Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU) Union Group Grievance (Class Action)
Subject: AFEU Union Group Grievance (Class Action)
From: Ames Federal Employees Union (AFEU)
Date: August 8, 2012
Dear Ames Employee,
The purpose of this e-mail is to call out to employees who may want to join a group grievance (class action) that the Ames Federal Employees Union filed this year against NASA Ames Research Center and will soon be scheduled for an arbitration hearing.
Facts of the Case:
The negotiated contact between the Ames Federal Employees Union and Ames Research Center states that, “the Union nor the Center shall discriminate in any matter under this contract on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation…”
The Ames Federal Employees Union charges that there has been a continuing practice at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California for over five years whereby the Center discriminates against employees because of their sexual orientation.
The Ames Federal Employees Union charges that discrimination occurs towards any Ames employee who is legally married to a same-sex spouse when that employee is denied the same benefits as a heterosexual employee who is married.
The Ames Federal Employees Union charges that Ames employees who are married to same-sex spouses are burdened with an additional out of pocket expense between $600 and $1500 per month to pay for the same benefits hetero sexual employees receive.
The Ames Federal Employees Union contends that out of pocket expenses that the alleged discrimination has cost this class of Ames employees falls under the Back Pay Act.
Remedies:
The Ames Federal Employees Union is requesting:
* monetary compensation within the restrictions of the Back Pay Act.
* policy changes that will alleviate some or all of the burden placed on this class of employees
Who Should Join this Grievance?
Any civil servant employee at Ames Research Center who is a member of the bargaining unit and who has been denied benefits for his or her same-sex spouse within the last five years or who has experienced any other incident of discrimination because of their sexual orientation.
Contact {name withheld} at Chiefstew@afeu.org to see if you qualify.
{name withheld}
Chief Steward
AFEU/IFPTE Local 30
