must vote for the first time in person and may not vote by mail, unless the person first provides sufficient proof of identity and the County Clerk verifies the person's proof of identity.

LINK: Indiana Voters

 

Who can vote in Minnesota?

You must be:

You can vote while under guardianship unless a judge specifically has revoked your right to vote.

You cannot vote if a court has ruled that you are legally incompetent.

Minnesota Registration Deadline: 

REGISTER ON ELECTION DAY

Link:  Voting in Minnesota

 

Who can vote in OHIO?

WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS TO REGISTER AND TO VOTE IN OHIO?

You are qualified to register to vote in Ohio if you meet all the following requirements:

  1. You are a citizen of the United States;
  2. You will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the next general election. (If you will be 18 on or before the general election, you may vote in the primary election to nominate candidates, but you cannot vote on issues or party central committees until you are 18);
  3. You will be a resident of Ohio for at least 30 days immediately before the election in which you want to vote;
  4. You are not incarcerated (in prison or jail) for a felony conviction under the laws of this state, another state, or the United States;
  5. You have not been declared incompetent for voting purposes by a probate court; and
  6. You have not been permanently disenfranchised for violating the election laws.

You are eligible to vote in elections held in your voting precinct 30 days after you are duly registered to vote in this state. You may request an absentee ballot during that 30 day period.

Link:  Voting In Ohio

Ohio registration deadline: 

GENERAL ELECTION

Election Date: November 8, 2016

Registration Deadline: October 11, 2016

 

Who can vote in Michigan?

To register to vote in Michigan you must be:

• A resident of Michigan and the city or township where you are applying to register to vote.

• A citizen of the United States of America.

• At least 18 years of age (by election day).

• Not serving a sentence in jail or prison.

Michigan Registration Deadline: 

Must register 30 days before election to vote in that election.

Link:  Voting in Michigan

life_insurance_

The Federal Government established the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program on August 29, 1954. It is the largest group life insurance program in the world, covering over 4 million Federal employees and retirees, as well as many of their family members.

Most employees are eligible for FEGLI coverage. FEGLI provides group term life insurance. As such, it does not build up any cash value or paid-up value. It consists of Basic life insurance coverage and three options.

In most cases, if you are a new Federal employee, you are automatically covered by Basic life insurance and your payroll office deducts premiums from your paycheck unless you waive the coverage. In addition to the Basic, there are three forms of Optional insurance you can elect. You must have Basic insurance in order to elect any of the options. Unlike Basic, enrollment in Optional insurance is not automatic -- you must take action to elect the options.

The cost of Basic insurance is shared between you and the Government. You pay 2/3 of the total cost and the Government pays 1/3. Your age does not affect the cost of Basic insurance. You pay the full cost of Optional insurance, and the cost depends on your age.

The Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI), which is a private entity that has a contract with the Federal Government, processes and pays claims under the FEGLI Program.

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SETTLEMENT UPDATE;scales

The Agency has began releasing, on a staggered basis, $654.00 to employees included in this grievance settlement effective May 2016.

 

Click below to Read the Final IVOLSettlement Agreement between AFGE and Social Security Administration.

FinalSettlement-IVOL-02-06-15

Growing Stronger Every Day!

May 6th, 2016 | Posted by admin in Did you know? - (0 Comments)

Big Enough to Win- Update

ARE YOU IN?

May 5th, 2016 | Posted by admin in Did you know? | Events | News | Solidarity - (0 Comments)

The 24th annual National Association of Letter Carriers’
Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive is on

Saturday, May 14, 2016.

Food Drive
The 24th annual Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive is the nation’s largest one-day, providing letter carriers, other postal employees and thousands of volunteers across the nation the opportunity to meld their forces together to conduct the drive in their local communities.

“Letter carriers touch every residential and business address in this country at least six days a week,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said, “and our continued effort in the fight against hunger—often in our own neighborhoods—has made us all too familiar with the staggering numbers of people in need.”

The availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, or the ability to acquire such food, is limited or uncertain for 1 in 6 Americans, many of whom are in households with at least one person working.

Last year’s drive collected approximately 71 million pounds of non-perishable food that was left in bags next to postal customers’ mailboxes. It was the 12th consecutive year that letter carriers have collected more than 70 million pounds of food, and it brought the drive’s grand total to more than 1.4 billion pounds of food collected.

The drive is held each year on the second Saturday in May, and so Saturday, May 14, has for months been circled on the calendars of hunger-relief advocates who have watched as food supplies collected during winter holiday drives dwindle day by day. The drive also comes just before many school systems end their academic years, and that often can mean a suspension in subsidized meals for many students.

The food drive’s national partners are the U.S. Postal Service, the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, United Way Worldwide, the AFL-CIO and Valassis.stamp-out-hunger-

Your Letter Carrier will collect non-perishable food left on your porch.

 

Buying A Home

April 18th, 2016 | Posted by admin in Benefits | Did you know? | News - (0 Comments)
Home Sweet HomeThe Union Plus® Mortgage program, with financing available through Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, can help you purchase a home while also receiving special benefits by virtue of your union membership.

For qualifying members, exclusive benefits include a $500 My Mortgage GiftSM award1 from Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and, from Union Plus, special hardship assistance and the opportunity to earn a $500 First-Time Home Award.

New! $1,000 Mortgage Veterans Grant program for union members who've served in the U.S. armed forces.

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T here was good news and not-so-good news regarding the pay raise for 2016. The good news was that for the first time in six years, we finally got an increase in locality pay. In addition to a 1% across-the-board nationwide adjustment, federal employees will receive a locality increase between 0.1% and 0.6% depending on where they work.

Thirteen new localities were added this year, and all will receive slightly more than they would have if they’d remained in the Rest of U.S. locality. None of the locality increases was large. Only 0.3% of payroll was devoted to locality increases.

But the expansion of the number of localities to 13 additional areas was a tremendous achievement. Even though those localities got extremely small locality increases this year, it is important to recognize that they’re now “in the game” and eligible for bigger increases in the future. The not-so-good news was the size of the overall raise. At 1.3%, it is nowhere near enough to make up lost ground for five years of near-zero pay adjustments. The average pay gap between the public and private sectors is 35%, and despite a law instructing Congress to close that gap, small pay adjustments have grown that gap rather than shrink it. It will be up to AFGE members to mobilize support for bigger and better pay raises in the future.

The not-so-good news was the size of the overall raise. At 1.3%, it is nowhere near enough to make up lost ground for five years of near-zero pay adjustments. The average pay gap between the public and private sectors is 35%, and despite a law instructing Congress to close that gap, small pay adjustments have grown that gap rather than shrink it. It will be up to AFGE members to mobilize support for bigger and better pay raises in the future.