CREA Board Meeting Minutes
April 9, 2014
Meeting Started 12:04 p.m.
In attendance:
| Governors
Clint Brass V. Cathy Jones Bonnie Mangan Libby Perl Brian Reeder Mallary Stouffer Carol Hardy Vincent
|
Officers
Phillip Brogsdale Jack Moteff Alison Siskin
|
Others
Chelsea Robertson
|
Minutes: March 19th minutes accepted with minor edits. March 26th minutes accepted with a date change.
Contract Negotiations/Impasse Panel: Had two conference calls. The first asked for information on each party’s best/last offer. The second call was about how the impasse panel process works. The 3 day fact-finding mediation is set for April 23rd through 25th. There will be no paper proposals used. The idea is to work on language electronically either together or separately. The parties need to agree on a note-taker. It may be Karen Wirt. The parties have been asked to justify why they want the changes to the contract.
Draft Emergency Guidelines on Early Dismissal/Closures: CREA received a draft of the proposed guidelines, but they are not for dissemination. The proposal does not designate everyone as emergency personnel. There will be some personnel permanently designated as emergency and others who will be designated on an ad hoc basis depending on Congressional needs. Emergency personal may be required to work on-site or remotely. CREA has a chance to comment on the proposal and will hold a meeting with the bargaining unit on Tuesday April 15 to discuss concerns. Jack will draft an email with bullets highlighting what is in the draft. Bonnie and Clint volunteered to help analyze the proposal and craft CREA’s response.
White Paper Committee: Clint drafted a proposal that incorporated the ideas that he and Julius had been discussing. The idea was that the white papers could serve both short-term and longer-term purposes such as: influencing how CRS operated; demonstrating CREA’s value to bargaining unit members; reducing workload of stewards and officers by covering often asked about topics. A possible process for the white papers would be creating a committee that would coordinate the papers but not necessarily write them. There were numerous questions about the proposal. Bonnie asked for clarity on the purpose of the white papers and noted that we don’t want to make the papers too dry. Jack noted that they could have two purposes information and influence. Mallary asked if the papers are meant to cover immediate issues or longer-term concerns. Clint responded that he sees these as both proactive and reactive.
The proposal is just a first-step, guiding document. The committee would have to discuss some of these issues. The white paper committee could work together with other committees (e.g., membership committee, grievance committee). Would need to discuss who would be eligible to author these papers (e.g., all bargaining unit members, just CREA members) and who the intended audience is.
Next steps: Clint will incorporate the BOG’s comments.
Open mic:
- Colleen has mandated that certain analysts in G&F need to tape their seminars. This has raised some concerns both in the manner in which sprung upon the analysts, and if it would change the tenor of the seminars. There are also concerns about whether CRS has the technology and staff to support such an undertaking.