NTEU continues to accomplish so much for CFTC employees. The amount that members pay in dues to support our advocacy is far exceeded by your salary increases and other benefits that the Union achieves. (attached Return on Dues analysis).
We are at a critical juncture in our advocacy for you and we need your help if we are to succeed. If you are not already a member, please join. Here’s why we need you:
• We are negotiating for permanently expanded telework and remote work as part of a return to offices. NTEU and CFTC surveys overwhelmingly show that significantly expanded telework and remote work post-pandemic are top priorities for employees. The Union’s bargaining proposals on telework and remote work reflect your priorities. Our proposals also seek to narrow the gap between the more generous telework and remote enjoyed by employees at other financial regulatory agencies and those at the CFTC. We expect CFTC leadership to oppose our efforts.
• We are negotiating a new compensation agreement. Again reflecting your priorities and other agencies’ agreements, we have proposed salary increases to address inflation and parity with agencies like the SEC. We have also proposed additional compensation benefits that we do not currently have but most financial agencies do. These include but are not limited to structural improvements to compensation, a supplemental thrift savings plan or greater employer contributions to the TSP, payment of bar dues, assistance for child care, and more. We expect bargaining to be difficult, with the Agency opposing many of the improvements you want.
• We will soon start negotiations for other provisions in a new master collective bargaining agreement. We will also be proposing improvements to the CBA in other priority areas, as identified by you in our surveys. Here too, we expect bargaining to be difficult, with the Agency opposing many of the improvements you want.
• Our membership rate is significantly less than the 80% union membership rate at the SEC. The SEC Union’s success in negotiating the benefits you want at CFTC is because employees there have shown their support for the Union by overwhelmingly becoming dues paying members. Management knows when membership increases, stagnates, or decreases. Increasing our membership now will send a strong signal to Agency leadership that employees stand with the Union at a critical time on the issues the Union is negotiating.
• Membership dues pay for the things we need to effectively represent you: professional NTEU staff to lead negotiations, litigate as necessary when the Agency violates the CBA or the law, and advise Chapter 337 daily on how best to advocate for you.
Please join your dues-paying colleagues who have sustained us and support the Union that supports you by becoming a member. Please contact any officer or steward and join today (list and form attached).
In solidarity,
Malcolm Alexander-Neal
President, Chapter 337@ CFTC and the NTEU Chapter 337 officer/steward team