This month AFGE Council 260, our Local’s parent organization, unveils its new web site, http://www.afgecouncil260.org. The web site features a complete contact directory of Council officials and representatives; a union activist resource list with links to labor-oriented organizations; the April 2002 National Agreement; information about joining AFGE; a page with information about AFGE Council 260 legislative and political action activities; and links to homepages for AFGE Locals 104, 1200, and 2578. Please note that legislative and political action information should only be accessed from a non-government computer, such as your home computer.

The AFGE Local 2578 homepage currently includes lists of Local officials and contact information; minutes from the last monthly meeting; and issues of Your Union News.

At the March monthly meeting, AFGE Local 2578 resolved that the Local pay annual dues on behalf of retired members in exchange for eight hours of annual volunteer service to the local. Volunteer projects will be approved in advance by the executive board. Alternatively, retired members can pay the annual dues. For contact and/or billing purposes, it is the retired member's responsibility to keep current address and phone records with the treasurer or their membership may be terminated. Currently known retired members will be notified by mail and phone of this arrangement. Mail will be sent to the last known address of retirees. Any member considering retirement and interested in this arrangement should contact the Union office.

May 2002 marks Wendy’s twelfth anniversary with NARA. Since joining NARA, she has worked in NHPRC, at the Washington National Records Center, in the former Exhibits Branch (NEE), and for the Space & Security Management Division (NAS). She joined the headquarters office of the Office of Regional Records Services (NR) in 2001.

Wendy also joined AFGE in 2001 and shortly after was selected to serve as a representative. Her motivation for joining and enthusiasm for serving as a representative is rooted in her experiences with a poor manager. Wendy responded when asked why she became a representative: "I believe in fairness for everyone, and I don’t want to see employees cheated out of what they’re due because of bad managers!"

Following Stewards Survival Training at the George C. Meany Center in Silver Spring, MD, Wendy determined that she wanted to develop a specialization in handling EEO complaints. For her the best part of the training was interacting with other stewards and hearing their war stories. "My ultimate goal is to see that EEO complaints are handled properly; I am honored to be able to serve my fellow NARA employees in my capacity as an AFGE representative!" To consult with Wendy, contact her by email or at 301-837-1938.

The new contract contains a considerably expanded section on Occupational Safety and Health (Article 11). Bargaining unit employees, especially those working in records center facilities, should familiarize themselves with Section 10: Safety in Hot Environments.

Under Section 10(B), monitoring of non-climate controlled work areas at your facility may begin this month. Specifically, the Agency and Union agreed that from May 15 through September 15, the Agency will determine the heat index reading(s) for non-climate-controlled areas, where appropriate and/or where designated by the Union.

In those areas temperature and relative humidity readings will be taken twice a day, converted to a heat index and recorded in a log. Under Section 10(C), if the heat index is expected to be 90 degrees or over, the Agency will consider a number of actions to minimize exposure and/or mitigate risks associated with it including: varying work schedules, relocating employees, increasing air circulation, providing access to drinking water in work areas, scheduling heat breaks, and dismissing employees early. If the heat index is between 106 and 129 degrees, a heat-safety break schedule will be implemented. If the heat index is above 129 degrees, only under extreme circumstances will the Agency require employees to work in those areas and, if so, for very limited periods of time.

Please also keep in mind that Section 4(A) of the same article protects your right to report unsafe or unhealthy working conditions to your supervisor and/or health and safety committee members without fear of penalty or reprisal. The AFGE Local 2578 principal representative on health and safety issues is Ira Kirshenbaum. Contact Ira by email or at 301-837-1881. For health and safety issues at Archives I, contact Judy Thorne by email or at 202-501-5401x231 or Ed Stokes by email or at 202-501-5465x245. Additional Safety and Health information is at http://staffonly.nara.gov/safetycom/safety.html

Monthly meetings of AFGE Local 2578 are held the last Tuesday of every month at 12:00 in room 5220 of Archives II with teleconference connection to room 503, Archives I. The next scheduled meeting of the Local is Tuesday May 28, 2002. For members, come find out the latest in Local activities. For those interested in joining, membership forms are available at every meeting and are now available through the Council 260 website at http://www.afgecouncil260.org/join.html

On Friday April 26, 2002, The Washington Post reported the death of Kathryn M. Murphy, 87, who retired from the National Archives in 1989 after more than 50 years as an archivist. Most notably, she was founding president of the National Archives Chapter of the American Federal Government Employees Union, AFGE Council 2578.