Local 777 Meets with Key Lawmakers Urging Limits on Corps Remote Operations

IFPTE Local 777 President Colin Smalley and Chief Steward David Wisniewski began holding a series of meetings this week with key Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana congressional offices. Smalley commented, “With Congress in recess until after the national elections, we want to use this opportunity to discuss our legislative priorities and inform Congressional staff that USACE is missing key opportunities to work with IFPTE Locals.

Among the issues discussed with Congressional offices was IFPTE’s support of legislative language included in House and Senate appropriations bills and the House Water Resources Development Act limiting USACE’s ability to unilaterally impose remote operations at our nation’s federal-controlled hydroelectric and navigational locks and dams without engagement with unions and stakeholders.

Wisniewski noted, “As a federal employee who has worked on navigational locks and infrastructure projects, I know firsthand that this effort by the Corps should not be moving forward with fundamental changes in critical infrastructure operations without engaging with the union-represented workforce.  As a Local 777 leader, and as a leader of the IFPTE ACE Council, I will continue working hand-in-hand with all IFPTE Army Corps Locals and our International in getting Congress to step in and provide proper oversight.”  

IFPTE legislative director Faraz Khan joined Smalley and Wisniewski in some of these virtual meetings.