Home Media Center News Releases

Washington, D.C.—The leader of the nation’s largest independent union of federal workers today sharply criticized the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over its continuing refusal to work toward a telework program that is fair and equitable, and that conforms to the general policy of the federal government.

During negotiations with the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the agency has put forth a “last and final” telework proposal that would allow only nine of more than 900 employees to telework, and those employees would be severely restricted to working less than 50 percent of the time on the program.

“ATF’s proposal is a disgrace,” NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said. “It is an insult to the hard-working ATF employees, many of whom travel over three hours to commute to and from work, and to other ATF employees who will have to decide whether to relocate to West Virginia or resign from the agency in the event there is no ATF telework program.”

Certain work functions currently performed by groups of ATF employees in Washington, D.C., and other southeastern locations are being moved to an ATF facility in West Virginia.

Everyone is behind this concept, sees its benefits and wants it to move forward, said Kelley, including the president, members of Congress, the Office of Personnel Management, federal employees and the public.

But apparently not ATF. NTEU has been in futile negotiations with ATF for more than a year over telework for the bureau’s 900 or so eligible employees. These negotiations are especially discouraging, Kelley added, because five years ago NTEU and ATF successfully agreed to and implemented a pilot telework program that was well-received by both employees and managers. In fact, the pilot program is still functioning while negotiations for a permanent program are underway. Under the ATF proposal these employees would potentially be pushed out of a program they have successfully worked in for years.

The ATF resistance puts it at odds with the strong interest in expanding federal telework opportunities among members of Congress. “There is a growing understanding of the many benefits of telework among our elected leaders,” Kelley said, “including the fact that it is good for the environment, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, has a strong record of boosting employee morale and work productivity, and would contribute to national security in the event of another terrorist attack.”

ATF’s proposal would allow nine employees to telework less than 50 percent of the time, with all other employees either being prohibited from having the opportunity at all or only permitted to telework on a situational basis if approved by their supervisors. NTEU’s proposal calls for most employees to have the opportunity to telework and would provide a 100 percent telework arrangement for positions such as investigator and auditor, work that is generally performed outside of the office.

The matter is now before the Federal Service Impasses Panel (FSIP) although ATF has forced the Panel to cancel at least one scheduled meeting on the dispute.

“NTEU will continue to fight ATF’s brazen attempt to place its employees in an inferior position when compared to other public and private sector employees who telework,” Kelley said.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 federal workers in 30 agencies and departments.