Chapter Issues
Joint Awards - We are currently working with leadership regarding the Joint Awards Committee to ensure continuity across all POEs
BESA - Over the past weeks, Chapter 116 has been busy addressing and negotiating with management over BESA issues. Below are those concerns that have been worked out. Please let us know if there are more problems as they arise.
NOG Split Shifts - Mostly affected cargo swings who will now work 1200 - 2000, but applies to everyone, assignments will be available in 4 hour blocks before and after your shift. Those who volunteer for 8 hour assignments will still be able to.
Daily DOW should be emailed daily or posted, depending on port. Please let your stewards know if this is not happening.
Overtime earnings showing up on BUEs earnings before assignment was worked will now only be reflected on the day of the assignment.
Issue with BESA immediately taking away leave will continue to be part of the National Grievance as it's a system issue.
BUEs will continue to input their own OT excusals. BESA now recognizes it automatically based on RDO, BDO, AL etc.
BESA Transition Issue: Nogales POE has refused to adapt its system for the BESA transition, unlike other ports. This has led to complications with scheduling and alignment with longstanding practices. NTEU National is involved and addressing the situation.
Grievance Against Nogales POE: We have filed a grievance regarding a change to the midnight shift hours made less than two days before the live bid on August 15-16. This late change disrupted employees' schedules and care arrangements. Despite our concerns, Nogales management proceeded without sufficient notice.
AWS: Addressing AWS issues across the Field Office - Current mediation in San Luis and Nogales POEs
BUE Protection: Use of force incident from 5 years ago. We are asking for back pay, missed OT, missed shift differentials. Chapter 116 has invoked arbitration after failed negotiations
Chapter News
Oversight Agency Finds Some Firings Unlawful
While DHS-CBP not been targeted with unlawful probationary firings, the Office of Special Counsel who has oversight on the federal merit system, yesterday requested a 45-day stay in connection with the six probationary employees, each at different agencies. This is likely a result of the lawsuit filed by NTEU. The request will next go to the Merit Systems Protection Board for potential enforcement.
A message from the Chapter President
Fork in the Road
On January 28, 2025, an email titled "Fork in the Road" was sent from OPM. The email described a Deferred Resignation opportunity. It has been determined by DHS that all CBP employees, to include law enforcement and professional staff are not allowed to participate due to our positions being described as national security. See FAQ from OPM.
Contact Info
Please ensure to update your personal contact information on nteu.org. This allows our Chapter and National to say in contact outside of government emails.
Jan PM
On January 31 a Presidential Memorandum was issued aimed at taking away agreements that federal employees, their union, and their agencies negotiated during the final 30 days of the prior administration, also known as Lame Duck. This PM does not apply to the 2025 NTEU-CBP NCBA.
CBP has provided payout information for another wave of payments under our COPRA night differential for leave agreement.
For more information, please see: https://www.nteu.org/cbpsettlement. CBP will send notices to employees very soon that explain their payments. Appended to the notices will be a claim form through which employees can claim any additional money that they believe they are owed.
NTEU Sets Legislative Priorities for 2025
NTEU's Legislative Advisory Committee met virtually yesterday to recommend the union's priority issues for the first session of the 119th Congress. The committee recommended three topline priority issues to National President Doreen Greenwald, which will be the core of the union's legislative efforts for the year. They are: Protecting the nonpartisan civil service, Agency funding, Pay and benefits
Each issue is important to every NTEU member and your families. Watch for additional information on these priorities and how you can get involved as the new session of Congress gets underway.
Staffing
As we've heard many times, we are short staffed at our ports, and we must ramp up hiring before officers eligible for retirement triples. With 328 ports of entry domestically and 15 pre-clearance ports around the world, we need additional resources the next three years dedicated to recruiting, hiring and training our next generation of officers. President Greenwald has said "Congress and the agency can take action right now to avoid what could be a catashtrophic break down in port operations if thousands of offices retire without anyone to replace them." NTEU seeks CBP officer hiring surge to offset looming retirement wave on Federal News Network by Jory Heckman.
Chapter 116 has created a channel in WhatsApp for all BUEs to join. Key chapter information will continue to be disseminated through multiple avenues to ensure total coverage: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VajCUAaGpLHJGz9iNW1V
Safety