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The Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association is a local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE). The IFPTE headquarters is located at 501 3rd Street, Suite 701, Washington, DC 20001 and provides support to GESTA in several ways. GESTA was formed by Goddard Space Flight Center employees in 1981, and initially represented a bargaining unit of scientists and engineers. A bargaining unit of technicians was added in 1983. The employees in these two units voted in favor of being represented by GESTA. GESTA has a Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement with the Goddard Space Flight Center, which we generally call the CBA or the Contract. It covers many important aspects of the relationships between the center management, the GSFC employees in our bargaining unit, and the local union that consists of the GESTA dues-paying members. The current agreement was negotiated in 1995, and has been amended by five subsequent Memoranda of Understanding. Dues are just $7.00 per pay period or $182.00 per year. Starting in March 2009, we will pay $7.00 per month to IFPTE, for an average yearly net income to GESTA of $98 per year per member. Membership has varied between about 75 and 180. Our expenses include publication of a newsletter (more or less monthly), a retainer fee for the law firm of Woodley and McGillivary, office supplies, refreshments for our monthly general membership meetings, and legal fees to support grievances that require more legal support than is provided for under the retainer. GESTA participates in the IFPTE generally, and in the
IFPTE Federal Caucus which includes all IFPTE locals that represent
federal civil service employees. In addition, GESTA is a member of the
NASA Council of IFPTE Locals, which includes locals at NASA Headquarters,
GESTA is bound by the constitution, bylaws, and policies of the IFPTE, Federal Law, and the GESTA Constitution and Bylaws. The GESTA bylaws and the CBA are avilable for download from this website's home page. |
