![]()
With 2016 coming to a close, it’s a good time to look back at the accomplishments of the year that has passed. There is no doubt 2017 will usher in new and continuing challenges—not to mention change as a new administration takes office—but let’s take a moment to celebrate what we were able to accomplish together.
Keep in mind that many of NTEU’s greatest successes are what we’ve been able to block, particularly when it comes to harmful legislation and efforts to rollback employee rights at the bargaining table. Still, here are some highlights of 2016, brought to you by NTEU:
1. A Higher Than Expected Pay Raise. After working with our supporters in Congress, President Obama in December increased the 2017 federal pay raise from an average 1.6 percent to an average 2.1 percent.
2. NTEU Persists in its OPM Data Breach Lawsuit. The union continues to beat back OPM efforts to dismiss our lawsuit seeking lifetime credit monitoring and identity theft protection for impacted NTEU members, among other measures.
3. A Win for Data Breach Victims. Also working on the issue in Congress, NTEU secured passage of legislation that gives federal employees 10 years of protection services, more than three times longer than OPM originally offered.
4. IRS Jobs Will Stay in Detroit. Following an aggressive, multipronged effort, the IRS announced it was backing down from a plan to relocate print operations from Detroit to Memphis, Tenn.
5. A Continued Force on Capitol Hill. NTEU frequently submitted testimony on a variety of pressing federal employee issues. Our members sent hundreds of letters on a range of federal employee issues, and our Legislative Conference drew more than 350 NTEU leaders who advocated for the union's legislative priorities with their members of Congress.
6. The Successful Fight for Retroactive Transit Subsidies. After much pressing and fighting, NTEU won retroactive transit subsidies for employees at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Department of Energy, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service and the IRS Office of the Chief Counsel. NTEU continued to pursue grievances at several other agencies, including the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
7. New Contracts Won at the Bargaining Table. NTEU secured new term agreement for National Park Service employees, and compensation agreements at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
8. Global Settlement for Customs and Border Protection Employees. Following many years of litigation and months of negotiations NTEU secured a settlement worth more than $200 million covering a large number of scheduling and overtime violations.
9. The Fight for Fair Overtime Pay Continues. NTEU’s long track record of success in securing fair overtime and back pay continues. In 2016, NTEU won Fair Labor Standards Act settlements at several agencies and the fight goes on.
10. A Brand New Website. You’re on it, so chances are you know we launched a new website with even more news and features for our members.
Thank you for your continued service to the nation and your ongoing support of the union. Have a happy and healthy New Year.
EO letter 132 members