On April 24, DC Labor leaders Timothy Traylor (President, AFGE 383), Sabrina Brown (President, AFSCME 2401), and Darnise Bush (Trustee, AFSCME Council 20) testified before the DC District Council Health and Human Services Committee budget oversight hearing. Their testimony revealed some important employee concerns. President Brown’s testimony is below, and others will follow.
TESTIMONY OF SABRINA I. BROWN
PRESIDENT, AFSME LOCAL 2401
Before the Committee on Health Human Services Department of Disability, (DDS) Services Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Oversight Hearing
My name is Sabrina Brown and I serve as President of AFSCME Local 2401. I have served as the local’s president for over six (6) years. We serve twelve (12) DC government agencies. We are primarily charged with protecting workers’ rights and ensuring a work environment that facilitates worker productivity on behalf of District of Columbia Government and its citizens.
Today, we are particularly concerned about the poor treatment and the lack of advancement of our AFSCME members at DDS. The DDS’ Human Resource (HR) department has created an environment of fear and uncertainty for the DDS employees. Management use the Performance Improvement Plans as a disciplinary tool. The leadership at DDS does not follow Chapter 14 of the DPM’s Performance rules.
On March 2014, two (2) AFSCME members were placed on a Performance Improvement Plan after being supervised by six different managers in one year. Once the two employees were transferred six times, the final newly assigned manager placed both employees on a PIP within two weeks of being under her supervision. None of the six supervisors discussed a Performance Improvement Plan with the two (2) members. The DPM Chapter 14 Section 1406.2 states: At the beginning of each performance management period, the supervisor or reviewer, in the absence of the supervisor, shall discuss with the employee how each competency relates to the employee’s job.
At the request of one of the members, I was asked to attend their first PIP meeting. After being introduced to the manager, the manager immediately contacted her manager, DDS Human Capital Administrator and DDS Employee Relations Coordinator. Moreover, the DDS Human Capital Administrator and the DDS Employee Relation Coordinator asked me to leave because the manager did not feel that the employee needed union representation. Therefore, I reluctantly left the member alone with management. Later that day, the member informed me that management threaten him with disciplinary action because the employee asked questions in the meeting.
The abovementioned incident is only one of the many encounters at DDS. DDS Managers as well as, the DDS Human Capital Administrator and DDS Employee Relation Coordinator have prohibited union members of union representatives. In addition, DDS Performance measures are unattainable and unrealistic for the employees. It appears that these unrealistic performance goal are intentionally placed upon the employee to fail, it is not design for them to succeed. Several members have complained about the unattainable and unrealistic goals at DDS. Management has offered little or no training to enhance the employees’ abilities orskill set to advance.
Approximately, two years ago, the DDS Human Capital Administrator informed me, that DDS abolished all of the Career Ladder positions. The Human Capital Administrator stated all of the employees were place in competitive positions. To remove the employees from career ladder status is to strip the employees of the opportunity to advance, as well as, obtain wages to continue to live in the District of Columbia.
Other issues that I would like to highlight are the following:
The parking investigation at DDS, Management investigated fifteen (15) employees about parking at near-by School. The parking spaces were free. However the fifteen (15) employees would donate school items to the school as an expression of their appreciation. However, management thought otherwise. Management conducted the investigation like a witch hunt. Management called the employees in one by one questioning them about donating school supplies to a DC Public school. Management instructed the employees not to talk to each. The DDS investigation resulted in the members not violating any rules or codes of conduct, but was used as a one of their intimidation tactics.
Finally, DDS terminated an employee of twenty-three (23) years and a resident of Ward 5 after charging her with three consecutive incidents, they are:
1. The employee was charge with taking a book that did not belong to DDS. It was stamped “The property of the University of the Florida”. The employee was suspended for thirty (30) days.
2. The employee was suspended for twenty five days for allegedly talking about a co-workers child and did not receive due process
3. The last incident, the employee was terminated for allegedly assisting a co-worker who was disable.
In accordance to DDS policy, employees can assist co-workers. Clearly, the member was discipline for the incidents mention above as a tactic to remove her from her position at DDS. In closing, I am requesting that this committee conduct an investigation of the poor treatment and the lack of advancement of the DDS employees. In addition, I am requesting that the Committee of Health and Human Service develop a mandate for DDS to stop its abusive practices, and chaotic environment, against the employees in order to sustain an environment of fear.
DDS Administration wants to create a “Pathways to the Middle Class”; this pathway does not exist for the employees at the Department of Disability Services. Please help us changes this work environment. Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.
Respectfully submitted,
Sabrina I. Brown, AFSCME President, Local 2401
DC Union Power 