The Voluntary Relocation Program (VRP) Is Open

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Job Title: JOURNEYMAN BORDER PATROL AGENT - VOLUNTARY RELOCATION PROGRAM (VRP)

Department: Department Of Homeland Security

Agency: Customs and Border Protection

Job Announcement Number: MHCBPVRP-1301040-SLH

SALARY RANGE:	$34,513.00 to $79,936.00 / Per Year
OPEN PERIOD:	Monday, March 23, 2015 to Friday, April 10, 2015
SERIES & GRADE:	GL-1896-05
POSITION INFORMATION:	Full Time - Permanent
PROMOTION POTENTIAL:  12

DUTY LOCATIONS:

Many vacancies in the following locations:
Ajo, AZ 
Bisbee, AZ 
Douglas, AZ 
Nogales, AZ 
Sonoita, AZ 
Tucson, AZ 
Wellton, AZ 
Willcox, AZ 
El Cajon, CA 
Pine Valley, CA 
Jacksonville, FL 
Orlando, FL 
Calais, ME 
Fort Fairfield, ME 
Jackman, ME 
Detroit, MI 
Gibraltar, MI 
Marysville, MI 
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 
Havre, MT 
Malta, MT 
Plentywood, MT 
Saint Mary, MT 
Scobey, MT 
Bottineau, ND 
Portal, ND 
Lordsburg, NM 
Champlain, NY 
Massena, NY 
Ogdensburg, NY 
Tonawanda, NY 
Watertown, NY 
Port Clinton, OH 
Alpine, TX 
Big Bend National Park, TX 
Brackettville, TX 
Carrizo Springs, TX 
Comstock, TX 
Cotulla, TX 
Del Rio, TX 
Eagle Pass, TX 
Marfa, TX 
Presidio, TX 
Sanderson, TX 
Sierra Blanca, TX 
Uvalde, TX 
Van Horn, TX 
Newport, VT 
Richford, VT 
Swanton, VT 
Blaine, WA 
Curlew, WA 
Sumas, WA 

NBPC Local 1613 Facebook Page Relaunch

Local 1613 members,

We have relaunched our Facebook page.  The page can be found at: 

https://www.facebook.com/bpunion1613

Please like and share our page as we rebuild our subscriber base.  This will be a primary source of information dissemination. We have a lot of crucial issues facing us as a union.  Stay informed with the latest information.

NBPC Local 1613 President Terry Shigg has posted a special video message.  

OVERTIME TRANSITION PLAN SHELVED...BORDER PATROL STAYING ON AUO

The Union has been notified by OBP HQ's that the Overtime Transition Plan will not be implemented and AUO will remain the compensation method for agents who are currently earning AUO. The AWS will not be implemented for those employees earning AUO; however, FLSA-exempt agents, and those agents not earning AUO and who are currently earning FEPA due to sector assignments, will be scheduled overtime in accordance to the election selected (level 1, level 2 and basic).

OBP is also encouraging sectors to transition to the 6a, 2p, 10p schedules, unless operational flexibilities prevent such a change.

More information will be put out as it becomes available.

The Border is Not Secure

I want to be crystal clear - the border is not secure. That is not just my opinion or the position of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC). Ask any line Agent in the field and he or she will tell you that at best we apprehend 35-40% of the illegal immigrants attempting to cross. This number is even lower for drug smugglers who are much more adept at eluding capture. How can this enormous gap exist between what the DHS tells you here in Washington and what our Agents know to be the truth in the field? Frankly, it is how you manipulate the statistics and let me give you one example. A key metric in determining our effectiveness is what is known as the “got aways”. If we know from footprints or video surveillance that 20 individuals crossed the border and we ultimately catch 10 of them, then we know that 10 “got away.”

Agents who repeatedly report groups larger than 20 face retribution. Management will either take them out of the field and assign them to processing detainees at the station or assign them to a fixed position in low volume areas as punishment. Needless to say Agents got the message and now stay below this 20 person threshold no matter the actual size of the group.

The above statements are excerpts from the testimony of NBPC by Union Representative Chris Cabrera before the Homeland Security Government Affairs Committee on March 17, 2015.

To read the fully transcript click the link below,

Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing testimony

Border Patrol Agents benefit from union membership

Border Patrol agents protect the American public by deterring drug, weapons, and human trafficking into the country. When it comes to protecting agents’ safety, they rely on their union representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees.

“I see the union as being the checks and balances, as being the guys that are going to say ‘OK, if there’s something wrong, let’s fix it,’ ” said Terence Shigg, president of AFGE NBPC Local 1613, which represents about 2,300 Border Patrol agents throughout the San Diego Sector.

AFGE video Border Patrol Agents benefit from union membership

Union Meeting March 10, 2015 at 7pm

Date: 03/10/15

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Crowne Plaza Hotel

Agenda

Convention Training updates:

AUO and OT Transition Plan

Contract negotiations.

ROB and VRP's

More proactive in the media (national and local talking points)

Delegates and the upcoming election

Lawsuit

Lobbying 

What's happening in other sectors?

Official time battles

Increase of Fit for duty referrals

Increase in denials of compassionate transfers

Local Issues:

Tactical Communications Center

DUI Work group

Media/ Legislative Policy

Social media

Military Leave

BPA(I) positions and selections

Training

Picnic