The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) has been and continues to be actively engaged in pursuing the interests of Border Patrol agents nationwide in regards to pay issues, border security issues, station closures, Border Patrol operations and other issues affecting morale.
With regards to pay reform, the NBPC has taken the following actions:
- In late 2011, the NBPC contracted Woodley & McGillivary, a top-rated law firm devoted to protecting and enforcing the rights and interests of labor organizations and employees in both the public and private sectors. Woodley and McGillivary helped draft pay reform legislation to address the needs of our agents.
- In January 2012, the NBPC created a special pay reform section of the website and uploaded all of the related documents to the CBP proposal and the NBPC proposal .
- Over the two years, NBPC representatives have spent countless hours in Washington, DC to meet with legislators and their staff to gain support for the NBPC pay reform legislation and to educate them on the inequities of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposal. Below are the names of some of these legislators:
Senator Carper, DE; Senator McCain, AZ; Senator Collins, ME; Senator Tester, MT; Senator Baucus, MT; Senator Cantwell, WA; Senator Risch, ID; Senator Cornyn, TX; Senator Crapo, ID; Senator Feinstein, CA; Senator Boxer, CA; Senator Landrieu, LA; Senator Hutchison, TX; Senator Reid, NV; Senator Levin, MI; Congressman Vela, TX; Congressman Barber, AZ; Congressman Barletta, PA; Congressman Gonzalez, TX; Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, CA; Congressman Marchant, TX; Congressman Neugebauer, TX; Congressman Calvert, CA; Congresswoman Boxer, CA; Congressman Conaway, TX; Congressman Thornberry, TX; Congressman Rehberg, MT; Congressman Simpson, ID; Congressman Poe, TX; Congressman Levin, MI; Congressman Issa, CA; Congressman Bilbray, CA; Congressman Calvert, CA; Congressman O’Rourke, TX; Congressman Farenthold, TX; and Congressman Reyes, TX.
- The NBPC worked with CQ Roll Call to develop an ad related to the NBPC pay reform and ran the ad on their website and in their news publication that is viewed by legislators and staff on the Hill.
- Members of the NBPC have given numerous interviews with television, radio, and print media outlets in order to let the public and members know about the impact of the proposed pay cuts.
- At the end of 2012, NBPC executive committee members met with Andy Quinn from Mc Allister and Quinn , a comprehensive consulting firm that provides a wide range of services for clients with issues before the federal government. Shortly thereafter, the NBPC entered into a contract with McAllister and Quinn to represent the NBPC on the pay reform and other legislative matters impacting our members.
With regards to the CBP sequestration plan, the NBPC took the following actions:
- Within days of receiving the CBP proposal, the NBPC filed a request for information under Title 5, Section 7114 (b)(4) and a demand to bargain with CBP.
- The NBPC posted a letter for members to use to communicate with their elected representatives. This letter may be mailed, emailed, or used to communicate by phone or in person with elected representatives.
- The NBPC sent CBP’s sequestration proposal to an Woodley & McGillivary for review and consideration of the different litigation options. The executive committee met with Greg McGillivary to discuss the various options and develop a strategy if CBP implements implements the plan prior to negotiating with the NBPC.
- The NBPC met with AFGE President J. David Cox to discuss the CBP proposal and President Cox committed AFGE resources to assist in the fight. AFGE President Cox contacted DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano and spoke specifically about the inequity regarding the pay cuts being unfairly pushed upon Border Patrol agents. President Cox stated that he will be pushing for a meeting with Vice President Biden in order to bring our issues to the highest levels of the government.
The National Border Patrol Council regards any attacks on member’s pay and morale as damaging to the national security of the United States. We will not stop in our efforts to oppose harmful policies and laws. AUO is an essential part of compensation that Border Patrol agents have been promised and paid for decades. Blatant attacks on agents’ pay by bean counters from CBP and the submissive “leadership” of the Border Patrol will not be tolerated. We will not go quietly from this fight.
