POST-FURLOUGH "LUNCH AND LEARN"

THE SHUTDOWN & GESTA-IFPTENASA WAS CLOSED BUT GESTA-IFPTE WAS OPEN

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WE MADE A DIFFERENCE!

• Getting stories to the public• Meeting with legislators• Communicating with members• Collecting and sharing resources• Engaging in civil disobedience • Providing resources and services• Requested back pay, leave reinstatement

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WE SPOKE OUT; WE REPRESENTED NASA EMPLOYEES!

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WE SPOKE OUT; WE REPRESENTED NASA EMPLOYEES!Here are examples of GESTA-IFPTE media representation during the furlough:

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Barry Epstein, Pres. of NHPA (NASA HQ Professional Association), speaks outMember, Blake Lorenz, was featured during the protest at Hart Center by the Seattle Sun Times

President Anel Flores and Area Vice President Tryshanda Moton Attend Senator Chris Van Hollen’s Roundtable Discussion

Federal Workers, Including GESTA Members, Protested at the Hart CenterTryshanda Moton, GESTA AVP, spoke on New Day at CNN regarding the impact of the federal shutdownSenators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen hosted Roundtable Discussion with Federal Union Leaders to Discuss the Impact on the ShutdownTrysh Moton – CNN InternationalTrysh Moton – CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera

Anel Flores – WUSA9

IFPTE Members Take to the Media, Urge Senate to Pass Funding to End Shutdown

Member, Giovanni D’Amici, was featured in Metro News

GESTA-IFPTE OVERVIEWWE ARE RUN BY AND FOR NASA EMPLOYEES

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OUR PRINCIPLES

• Professionalism, fairness, equity, and respect • Collaboration with NASA management to solve agency problems and

resolve employee-management issues. • Tireless representation of employees and their interests • The NASA Family -- by supporting our extended NASA community and

making real the NASA Core Values founded in: • “Mission success requires uncompromising commitment to:

Safety, Excellence, Teamwork, and Integrity”

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GESTA OVERVIEW

• GESTA is a democratically run, nonprofit, employee based union organization, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland.

• Our GESTA bargaining unit consists of about 1,700 non-supervisory engineers, scientists and technicians.

• We advocate on behalf of our members in order to improve our working conditions in support of NASA's missions, and the critical service we provide to the scientific community and to the taxpayers.

The union is run solely by members, Civil Servant employees at NASA GSFC who have voluntary joined GESTA as members. All bargaining unit employees are eligible to become members. Without members, we would not exist.

• We charge nominal dues, used to support GESTA activities, our legal retainer, and operating expenses.

• No dues are used to support political candidates or political parties.

• GESTA has a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with NASA GSFC, which covers many important aspects of the relationship between the Management and GSFC bargaining unit employees, and actively participates in the GSFC Labor Management Forum (LMF).

• We are a local affiliate of IFPTE, along with all other NASA centers (e.g., AMES, Glenn Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and NASA HQ). Working together with other federal IFPTE local affiliates and other NASA unions we are able to network, learn, and advocate together regarding our working conditions, NASA policies, and other important issues. GESTA is IFPTE Local 29.

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GESTA STRUCTURE• NASA – Goddard Space Flight Center

• Members

• NASA Goddard employees who have voluntary joined GESTA as members.

• Without members, we would not exist.

• Members can run for GESTA positions, vote in GESTA elections, and volunteer on communities and other GESTA activities

• GESTA Executive Board

President: Anel FloresExecutive Vice-President: David R. WilliamsSecretary: Romae YoungTreasurer: Edwin H. FungArea Vice-President (AVP): Frank J. KirchmanArea Vice-President (AVP): Alvin J. BoutteArea Vice-President (AVP): Tryshanda T. MotonArea Vice-President (AVP): Steven J. HorowitzArea Vice-President (AVP): (Vacant)

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DEFINITIONS

• Bargaining Unit• A group of employees with a community of interest (similar occupations, geographical

locations, duties, payment structure, review/rating system, etc.) that have union representation for the purpose of collective bargaining.

• GESTA's has two bargaining units:• 'non-supervisory engineers and scientists’ • 'non-supervisory technicians‘

• Union Members• Employees within the bargaining units who voluntarily become dues paying members of

GESTA in order to have a voice within GESTA (i.e., vote, run for office, ratify agreements, etc.)• Collective Bargaining

• Employees coming together through their union using a democratic process to negotiate with management over their benefits, working conditions, or Management decisions that create a bargaining obligation.

• The International or Federation• Refers to our affiliated union, the International Federation of Professional and Technical

Engineers (IFPTE).• Local 29

• Local 29 refers to the identification number assigned to our union, GESTA, by IFPTE as part of labor tradition and Department of Labor regulations.

