The Solid Seventh District

THE PUBLICATION OF ILLINOIS, MICHIGAN, AND WISCONSIN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Big Enough to Win:

Fight Back!

Rally for Change

.
Do Not Distribute on Federal Property

new tools.

NVP's Corner
A l l e n K a pl a n :
P A SSIN G O F A N A F G E IC O N

American Federation of Government Employees 'Proud to Make America Work'

We are Federal Employees of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin
DOROTHY JAMES

JOE DOLAN

CRYSTAL STOKES

DON EVANS

National Vice President

National Representative

National Representative

MATT MUCHOWSKI

District Organizer

Retiree Representative

Office Manager / Editor

ALBERT THOMAS

afgedistrict7.org

afge.org

/photos/afgedistrict7

/afgedistrict7

/user/afgedistrict7

/afge0district07

Page 2 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Union Shield
W h a t ' s a G r i e va n c e ?

If a grievance is
denied, the local union may
seek arbitration.
Some frequent
topics that are grieved
include conflicts over
scheduling, inconsistent
reprimands, and safety
rules.

W h y F I l e a G r i e va n c e ?

Su b m i t Y o u r St o r i e s

.
E-mail your stories
of how your steward helped
file a grievance, or how an
agreement was reached to
district7@afge.org.

Bargaining Tips:

We Need Staff They Just Laugh

We Need Supplies They Roll Their Eyes
We Need Money They Think That's Funny
But If We Fight They'll Do What's Right
Page 3 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Member Focus

Read more and support Big Enough to Win at:

afgedistrict7.org/?p=1 041
Page 4 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Big Enough to Win

with their

Local 789 makes progress

on their strategic plan
Back Issues Now Online

D i s t r i c t 7 C on t i n u es t o Gr ow

Members from District 7 rock this photo.

Page 5 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Legislative Conference 2015

L e g i s l a t i ve B r e a k f a s t a H u g e S u c c e s s

networking with their fellow

union members and leaders.

Local 911 Detroit VA members rally on Capitol Hill.

s. District 7 had a large showing at the

conference, with a packed room for our
district meeting, and a
See more Online
breakfast that
several members
of congress
attended.

A w a r d s & R ec og n i t i on s

201 4 Woman of the Year: Germaine Clarno,

president of AFGE Local 781 which represents
VA workers in Hines, IL, became a whistle
blower in 201 4, highlighting practices of VA
management that undermined veterans
health. She has worked tirelessly to call
attention to these issues.
201 4 Man of the Year: Ken Brucks has fought
for housing rights for years. As an employee
of the Department of Housing and Urban
Development he works to help provide
adequate housing for all, and as President of
AFGE local 911 in Chicago, IL, he has worked

Page 6 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

to keep HUD offices open in cities that need

them.
Locals that had the highest net increase:
Local 1 395 with 256 new members,
Local 648 with 1 33 new members,
Local 777 with 99 new members,
Local 2483 with 78 new members.
Locals that had the highest % increase:
Local 648 with 40%,
Local 781 with 34%,
Local 3838 with 31 %,
Local 2722 with 29%.

Rally for Safety at TSA

TSO's Demand Safe Airports

3 Things You Can Do To Make Our Airports Safer

1.
2.
3.

A f t e r M a c h e t t e A t t a c k:
R e n e w e d C a l l fo r S a fe t y

Since the shocking

machette attack on
TSA workers in New
Orleans in March,
AFGE has taken a
leading role in calling
for increased safety at
airports. TSO's work
hard to keep the public
safe, and they deserve
a safe workplace as
well. This is why Local
778 took the lead in
organizing a rally on
April 1 , at Detroit
Metropolitan Wayne
County Airport to
address the issue.

See more Online

- actionnetwork.org/letters/support-safe-airports

Page 7 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Union Action
L o c a l L e a d e r s g e t I n vo l ve d i n P o l i t i c s :

M E P C O M C o n t r a c t A p p r o ve d

Right: Local 2326

President Dale
Richardson (seated)
with a new member and
their bonus bucks!

L u n c h a n d L ea r n

Left:
Organizer
Don Evans
watches as
a new
member fills
out thier
membership
application.
Page 8 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Changes
N a t i o n a l R e p r e s e n t a t i ve K a y l a M a c k
M o ve s t o D i s t r i c t 1 1 :

Mack graduated
with degrees in Political Science and
Sociology from the University of Wisconsin Madison and received her J.D. from South
Texas College of Law.

A n ot h er A F GE L os s

W o r d s b y L P E m e r i t u s W a y n e L a u g h t o n M a r c h , 2 01 5

Page 9 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

Bulletin Board
S pe a k U p, S pe a k O u t !
1. Fill out these word
2. Cut them out.

balloons.

I Joined AFGE Because:

The Best thing about AFGE is

3. Use

them on your local's bulletin board with

local members photos!

One time the union helped me was:

Management knows that AFGE

Members are

We want

...and with AFGE we are going to get it!

Page 1 0 June 201 5 | Solid Seventh

W h a t a r e W ei n g a r t en R i g h t s ?

The 1 978 Civil Service Reform Act provides

federal employees the right to union
representation during investigations
conducted by management that may

reasonably result in discipline. It is called

"Weingarten rights", after a 1 975 Supreme
Court Decision. Many AFGE contracts also
include a "Weingarten rights clause."

Weingarten Cards
Ho w t o U s e T h e m

1. Cut this page out.

2. Write contact information for your
local, LP or Steward on the back.

3. Photocopy double sided in color.

4. Cut the cards out along the lines.
5. Hand out to local members.