The Foreign Service Journal, September 2018

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2018 63 Settlement of Implementation Dispute Protects AFSA Right to Attend Formal Meetings In April, the State Depart- ment settled an implementation dispute filed by AFSA in Decem- ber 2017, in which AFSA maintained that the depart- ment failed to notify the union of meetings tak- ing place between the Bureau of Medical Ser- vices (MED) and “bargain- ing unit” members of the Foreign Service concerning conditions of employment issues. Both AFSA’s collec- tive bargaining agreement with the department and the Foreign Service Act require that the union be provided reasonable notice of formal discus- sions between the department and bargaining unit employees (i.e., members of the Foreign Service) regarding “condi- tions of employment,” as well as the opportunity to be present at these meetings. When concerned mem- bers alerted AFSA that MED was organizing such a town hall on Nov. 14 for employees who were medi- cally affected after being exposed to unknown ele- ments in Cuba in the fall of 2016, the union notified the department of its wish to participate; but the request was denied due to privacy concerns. AFSA requested to attend this meeting to better understand the processes and procedures concerning insurance coverage eligibil- ity for medical costs associ- ated with these incidents, and to gather information on how employees who depleted their leave as a result of required extended medical care would be treated by the department. To settle this dispute, the department agreed to provide notification to major bureaus—including MED, Diplomatic Security and the Career Development and Assignments Office—of their obligation to notify AFSA of any formal meetings with employees in which issues concerning or relat- ing to personnel policies or practices or other general conditions of employment would be raised. In formal meetings with MED, AFSA will participate via phone to ensure attendees’ anonym- ity. Through this settlement, AFSA believes it has now addressed a major concern regarding the department’s obligation under the law. Messaging to key bureaus in the department will help foster a lasting awareness of AFSA’s right to proper notice in appropriate cir- cumstances. AFSA will continue to press the department for the opportunity to attend formal discussions where matters concerning condi- tions of employment are or may be raised. For us, what is important is that we can continue to represent the concerns of members, to speak for those who cannot and to advocate strongly for the Foreign Service. n —Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan Esq., Labor Management Counselor NEWS BRIEF Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan COMMON SENSE GU I DE TO CODELS If there is one thing we hear repeatedly frommem- bers of Congress, it is that their experiences meeting members of the Foreign Service in the field leave a profound impression. In the June 21 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 State and Foreign Operations budget, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) talked of having “traveled throughout this world” and then called members of the Foreign Service “heroes in their own right.”The committee then voted 31-0 in favor of fully restoring funding for State/USAID and increasing funding for core diplomatic capability. Never underestimate the importance of your work supporting visits of congressional delegations to post. Because summer is prime CODEL season, AFSA released its “Common Sense Guide to CODELs” in June. This short guide offers our members ideas for how best to manage the CODELs that visit your posts. You can find the guide at: http://bit.ly/GuidetoCodels. n NOTES FROM LABOR MANAGEMENT AFSA NEWS AFSA’s collective bargaining agreement with the department and the Foreign Service Act require that the union be provided reasonable notice of formal discussions between the department and bargaining unit employees.