May 22, 2014
By Stephanie West
Washington, DC – The American Federation of Government Employees has been named the exclusive representative for more than 2,500 bargaining unit employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority issued a ruling May 7 allowing individual bargaining operations within FEMA to consolidate into a single national unit. AFGE was certified to be the exclusive representative of employees within the consolidated unit.
This consolidated organization will cover employees in all nine locations although some issues will continue to be handled at local levels.
Representatives from the nine locals have met and elected an interim president and an alternate. Gerald Collins, president of AFGE Local 3836 in FEMA Region IV, was elected interim president. Karl Desimone, president of AFGE Local 1754 at a Special Facility, was elected the alternate.
Collins said there are several advantages to employees being covered by a consolidated unit. "The major advantage to the consolidation is that there will no longer be a need for nine separate negotiated agreements. Now we will have one agreement dealing with all issues of national concern throughout the agency. Another advantage will be in how unfair labor practices will now be handled by a single national entity instead of nine individual locals," Collins said.
The existing locals will retain their autonomy on issues affecting employees on a local level, while benefiting from being part of a larger unit that can speak with one voice on matters affecting FEMA employees nationwide, Desimone said.
