January, 28th 2008
To: All Union Members
SUBJECT: Clarification regarding the situation of Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime
Del Rio Sector management, as well as Laredo Sector and El Paso Sector, has decided to go to a four shift rotation. This limited change is in contrast to the first impressions given, that the decision to go to a four shift rotation encompassed the entire United States. There are many who have made an effort to blame the Union for this alteration, but there are certain facts that all should be made aware of prior to placing blame.
1. AUO (Administratively Uncontrolled Overtime) is uncontrollable, in that it is not anticipated, because it in unanticipated it cannot be scheduled. When someone is made to work checkpoint for eight hours and told to wait for relief from their position in excess of their eight hours, that additional time is scheduled and controllable, therefore time in excess of the eight hours would be considered RSOT (Regularly Scheduled Overtime.)
2. Management has historically regulated and mandated Agents to remain in static positions until after relief has arrived. Usually the relief would arrive after the scheduled eight hours of work. Because the Agent is not allowed the opportunity to stop working, anytime in addition to his/her scheduled eight hours would be considered RSOT.
3. The Union has the right to request that Agents be compensated in accordance with the laws regarding AUO and RSOT. Appropriate payment is not a privilege, it is the law. If that does not occur, then the Union has an obligation to its members to investigate any possible means to ensure that Agents are appropriately compensated.
4. Approximately 7 years ago, Local 2544 in Tucson, Arizona, filed a grievance over this issue with the Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent, David Aguilar. In the case of the Tucson violation of pay, Agents were spending in excess of three hours working after their regular eight hours. It was approximately 80 miles from the Tucson Station to their checkpoint, and they were expected, and ordered to work this time regardless of their opinions. Mr. Aguilar refused the grievance, citing it lacked merit, and misappropriate payment continued. On January 14th, 2008, Mr. Aguilar, now Chief of the Border Patrol, provided a memo to his subordinates informing them that they will be held accountable for any expenses incurred by the Government for the misapplication of the AUO laws verses RSOT. The ironic thing about this is that CPA Aguilar, by providing this memorandum, is in essence admitting that he was not following the laws regarding AUO and RSOT at the time that he was the Chief Patrol Agent of Tucson Sector. To further explain the current state of the grievance, no remedy has yet been given with regard to the Tucson Sector checkpoint to date. The present decision from the Del Rio Sector Chief, Randy Hill, appears to be knee-jerk and reactionary. There was no order from Mr. Aguilar, and certainly not from the Border Patrol Union, mandating the implementation of four shifts. Contrarily, the Local Union, 2366, was pleased with the previous arrangement of three shifts.
5. The following is a simple illustration. The agents were the victims of abuse by managed mis-payment in the past. Now management has overtly and covertly attempted to blame the Agents and the Union for requesting justice. The Agents are the victims and the managers the perpetrators. If someone is victimized by a perpetrator, who is at fault? The victim, because they happened to be forced into that situation by the perpetrator? It should be the perpetrator, but unfortunately, some people have gotten this backwards and have sought to tag the Union with the blame. The Union is trying to make right, what should have been right in the first place, yet some managers (not all) have taken the position that laws, regulations, and principles are directed by themselves.
6. A PAIC in Del Rio Sector sent an E-mail to his subordinate managers stating the following:
“The four shifts are a result of the latest law suit filed and won by the Union out in Arizona.”
“As supervisors, you have the authority to direct agents to work traffic after the end of their shift.”
“We will not be making work or allowing agents to just hang around so that they can maintain their two hours a day but if there is traffic out there we will direct agents to work it.”
“Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are short handed and need agents to work traffic you will be able to call in agents back once they have gone home or from their days off for as long as you need them. These call outs fall under the AUO guidelines and will be paid as AUO. Make sure that all assignments and call outs are fair and equitable to all agents.”
The Unions responses to each of these points are as follows:
a. The case is not complete and the four shifts are only occurring in three Sectors in the continental United States. This is nothing more than one of several possible solutions, decided on by the Del Rio Sector Chief, to prevent the misapplication of AUO laws.
b. If a Supervisor orders or directs an individual to work in addition to their regularly scheduled shift, it is not administratively uncontrollable. The laws regarding AUO state clearly that it is the decision of the Agent to continue to work because they know what needs to be done. You should notify the Union immediately if this occurs.
c. If there is traffic that is ongoing then the Agents normally make the call to continue to work it, and most managers know that it isn’t necessary to tell them to continue. If managers start telling people to go home, then they also will have no purpose to remain in the station and can go home after their eight hours and lose their AUO also. No troops in the field, then that manager has ended his/her necessity.
d. If you are called in on your days off or after you have left the station for the day that would be considered administratively controlled RSOT (The Supervisor is directing it). Should this become a problem, let the Union know what is going on.
In short, this simple explanation of events should clarify what is going on right now. If there are any more questions; ask a Union Representative. The Sector has stated that it has given the Union a 3A notice, informing us of the change that is to take place on February 17, 2008. Once the Local is in receipt of that notice, we will determine a course of action to pursue.
In solidarity,
Scott R. Davis
President, Local 2366 NBPC/AFGE Affiliated with AFL-CIO