I
2OL5 NARFE LEGISLATIVE TRAINING CONFERENCE
March t4,2Ot5
- Ma rch t7 , 2Ot5
Arlington, Virginia
Washington,
DC
Evelyn Seabrook
The following account offers a brief description of Plenary Sessions and
workshops offered during the Legislative Training Conference.
1-
Mark Dimondstein, President of APWU summarized the benefit of
continued Postal Services as a necessary community commodity, as postal
workers are the true eyes and ears of the population, especially the aged
population. He shared a PSA video about government employees and offered that
other agencies may wish to make PSA videos that show government employees as
valuable members of the community and that they each have occupations which
are essential to the American way of life.
Session
Workshop 1- NARFE's Key Policy lssues, highlighted the various pension options
being considered for current retirees as well as future retirees. (There will be few
future retirees under CSRS, but they may still be affected by the various formulas
under consideration). Other issues highlighted included Postal reform and new
FEHB proposals.
Congressional Staffers Greg Mathis, Katherine Provost and Peter
Karafotis spoke on the value of meeting with a variety of staffers when travelling
to Capitol Hill. They shared that since staffers are the eyes and ears of all issues
for their Congressperson (in other words, boss) that they could focus on the
Session 2
-
issues delegates present and offer effective feedback to the Congressperson.
They each offered best practices protocol while on our Capitol Hill visit.
Workshop 2 - Lobby Day 101 offered by Jessica Klements, highlighted the
knowledge delegates need to have in order to make an effective presentation to
Congresspersons. That knowledge included knowing the proposals sponsored as
well as the voting records of each Congressperson. Delegates were reminded to
speak on issues personal to them as well as on issues affecting their local
chapters.
Workshop 3 - All Politis is Local: Grassroots Advocacy provided that the necessity
of grassroots advocacy shows personal commitment on behalf of the NARFE
delegate, demonstrates concern about issues of loca! importance and builds
momentum on local political issues that our legislators either support or negate.
Our representatives need to hear from their constituents, and delegates need to
report on the experience, even going so far as taking pictures with the
representative and posting the picture on a NARFE facebook page.
Session 3
I
- presented
by Jason Freeman, defined NARFE PAC and its significance
in moving forward the agenda in protecting the benefits of current federal
employees and retirees. He shared the significant work done by NARFE PAC
lobbyists, how funds are raised to promote their efforts, how funds are dispersed
to worthy congresspersons and the numerous events each must attend in order
to keep the name of NARFE alive.
Continued Session 3 -Chris Farrell who used to have Jason's position. Now heads
up a state liaison position that interacts between NARFE and each state. He
explained that state legislators can be an effective advocate for NARFE members,
because NARFE members are also consumers of state benefits. When the state
knows of services that can be better met by the federal government, federal
representatives need to know. Several states have seen the benefit of this joint
connection.
Workshop 4 - More reminders on what to say versus what not to say when
visiting our legislators. Also took the time to firm up appointments with them.
Session 4 - Representatives Beyer (D
-
VA) and Delaney (D
-MD) shared their
positions of the state of the federal employees as a whole and in their districts, as
each are vying for a senatorial seat in the upcoming election. Each shared their
record of advocacy for NARFE and how they would continue if elected.
Workshop 5 - Organizing by Congressional District, clarified for many the purpose
of having congressional districts at home. These districts in most cases would not
disrupt chapters. ln many states, there is only one congressional representative
per chapter. However, in states where there are several representatives, the
chapters would not have to decide to stay in tact. The purpose of the CD is to
facilitate Congress' contact with NARFE. For example, when getting a NARFE
opinion, Congress would like to know who the contact is for their area, instead of
them having to call numerous chapters and getting opposing opinions. This
makes perfect sense and it would be up to local chapters and/or districts to
decide how they want to make use of the CD concept.
Session 5
- The Future of Civil Service Reform
as presented by Connolly (D -VA)
and Max Stier, President of Partnership for Public Service, both implore that Civil
Service need not be run as a corporation, even though it needs reform. Stier
expressed a vision as: "a dynamic and innovative federal government that
/
effectively serves the American people." The mission: "To revitalize the federal
government by inspiring a new generation to serve and by transforming its
impression to the American people."
Workshop 6 - Legislative Advocacy and Membership Recruitment presented a
brief course in reaching all levels of folks who understand and favor the NARFE
premise. Delegates becoming active in local politics can also be present at town
meetings and a variety of political events that still places the name of NARFE on
the ears of the legislators and representatives. Pooling from that source can also
be a tool in local recruitment as well.
Workshop 7 - "Next Level Grassroots Advocacy: What lt ls, How To Get lt, and
Why You Need lt for Legislative Advocacy Success" presented by Amy Showalter
presented a best practices business approach for successfully getting what you
want for yourself and from folks who may be hard to convince. ln other words,
the steps for highly successful business people. lncluded in her dynamic
presentation was how to become a master at diplomacy.
Session 6- Congressman Kilmer from Washington State offered strong words
of
encouragement on the plight of the federal employee. Speaking on how
successful businesses treat their employees he quoted, "Successful businesses
never bash their employees and treat them like garbage." He shared about
businesses in private industry who turned their backs on their employees during
the recession. He shared about furloughed federal employees who suffered
serious financial losses when the government shut down. He extolled that the
federal workforce does not need to become privatized, but that federal
employees need to be treated as valued employees and that the federal
government really needs to look at the way it treats its workforce.
Session 7 -Jessica Klements wrapped up with data on how NARFE has been in the
public eye with the number of radio interviews, the number of news publications
and the number of television spots presented in the past two years. Suggested
were a number of ways that the publicity could be extended beyond the beltway,
so that all of America could appreciate its federal workforce and our efforts in
increasing NARFE advocacy and membership.
7'
Finally, the figures are in: Re: NARFE-PAC- 52 one time PAC contributors at
Conference totaling 5+,000. OO; 21, sustaining members totaling 55,000.00 in
contributions.
Conference attendees as follows: 250 delegates (there were 275 in 2013\;
48 states represented, 25 members from Region 11,12 from California, and 10
from Washington State.
As your Legislative Chair and NARFE-PAC Chair, I can honestly say
that
I
have benefitted by this conference as well as the work it accomplishes. I look
forward to attending in the future. But I really look forward to bringing/sending
new delegates to this Legislative Training Conference.
visited with Richard Nugent (R - FL) and Daniel Webster (R - FL)'s office
respectively, meeting with their staff. Upon returning home, I followed up each
visit with a card and staff picture.
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Respectfully,
Evelyn Seabrook, Pres. Chapter 662
Lake/Sumter, Leesbu rg Florida