AFGE Local 1764

WASHINGTON—American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National President John Gage will share his thoughts on the new nominee to lead the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on AFGE’s “Inside Government” nationally syndicated radio program. The show will air on Friday, March 12 at 10 a.m. EST nationwide on Federal News Radio at www.federalnewsradio.com and 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C., area.

President Obama recently nominated retired Maj. Gen. Robert Harding to head TSA. Gage will address his support for Gen. Harding, and AFGE’s fight to secure collective bargaining rights at the agency. Questions regarding the impact of collective bargaining rights on national security could play a role in Gen. Harding’s confirmation process, to which Gage says, “The biggest threat to national security is not having an administrator at TSA.” Gage also will update listeners on the status of AFGE’s petition to the Federal Labor Relations Authority for exclusive union representation at TSA.

AFGE National Vice Presidents Dwight Bowman and Dorothy James then will discuss AFGE’s progress in recent years and what the union must do to keep what it has earned. Bowman and James also will touch on issues in the D.C. government and the end of the National Security Personnel System (NSPS).

AFGE Marine Corps Council 240 President Brian Leonard will talk about life after NSPS, and why it’s important for management to work with employees to address workplace issues.

Lastly, Department of Defense Local 2142 President Joe Gonzales will highlight his efforts to ensure workplace safety, pay raises, and opportunities for veterans returning home from war.

“Inside Government” is hosted by AFGE Assistant General Counsel J. Ward Morrow. Programs are archived on the Federal News Radio Web site and can be heard on demand at www.federalnewsradio.com or www.afge.org/insidegovernment. Please note there will be a short advertisement prior to the start of the program. The program also is available via iTunes podcast by clicking here. Users must install iTunes on their computers before accessing “Inside Government” via podcast.

Listeners also can follow the program on Facebook (AFGE Inside Government) and Twitter (@afgeradioshow).

For instructions on how to listen to “Inside Government,” click here.

For more information, please visit www.afge.org/insidegovernment or www.federalnewsradio.com.

“Inside Government” is hosted by AFGE Assistant General Counsel J. Ward Morrow. Programs are archived on the Federal News Radio Web site and can be heard on demand at www.federalnewsradio.com or www.afge.org/insidegovernment. Please note there will be a short advertisement prior to the start of the program. The program also is available via iTunes podcast by clicking here. Users must install iTunes on their computers before accessing “Inside Government” via podcast.

Listeners also can follow the program on Facebook (AFGE Inside Government) and Twitter (@afgeradioshow).

For instructions on how to listen to “Inside Government,” click here.

For more information, please visit www.afge.org/insidegovernment or www.federalnewsradio.com.

(WASHINGTON) – The American Federation of Government Employees, today, expressed thanks to H.R. 4786 sponsor Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA), as well as Representative Jim Oberstar (D-MN), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Representative Howard Coble (R-NC), on behalf of the Committee’s ranking member, Representative John Mica (R-FL), for ensuring that the pay and benefits of recently furloughed Department of Transportation (DoT) employees will not be reduced.

On March 3, thousands of employees from DoT returned to work after being on non-paid furlough for two days because an interim extension of the Highway Trust Fund was blocked while Congress debated a longer extension.

Upon learning of the furlough of thousands of its members, AFGE flew into action by aggressively lobbying members of Congress to ensure that the affected workers would not “lose one minute of pay or suffer any consequences in what amounted to an outrageous, partisan action taken by one senator,” said Beth Moten, AFGE legislative director.

“Without this legislation and without the tireless work of our DoT local president Antonyio Johnson, our 2,000 DoT members would otherwise not be paid for the time they were furloughed when the highway trust fund was not reauthorized in a timely fashion. This bill will ensure that the paychecks of the affected employees are not reduced. We urge the U.S. Senate to quickly follow the House and get this bill passed,” said Moten.