"Bargaining unit" employees (those covered by our Master Labor Agreement) may appeal management actions they consider unfair in one of three ways:

The union grievance procedure gives you a protected legal means to resolve your dissatisfaction if your grievance can’t be settled at an earlier stage. The important thing to know is that you MUST file your grievance within 20 calendar days of the incident (or your awareness of the incident) being grieved. If you think you have a grievance, contact the union office.

Union members are entitled to AFGE representation in filing Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints. These are grievances that allege discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or handicap. The EEO process has certain advantages and disadvantages compared to the union grievance process. One advantage is that you have 45 days to lodge your complaint. Your local has been successful in winning numerous EEO judgments. Again, we stress, our EEO services are only available to union members.

As a union member, you have the advantage of a union representative going to bat for you in Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals.  MSPB hears and decides appeals from Federal employees regarding removal and other major personnel actions.  The Board also hears and decides other types of civil service cases, reviews significant actions and regulations of the Office of Personnel Management, and conducts studies of merit systems.  Your union steward will work with you to complete MSPB forms and hearing preparation.  Knowledgeable and skilled union stewards represent you in the actual hearings as well. Local 1138 has an excellent  record for positive resolutions in MSPB.  In some cases, management calls to settle within hours of receipt of the MSPB appeal notification!