FDIC shuts down telework program

A pilot telework project at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has ended with union officials protesting the agency's decision to shut down the popular program.

The 18-month-long pilot program ended Nov. 2, as scheduled, according to FDIC spokesman David Barr, after union and agency officials failed to reach an agreement on making the program a permanent employee benefit.

"We did not terminate the program, the 18-month pilot program came to an end as agreed to with the union," Barr explained. "Legally, the FDIC is required to have an agreement with the union and we've been negotiating since February on conditions to make the pilot program permanent, but that was not successful and on Nov. 2, the pilot program period ended."

But National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley challenged the move by FDIC officials, describing it as "a flagrant attack on employees' working conditions, which will have a tremendous adverse impact on employees and their families, and does nothing to promote the ability of the FDIC to fulfill its mission." The union represents 5,000 FDIC employees, more than one-third of whom participated in the pilot program this year.

According to Kelley, the timing for ending the program is suspect because the union and agency are negotiating a new contract.

"It is outrageous that the FDIC would punish employees and their families while negotiations are still ongoing," Kelley said. "Without question, the law requires that the agency maintain all working conditions of an existing contract until bargaining over changes is complete. By so clearly breaking the law, I can only conclude that the agency is trying to punish and intimidate employees-reducing them to bargaining pawns."

By law, federal agencies must establish policies allowing eligible employees to telecommute. The fiscal 2001 Transportation Appropriations Act directed the government to ensure that 50 percent of the federal workforce were participating in telecommuting programs at least part of the time by April 2002. According to the Office of Personnel Management, just 4.2 percent of federal workers-far from the one-half called for in the act-had taken part in telework programs as of January, the latest figures available.

Earlier this year Patent Office employees accused agency officials of trying to force their hand in negotiations over extending their telework program.

The loss of the FDIC telework program will have an impact on agency operations, said Kelley.

"This kind of action is a major distraction from the work of the American people," Kelley said.

Barr said the issue may be resolved during contract negotiations.