The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2021

64 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Labor Management T he 10 staff members of the AFSA Labor Management Office provide support to the vice presidents and representatives of the six foreign affairs agencies, as well as to our approximately 16,700 members, on a wide range of issues relating to conditions of employment for members of the Foreign Service. Since the onset of the pandemic, LM has advocated with the department collectively and individually to ensure our members felt safe and secure. We have resolved inquiries relating to global authorized depar- ture, quarantining, telework, Foreign Affairs Counter Threat training and vaccine distribution, including for those moving to a new assignment (PCSing). One of LM’s proudest moments occurred even before the pandemic struck: During the winter of 2019- 2020, we supported members called to testify before Congress in connection with the first impeachment of President Trump. Under highly politicized circum- stances, LM secured the department’s agreement to partially reimburse the legal fees of these members, negotiated with law firms to provide lower-cost or even pro bono service, and made certain that any remaining costs were borne by AFSA’s Legal Defense Fund. Not one member called to testify had to pay one cent from their own pocket. From July 2019 to May 2021, the LM staff responded to approximately 3,200 requests for assistance and helped members with approximately 1,200 individual Labor Management received 3,200 requests from AFSA members during the 2019-2021 Governing Board term. Labor Management assisted AFSA members with approximately 1,200 individual cases during the 2019-2021 Governing Board term. cases. Shown at the top are the top 10 types of LM requests received during this period. As of this writing, the number of open/abeyance indi- vidual LM cases by constituency is as follows: State, 744; USAID, 44; FCS, 13; APHIS, 3; USAGM, 3; FAS, 2. Advocacy on the Hill C ongressional advocacy continues to be listed as a top AFSAmembership benefit in surveys, and the need for strong, focused advocacy on the Hill was underscored by the pandemic during the 2019-2021 AFSA Governing Board. AFSA advocacy helped successfully ward off pro- posed cuts to the international affairs budget four years in a row, garnering bipartisan support in Congress for diplomacy and development funding. Emergency funding due to the pandemic—totaling more than $17 billion—was partially directed to help fill the gap in Con- sular Affairs funding. AFSA continues to advocate to fill the CA funding gap so long as worldwide travel remains reduced. Congressional advocacy also focused on pushing for prompt Senate confirmation of nominees and, espe- cially, Foreign Service promotion lists during the board’s term. This was an ongoing membership concern in 2020 and into the 117th Congress this year. AFSA continued its advocacy for creating a field- forward Foreign Service and was able to maintain previ- ously gained funding increases for that purpose over two fiscal years (2020-2021). AFSA successfully inserted AFSA TERM REPORT