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STRUCTURE

• Representation• GESTA represents approximately 1,668 GSFC civil servant non-supervisory employees in two bargaining units at

all Goddard locations (except Wallops). One bargaining unit consists of scientists and engineers and the other consists of technicians.

• Union Members• All employees within the bargaining units are GESTA union members and are eligible to become dues-paying

members.• Members of GESTA have the ultimate say in our union, such as electing their colleagues to represent their

interests in the work place, along with ratifying contracts negotiated and changes to their local dues payments.• Members meet at the GESTA General Membership Meeting held monthly.

• Executive Council• Officers have responsibility for the daily administration of our organization in accordance to the bylaws and

policies set by our members and Area Vice-Presidents.• Area Vice-Presidents (AVP’s) propose and vote on internal policies, budget/expenses, and the bylaws of our

union. Similar to members of Congress, providing checks and balances to the Officers.• Election of GESTA Officers, including Area Vice-Presidents (AVPs) are held every two years for two-year terms.

• Committees• GESTA has various committees to focus on or handle particular issues, such as the Executive Council;

Membership and Communications Committee; etc.• Committees are filled by elected leaders and dues paying union members of GESTA.

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IFPTE OVERVIEW

• Advocate on behalf of more than 80,000 women and men in professional and technical occupations in the United States and Canada.

• Members are employed within the private, public, and federal sector.

• Balance the broad range of our members’ interests by adhering to democratic processes and consensus decision-making.

• Unique in advocating on behalf of highly educated and skilled women and men, IFPTE combines the collective bargaining strength of a union with the autonomy and specialization of a professional association.

• Structured so that our local affiliates control their own affairs, such as their budget, goals, and, if they wish, to participate in or refrain from advocacy or legislative engagement.

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IFPTE LOCAL AFFILIATES

• IFPTE Locals enable their members to participate in the democratic process and have a voice in their workplace.

• IFPTE Locals have the autonomy to control their own affairs, finances, and governance.

• Here are a few employers of other IFPTE Local affiliates:

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NASA Ames, Glenn, Marshall, HQ

U.S. Department of Justice - Executive Office for Immigration Review

The Boeing Company

U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)

U.S. Navy Shipyards

Pacific Gas & Electric

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Social Security Administration

Kaiser Medical

U.S. Department of Energy

Ontario, Canada Electrical Industry

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

Legal Service Corporation

WHAT NEXTJOIN, SUPPORT, AND STAYED INFORMED

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SUGGESTIONS IF THERE IS ANOTHER SHUTDOWN • Reset work passwords in case the shutdown lasts for weeks. • Take your laptop home if you have a telework agreement

• Check work email (you are allowed to do this) for NASA updates on the shutdown

• Check the news for information about the shutdown and when it ends.• GESTA will provide email updates on status of GESTA activities, protests,

news media• If interested, provide your personal email address

• What can I do if I run out of or money or I can’t pay all of my bills?• The NASA Federal Credit Union offered up to a $10,000 loan with no payments and 0% interest for the first two

months.

• You may be able to get a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Loan if you have capital in an account with them.

• Federal employees, just like other citizens, have a right to petition the U.S. Congress

• Must be during personal time

• You can not use any government equipment, laptop, computer, cell phone, etc. to petition the U.S. Congress

• Call, email, write or visit your Congressperson and Senators

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MEMBERSHIP IS CRITICAL

• As an employee-based organization at NASA Goddard, our purpose is to meaningfully engage with management and policy makers to address issues relevant to our careers, NASA’s mission, and the critical service we provide to taxpayers and the scientific community, industry -- and all our stakeholders.

• Without our members, we cannot continue to: • partner with management to achieve mutual success and resolve issues that impede our

organizational goals;

• support fair and objective evaluations;

• negotiate improvements of our work environment;

• advocate training and professional development;

• ensure no one has to compromise their professional integrity over politics or ideology;

• develop a contract spelling out the rights and conditions of employment while ensuring flexibility and professional discretion to get the work done; and

• advocate for or against legislation that currently or will in the future affect employees

• We need your support! Please join!• Visit here to learn how: www.gesta-goddard.org/join.html

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• GESTA• Office: Building 23, Room N209

• Conference Room: Building 23, Room W131

• Mailing Address: Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 220.9, Greenbelt, MD 20771

• Phone: 301-286-2066 (with voice mail)

• Fax: 301-286-0312 (locked GESTA office)

• Website: www.GESTA-Goddard.org

• Employees’ and GESTA’s Interests• To ensure that NASA builds on the core capabilities of its workforce and gives employees the

support they need to pursue Agency goals, employees must come together.

• Unions like IFPTE allow professionals to empower themselves so they can establish an effective and democratic voice at work, meaningfully engage with employers to achieve common goals.

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