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Because there are so many unbelievable abuses to report, I am writing my story for posterity in chronological order.
In reality, what was harming the Union was a cowardly, insubordinate, defiant Executive Board who negotiated harmful policies behind my back, refused to perform the duties I validly assigned them, were combative and argumentative in every way imaginable, and who created a hostile environment that aggravated my depression and anxiety. The Chief Steward resigned from office and then went out among the membership and incited them to rise up against my Presidency, asking them to sign a petition bringing charges against me for imaginary offenses. Then she exhorted them to attend a membership meeting where one member actually tried to call for a no-confidence vote to remove me from office. What was the reason for her traitorous acts, you ask? I had filed an OSHA complaint, and had picketed our Senator outside the Base when his staff came for an overnight visit, and they could not "squeeze me in" for a fifteen-minute appointment. She said I would close the Base by filing OSHA complaints, grievances, ULPs, and the like. She said that I would attract negative publicity which would put the Base on the BRAC list, and we would all be out of jobs. I swear, I am not making this up.
When the Executive Board illegally removed me from office, there were never any charges filed against me in connection with the removal, there was no investigation, no trial, and no vote of the membership. I was denied due process and not informed of my appeal rights. After my removal, I discovered that NVP Kelly had been in secret communications with members of the Executive Board, had solicited members to make statements against me, and had set up covert meetings between himself and National representative Gary Benton and the Executive Board.
Having illegally removed me from office, the Vice-president assumed my office, and the Executive Board held elections for Vice-president. I ran for office, but the Election Committee Chairman violated almost every part of the Election Manual. The membership list he gave me with which to conduct my campaign mailings consisted of 324 names, more than twenty-five of which had bad addresses, or no addresses at all. The membership list he used to mail ballots had 379 names on it. In a nutshell, the Election Committee Chairman denied me access to some seventy names, and I missed being in the runoff election by only a single vote. I protested the election, but he refused to respond to any of the violations, saying only that "I concede that there is nothing I can say that will satisfy you. The election is valid, and stands." I appealed to NVP Kelly, but he simply did not respond to the appeal. I appealed to NP Gage, but he has not responded, either.
I have filed almost a hundred charges against the members of the Executive Board and other members of my Local for their actions. None of the charges have ever been investigated. I also filed charges against NVP Kelly - I am perhaps the first person in the Federation to use the new procedures for filing charges against National Officers, adopted at the August 2003 National Convention. But the charges will almost certainly not be investigated fairly and impartially, and NVP Kelly will almost surely be exonerated. NP gage appointed NVP Flynn to the Investigation Committee, and in violation of the AFGE Constitution, he seems to have adopted the role of chairman. NP Gage is already on record as supporting the actions of the executive Board in illegally removing me from office. And, form what I hear, NVP Flynn owes his employment as NVP to NP Gage, when he cast his 6000 votes for him at the last caucus, prior to becoming elected National President. It would seem that NVP Flynn owes NP Gage a favor. Perhaps this is his chance to repay him?
How can this sort of thing happen in a Union that is supposed to be devoted to PROTECTING employees? If the Agency had committed any of these offenses against me, the Union would have risen to my defense. I would have had access to the defense fund, and the national office would have marshaled their resources to help me. But, because it is a National Vice-president who committed these offenses, and who helped the Executive Board violate my constitutional and basic electoral rights, the national office has circled the wagons around NVP Kelly.