FSC Master Agreement

Employee Survey & Master Agreement Negotiations Update

THANK YOU for your response to our employee survey, which was distributed to approximately 11,000 employees. We received nearly 3,000 responses, and more than 1,000 employees provided comments. We have read every single comment and are analyzing the results.

The primary purpose of this survey was to help in our preparations for negotiating the new Master Agreement, which is our top priority now. So our immediate task was to separate comments pertaining to MA negotiations from issues that can be addressed only through legislative action or the Forest Service Partnership Council or internally within the union. Consolidated comments will be provided to the associated FSC committees for action. We will develop and share an overview of the survey results with employees this fall.

We are in our final countdown before negotiations begin July 26 - August 8, 2009, in Denver. We've been operating under our current contract since June 3, 2005, and it expires on June 2, 2010. Almost all of the articles in the current MA, along with many other issues will be negotiated. We have a great deal of work ahead!

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Negotiations Topics

The following articles have been opened for negotiations; most were opened by Management.
  • Article 1 - Recognition and Unit Recognition
  • Article 2 - Implementation of Agreement
  • Article 3 - Definitions
  • Article 4 - Employee Rights
  • Article 5 - Union Rights
  • Article 6 - Management Rights
  • Article 7 - Union Use of Facilities and Services
  • Article 8 - Collaborative Labor Relations and Partnership
  • Article 9 - Grievances
  • Article 10 - Arbitration
  • Article 11 - Negotiations
  • Article 12 - Prenotification for Unfair Labor Practice
  • Article 13 - Orientation of Employees
  • Article 14 - Position Description and Classification
  • Article 15 - Performance Management System
  • Article 16 - Promotion and Details
  • Article 17 - Awards Program
  • Article 18 - Work Schedules
  • Article 19 - Pay and Per Diem
  • Article 20 - Leave
  • Article 21 - Actions Based on Unacceptable Performance
  • Article 22 - Discipline and Adverse Actions
  • Article 23 - Permanent Seasonal Employment
  • Article 24 - Temporary/Term Employees
  • Article 25 - Equal Employment Opportunity
  • Article 27 - Safety and Health
  • Article 28 - Fire and Other Incidents
  • Article 29 - Government-Furnished Quarters
  • Article 30 - Training
  • Article 31 - Changes to Organization
  • Article 38 - Contracting Work Out
  • Article 39 - Voluntary Allotment of Union Dues
  • Article 41 - Job Corps (Civilian Conservation Centers)
  • Article 42 - Personal Hardship
  • Appendix A - Descriptions of Units
  • Appendix B - Union Dues
  • Appendix D - RIF Competitive Areas
Additional topics are planned for negotiations:
  • Employee Rights in Investigations
  • Law Enforcement
  • Drug Testing
  • Office Space
  • Positive Work Environment
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Detached/Hosted Employees
  • Wellness
  • Review of Existing MOUs

Negotiations Teams

NFFE Forest Service Council : Co-Chair Ron Thatcher (R1), Co-Chair Steve Flory (NFFE Business Rep), Lonnie Lewis (R5), Eric Plimmer (R6), Leslie Boak (R6), Dave Stamey (R8), Chris Feutrier (Job Corps), Melissa Baumann (Research), Mark Davis (Research), and Karen Mora (WO Detached).

Management: Jim Reaves (Research), Kim Hickman (ASC-HCM), David Ferrell (LEI), Bill Waterbury (FAM), Alison Hill (Research), Paul Bradford (R1), and Jane Eide (Job Corps). Other management participants are John Esworthy (ASC-HCM), Deborah Lombardino (Civil Rights), and Cathy Neuman (ASC-HCM).

Negotiations will begin July 26 - August 8, 2009, in Denver. The current MA between the Forest Service and the NFFE Forest Service Council expires on June 2, 2010.

MA Negotiations Updates

June 18, 2009
May 26, 2009
May 11, 2009 (joint union-management message)
April 9, 2009
May 1 2009

Current Master Agreement

The current MA between the Forest Service and the NFFE Forest Service Council expires on June 2, 2010. Management has indicated that they wish to re-negotiate a large number of articles.

Below is a link to the 2005 Master Agreement between NFFE and the Forest Service. All articles, appendices and annotations are in a single PDF document.

To easily navigate through this document while in the Acrobat viewer, click on the 'Bookmarks' tab. Use the bookmarks to quickly move between articles, appendices and article annotations.

Master Agreement Between FS and NFFE
Effective date: June 3, 2005
Termination date: June 2, 2010

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