Call for Nominations

IAM and NFFE Legislative Conference

Washington, D.C., May 12-17, 2013

Deadline for Nominations - March 12, 2013

The Forest Service Council (FSC) is planning for this year's IAM Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. As you all are aware, we have scored some significant legislative victories in recent years. Our successes can be attributed to lots of hard work over the years to bring good, solid, credible information to the Hill. Our efforts have yielded good relationships on both sides of the aisle. This means our issues are better received and we are better positioned to work for positive change.

This year, we plan to continue building on the momentum of past successes. Our primary legislative priority this year will be advocating for a “path to permanence” as one step in a long journey toward comprehensive temporary employment reform. For more information, check out our Legislative Action webpage at http://www.nffe-fsc.org/committees/legislative/. A possible secondary priority is to garner support in Congress for the CCC program. Recent actions by the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) stand to eviscerate this successful program. Currently, ETA proposes to close down an undisclosed number of centers based on questionable criteria.

Nothing is more effective than having front-line employees bring the truth right into the Halls of Congress, straight from the ground, unfiltered by politics. Congress needs to hear the truth; it is important that we show up to tell our stories and make our views known. This is the only way change will ever happen.

Important Note: Your time and expenses will only be covered if you have been selected to attend through the Forest Service Council’s nomination process.

In addition, the NFFE National Office will send one delegate from each of the top five Locals with the greatest percentage increase in density to the 2013 conference. Winners will have expenses paid for 1 week including hotel, airfare, and per diem. Attendance will be on your own time. Even without official time, this is a great opportunity.

If you have not been selected by the Council or NFFE, please do NOT send applications directly to IAM or NFFE unless you are planning to attend on your own time and cover your own expenses out of pocket.

Responsibilities for Legislative Conference Participants: Prior to attending, all attendees are expected to study the briefing materials and supporting documentation on the Council’s legislative priorities. A number of conference calls will be scheduled prior to the Conference. Attendees are expected to participate in these calls. You cannot be effective if you don't know the issues, and since your participation will be funded in part by hard-earned dues money we expect you to dedicate yourself to being effective. We understand that sometimes things come up and you may not be able to make a call, but in such a case you are expected to let the Legislative Chair know.

All participants are expected to meet with their Congressional delegation. Each attendee is responsible for making appointments to meet with her/his Congressional delegation. Appointments should be made on the phone about 2 weeks prior to the Conference. You will need to make these appointments on your own time using your own equipment (unless you are a CVP or designee or unless your Local has negotiated the right to use government equipment for this under Article 7.2.c.(2)). You will receive a tip sheet to help you.

You will also be expected to attend other meetings with Congressional staff and others to advance the Council’s legislative priorities. The Legislative Committee will coordinate and assign these meetings. Political experience is not necessary – help will be available to everyone needing it.

A mandatory training, issue briefing, and logistics session of 3-4 hours duration will be held Monday morning, May 13. Shorter briefings on subsequent days will occur from 7:30–8:30. You will be expected to attend these sessions as well unless you have a conflicting Congressional appointment.

Each visit with Congressional staff is recorded on a contact form. It will be your responsibility to complete these forms the day of the appointment, and submit them to the Legislative Chair at the next morning’s briefing session.

In addition to our legislative activities, there are a number of worthwhile and educational activities put on by IAM. Typically, the IAM general session begins at 1:30 pm on Monday, with subsequent sessions from 9:00 am until noon on Tuesday through Thursday. These sessions will include legislative activities and Congressional speakers. There is typically an IAM banquet on Wednesday night. All IAM activities will be at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW. You should schedule your appointments with your Congressional delegation around IAM, if possible. However, our direct communications with Congress must take precedence over these activities. You may have to miss some of these activities to meet with Congressional staff.

Attendees will be expected to arrive in Washington on Sunday evening and depart on Friday afternoon. Because coverage of appointments is impossible to predict, attendees who arrange to depart on Saturday should be prepared to change their travel plans and depart earlier if there is no representational work for them to perform.

Plan on having a full schedule each day. Dress code is semi-formal with good walking shoes.

After returning home, you will be expected to submit to the Legislative Chair a report of your week. We are doing this work for the bargaining unit and it is incumbent upon us to report to them on our activities.

As should be clear, we expect to work you hard. But I think you will find it to be very rewarding work. You should plan on being extremely tired, happy, and proud at the end of this week.

Nomination Process: To attend this year’s Legislative Conference:

·  Nominations: You must be nominated by your Local President or Council VicePresident to attend as a Council representative. A nomination form is attached. You will be allowed at least 26.5 hours of official time for the week (Article 5.5.a(7)) – the actual amount will depend on the number of attendees. Note that attendees may need to use annual leave, comp time, or credit hours to cover the remainder of their time.

·  Note to Council Vice-Presidents: Please inform the Legislative Committee Chair if you plan to visit Congressional representatives during IAM’s Legislative Week by March 16. It is important to get a head count before making selections from among nominees.

Reimbursement of Costs: The agency will pay for attendees’ travel to/from DC and for their appropriate lodging and per diem costs. These costs will not be borne by your local unit; you will be provided with a national job code to which to charge these expenses and your time. Attendees will claim these costs by filling out a travel voucher just as you would for any agency-assigned travel. Attendees should plan to pay the Conference Fee ($60 in 2012, must pay with a check) from their personal funds or donations expressly for that purpose. Dues money cannot be used to cover the Conference Fee. Any other legitimate expenses will be borne by the Union (50% by your Local and 50% by the Council).

You will be expected to submit a draft timesheet and travel voucher to the Legislative Committee for review prior to submitting in to the agency. This is to avoid errors that have generated major headaches in the past.

Nominations to attend this year’s Legislative Conference are due by COB Tuesday, March 12. Use the nomination form, attached. Nominations must be submitted by a Local President or Council Vice-President. Email it as an attachment to .

After the list of attendees is finalized, we will get lodging information and other information out to you. We will also schedule the conference calls to prepare for an effective trip.

In solidarity,

/s/ Lisa Wolfe

Lisa Wolfe, Chair

NFFE Forest Service Council Legislative Committee

FSC_Leg_Conf_Call_Ltr-Revised.docx / -3 / February 14, 2013