The Foreign Service Journal, March 2010

MA R CH 2 0 1 0 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 59 AFSA Annual Report 2009 C O N S T I T U E N C Y S U M M A R I E S T he focus for our efforts in 2009 was first on rescuing the Commercial Service from fiscal disaster, and then on restor- ing its strength. This involved extensive lobbying on the Hill, “in the building” and with our friends. We contacted every legislator on our appropriations committee and organized let- ters of support from the National Association of Manufacturers, the Business Council for International Understanding, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other allies. Officers overseas did their part to brief visitors, and our ambassadors also weighed in on our behalf. We didnot get the immediate boost fromthe incoming admin- istration that our State colleagues did, but we now feel that Commerce management is fully engaged, especially Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and our congressional liaison offices. Our senior officials have put their hearts into it, testifying on the Hill and “shaking the trees” in the building. AFSA lobbying power has been especially effective under newPresident Susan Johnson. And, for the first time in our history, an AFSA president (John Naland) met with the Secretary of Commerce, welcoming him to the new job, introducing the importance of our activities and pushing for more resources. On other fronts, we helped secure and implement locality pay and same-sex partner benefits, made progress in streamlining senior pay processing, and turned back unwise changes in drug testing and Senior Foreign Service promotions. We are still work- ing to effect change in the broken-down seven-year rule — so far without success. Finally, the AFSA Political Action Committee and its con- nections have been very valuable. We were finally able to obtain an additional $10 million in funding in Fiscal Year 2010 and, thanks to the support of our management, it looks as though we will have a substantial request for FY 2011, as well. This is good news, indeed. — Keith Curtis, FCS VP I thasbeena toughdecade formanyU.S. com- panies, employees and the economy. AFSA/ FAS is alsohappy to see the endof the 2000- 2009decade, and to launch intoanewonewith many educational, newandongoing opportu- nities to address our dual personnel systems. Contract: Despite our best AFSA team efforts, we didnotmake any real progress revis- ingour contract in2009. Nowthat thenewFAS management team is (mostly) in place, wewill make a concentrated effort, starting with our core concern: Article 25 onperformanceman- agement. Washington Placement Plan: TheWPP must focus on finding good jobs for returning Foreign Service officers. Meanwhile, our col- leagues of the American Federation of State, County andMunicipal Employees are interest- ed in a Civil Service promotion process. So tri- lateral interest-based bargaining looms —pro- viding an opportunity for the new FAS admin- istrators andAFSA/FAS torelearn the “whys” and “hows” of the ForeignService personnel system. ATO Grievance: The ForeignService Labor Relations Board gave us a great holiday present by upholding the findings of the ForeignService Grievance Board that the 2008 assignment of three Civil Service employees to Agricultural TradeOffice positions in the first bidding round was inconsistentwith theForeignServiceAct and our contract. Thanks to all the hardwork of the AFSA legal staff, we may be able to negotiate a solution. —Henry Schmick, FAS VP Foreign Commercial Service: Welcome Engagement For the first time in our history, AFSA President John Naland met with the Secretary of Commerce, welcoming him to the new job, introducing the importance of our activities and pushing for more resources. FAS VP Henry Schmick updates boardmem- bers on the Foreign Agricultural Service at the Governing Board retreat on Nov. 7. Foreign Agricultural Service: Into a New Decade AUSTIN TRACY