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Washington, D.C.—The head of the union representing thousands of employees of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) today sharply criticized the agency for ending—only for bargaining unit employees—a highly-successful telework program, even as it retains the program for its managers.

President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) called the FDIC action “not only a blatantly transparent attempt to intimidate” the union in the midst of contract negotiations, but “a blow to efforts by Congress and even this administration to expand the use of telework” in the federal sector.

In a letter to Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), the leader in Congress for expanded telecommuting by federal workers, President Kelley described the FDIC action as “a sad setback” for the program. “As the congressional champion of this issue,” she wrote to Rep. Wolf, “you are well aware that telecommuting is both a program for management efficiency and an employee benefit.” She sought the congressman’s “assistance and counsel” in what she called “this unfortunate situation.”

Kelley also criticized the timing of the FDIC’s action, noting that negotiations for a term agreement with the agency now involve the services of a mediator. “FDIC management had the option to maintain the current program while negotiations continue,” she said, “but the fact that they canceled the program for NTEU-represented employees, while continuing it for managers, demonstrates their true intent.”

She added: “NTEU will not be bullied into accepting an agreement that does not serve the interests of our members, and we will continue to fight for a fair and reasonable agreement.” NTEU represents some 5,000 FDIC employees.

President Kelley noted that by law, federal agencies must establish policies allowing eligible employees to telecommute, working either from home or at telecommuting centers—and requires that the Office of

Personnel Management (OPM) ensure that at least 25 percent of the federal workforce be covered by such policies. Both OPM and the General Services Administration (GSA) have taken a number of steps in the past year to increase federal sector telecommuting.

In all, some 1,900 FDIC employees, both within and outside of the bargaining unit, have taken part in the agency’s telework program this year.

The FDIC’s “unnecessary and punitive action” will have an adverse impact on employees who have built their work and family schedules around the telework program, President Kelley said. She added that the work of the agency will be impacted as well.

“This kind of action is a major distraction from the work of the American people,” the NTEU leader said. FDIC employees play a major role in regulating the nation’s banks and other financial institutions.

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents some 150,000 employees in 27 agencies and departments.