(March
18, 2011)
In
order to further improve the lines of communication and to respond to the
concerns between the National VA Council and you our members, I have
established a National VA Council Briefing. This NVAC Briefing will bring you
the latest news and developments within DVA and provide you with the current
status of issues this Council is currently addressing. I believe that this
NVAC Briefing will greatly enhance the way in which we communicate and the way
in which we share new information, keeping you better informed.
Alma
L. Lee
National
VA Council, President
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In
This Briefing:
Update
on the Master Agreement 3-18-11
Attached
you will find the modifications to Articles 3, 4, 7, 8, 19, 27, 29, 30, 33,
45, 48, 49 and 57. The language in red
is the only change. VA claimed that Articles 23, 62 and 33 had
violations and we found they did not.
Negotiations
on the current Agreement were completed the week of September 13, 2010.
The agreement was edited the week of October 25, 2010 and was printed.
The Agreement was distributed to the constituent locals for ratification, on
or about December 7, 2010. The votes were then tabulated.
Approximately 74% of those who voted, voted in favor of ratification. As
with the previous master agreement, the Agreement was then submitted for
agency-head review on January 17, 2011. The Agency returned a list of
provisions that it contended were contrary to law, statute, or government-wide
regulation. The Council and the Agency reached the consensus necessary
to bring those provisions within the law.
The
modifications that the parties made were to fix the violations and to make the
Agreement enforceable and valid.
Therefore,
a second ratification is not required.
We
are currently looking at the week of March 27, 2011; for the signing of the
Agreement.