June 2021

Below is just a sample of the hard work done by union reps in Local 2366 this month; there are many things we cannot post due to privacy or security concerns. While there are plenty of good supervisors and managers in DRT, there is no shortage of nonsense from those among their ranks who don’t care about following policy or looking out for their subordinates.

Union reps helped multiple employees with denied COVID-19 claims, resulting in the claims being approved.

The local announced the Puerto Rico detail lawsuit and assisted some DRT employees to determine if they qualify.

The union announced the completion of the policy allowing agents to wear the hard plate carrier over just the performance patrol shirt.

The union announced the completion of the new Physical Fitness Program Internal Operating Procedure for USBP employees.

On June 18, 2021, the union arranged for almost 700 meals to be provided to on-duty agents by the non-profit organization Latinos for America First.

Several union reps attended three days of OWCP training to better enable them to help injured members with their claims.

An employee was improperly denied the use of annual leave, and a union rep was able to resolve the issue.

The agency denied a Step II grievance in which an employee was improperly forced to use sick leave, so the union continued with a Step III grievance.

Union reps met with trainees in Classes 1173, 1174, and 1175 to discuss the job, the academy, and what the union can do to help them.

In response to the agency’s new efforts to reduce the amount of PII sent outside the network, a union rep assisted an employee who is alleged to have inappropriately sent information outside the network.

Numerous issues regarding mandatory overtime, including Sunday pay, holiday pay, and volunteers were addressed with management.

Union reps provided interviews to Fox News and CBS.

Local 2366 awarded the 2021 fall semester $1,000 scholarship to a member’s child.

Resolved an issue regarding an improper request for a doctor’s note and inappropriate AWOL allegation

A union rep continues to work with an employee regarding the agency’s calculation of his career overtime average for his control period.

An employee’s arbitration hearing was scheduled regarding a suspension.

The union is investigating whether an employee had a debt improperly collected by the agency.

Union reps attended several investigative interviews with OPR and management inquiry.

Multiple requests for information were filed, dozens of agents were helped with their assorted memoranda, and several agents were assisted with their disciplinary or adverse actions.

May 2021

Below is just a sample of the hard work done by union reps in Local 2366 this month; there are many things we cannot post due to privacy or security concerns. While there are plenty of good supervisors and managers in DRT, there is no shortage of nonsense from those among their ranks who don’t care about following policy or looking out for their subordinates.

An employee was improperly counseled for an alleged policy violation — the manager cited a policy from a different agency as his basis for the counseling. Obviously, another agency’s policy does not apply to the Border Patrol, so we addressed the matter and had the counseling rescinded.

The agency denied a Step I grievance in which an employee was improperly forced to use sick leave, so the union continued with a Step II grievance.

A local union rep continued to help an employee with his medical retirement claim.

Local reps met with Congressman Tony Gonzales and his staff to discuss issues affecting Border Patrol employees in Del Rio Sector.

Two new Border Patrol Processing Coordinators (BPPC) entered on duty with DRT and local reps met with them during their orientation.

Local 2366 made a donation for the take your kids to work event and the Police Week Memorial in Del Rio.

A Step II grievance was filed regarding an agent who was ordered to go home and made to use his own sick leave to do so, even though he didn’t request sick leave and was not incapacitated.

Union reps attended union-sponsored training regarding mixed cases and how to selected between an EEO complaint and a grievance.

A complaint was filed with the State of Texas regarding a municipal request for information about a member.

Classes 1171 and 1172 entered on duty, and union reps met with them to discuss the job, the academy, and what the union can help them with.

A union rep reported a privacy leak found on the intranet, in which numerous employees’ retirement packets were left unsecured.

An agent submitted a request related to the Operational Mobility Program to Border Patrol Headquarters via a memo, but DRT intercepted the request. The union addressed the issue directly with HQ and got it resolved.

A grievance was resolved regarding an employee’s shift swap request.

The local continues to help the family of a deceased agent who needs help dealing with OPM and DOL regarding the member’s benefits after his on-duty death.

Union reps attended several investigative interviews with OPR and management inquiry.

Multiple requests for information were filed, dozens of agents were helped with their assorted memoranda, and several agents were assisted with their disciplinary or adverse actions.

April 2021

Below is just a sample of the hard work done by union reps in Local 2366 this month; there are many things we cannot post due to privacy or security concerns. While there are plenty of good supervisors and managers in DRT, there is no shortage of nonsense from those among their ranks who don’t care about following policy or looking out for their subordinates.

