PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT

President's Statement
This is the first President's Message for the AFGE Local 4056 Website.
Article 26 of the New Contract is now being unilaterally implemented by SSA Management and meetings are scheduled to present talking points to the bargaining unit.
This Article details changes in the merit promotion process that generally increase the amount of discretion and subjectivity used by a selecting official. Priority Consideration is diminished in its impact by increasing the ability of management to overcome its mandate.
Issues such as area of consideration, removal of the limits to selective interviewing, size of the well qualified list, and the assessment process all provide far greater discretionary power to the selecting official. The result is far less accountability to the bargaining unit.
Article 26 is predicated on a multi tier appraisal system that has yet to be implemented. This results in conflicts between the current Article 21 and the new Article 26.

I will continue to keep you informed of important issues as they arise.

James A. Richardson
President Local 4056