The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s once-inactive union opened its labor contract for renegotiation this week to address staff concerns about career advancement, workplace fairness, consultation, and benefits.
The union — which grew to about 110 members from five in the past year or so — has had the same collective bargaining agreement since it was first negotiated in 1992 when it represented DFC’s predecessor, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
The outdated CBA was written at a time before cell phones and high-speed internet were ubiquitous or available to the general public and the current contract doesn’t include any information about a telework policy, for example. At other agencies, these agreements are renegotiated at regular intervals.