Employees who submitted weather and safety leave memoranda in February started to finally receive a response. About half of the employees had their requests denied, primarily because they did not provide any or enough information about their efforts to make it to work. Employees who wished to resubmit it were provided additional guidance and submitted an updated memo.

An agent had previously submitted a request for LWOP, but it sat in a manager’s inbox for weeks. We found where the request was pending, and fast-tracked it.

It was discovered that a station was not allowing agents on a unit that has multiple shifts to participate in the shift bid process. A grievance was filed and the agency agreed to implement the shift bid process.

We were notified that the union won an arbitration, in which an employee was removed from his position. The arbitrator determined that not only was removal not appropriate but that the deciding official had made errors during the decision phase, warranting the employee’s reinstatement. The employee will be receiving a significant amount of back pay and will otherwise be made whole.

With the union’s help, an employee who had been proposed a lengthy suspension had it significantly reduced via a settlement with the agency.

A local rep began working on an EEO case for the agency’s failure to properly consider a reasonable accommodation request.

An employee’s request for medical retirement was denied by OPM, so the union began assisting the employee with the claim, which is ongoing.

A union rep worked with management in a station to make a shift swap happen that was being unnecessarily delayed.

A union rep reported a privacy leak in which the reasonable accommodation requests of numerous CBP employees was left unsecured on the CBP intranet.

CBP committed an error while calculating an employee’s career average overtime, and the union had to file a grievance to get it resolved. The grievance was settled and the employee will receive the appropriate back pay.

A station ordered an injured employee to return to work, even though one of his doctors had not yet cleared him to return to work. The agent was ordered to return to duty or face being considered AWOL, while Del Rio Sector waited for word from DOL. A grievance was filed and he was permitted to remain on LWOP. A union rep worked with the DOL claims examiner to ensure they had enough information — the claim was adjudicated in the agent’s favor, he has recovered from his injuries, and returned to work.

The union was notified of a change in work conditions for a small work unit. The union and agency negotiated a few items regarding the change.

An issue was resolved in which a station failed to properly forward an agent’s memorandum for a detail solicitation.

Local reps participated in three congressional delegations in RGV Sector involving over 40 representatives and senators.

An agent was ordered to go home and made to use his own sick leave to do so, even though he didn’t request sick leave and was not medically ill. A grievance was filed and the process is ongoing.

A Step II grievance was filed regarding a station’s unreasonable denial of a shift swap between two agents.

Union reps attended several investigative interviews with OPR and management inquiry.

Multiple requests for information were filed, dozens of agents were helped with their assorted memoranda, and several agents were assisted with their disciplinary or adverse actions.

March 2021

Below is just a sample of the hard work done by union reps in Local 2366 this month; there are many things we cannot post due to privacy or security concerns. While there are plenty of good supervisors and managers in DRT, there is no shortage of nonsense from those among their ranks who don’t care about following policy or looking out for their subordinates.

Union reps toured the new soft-side facility in Eagle Pass to look for any potential issues when it opened up. Lessons learned from the facility in Donna, Texas, were applied and resolved several issues.

Class 1169 entered on duty, and union reps met with them to discuss the job, the academy, and what the union can help them with.

Union reps attended a meeting with Governor Abbott to discuss ongoing issues at the border.

An employee was helped with requesting advanced leave due to a medical condition.

An agent was helped with a critical incident and PORAC was contacted.

Union reps attended union-sponsored training regarding request for information, which are used on a regular basis to obtain information from the agency as part of disciplinary/adverse actions, grievances, and bargaining, among other things.

Some stations were refusing to provide administrative leave to employees who experienced symptoms after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. The union contacted USBP in DC and fixed the issue.

Two employees who were quarantined due to COVID-19 were improperly ordered by a supervisor to return to work too early. The matter was fixed directly with the PAIC.

A detail solicitation was not forwarded to agents in one station, so a local rep contacted sector to have the solicitation properly forwarded and the deadline extended so the employees had time to apply.

An employee was assisted with a non-per diem detail request due to a medical condition — the request was ultimately approved.

A Step I grievance was filed regarding a station’s unreasonable denial of a shift swap between two agents.

A station’s use of TSM was investigated because it appeared that hundreds of illegal aliens were improperly not being counted as “gotaways.” This is supposedly due to 2012 guidance issued by Chief Fisher, and the matter is ongoing.

Union reps attended several investigative interviews with OPR and management inquiry.

Multiple requests for information were filed, dozens of agents were helped with their assorted memoranda, and several agents were assisted with their disciplinary or adverse actions.