 We'd like to make our GESTA members aware of a free legal resource for federal employees. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) has recently partnered with Democracy Forward, We The Action, Civil Service Strong, and other organizations to launch Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network. Their purpose is to connect federal workers to a network of thousands of lawyers who can provide free legal support. GESTA members are encouraged to visit workerslegaldefense.org to connect with a lawyer or to view their compilation of legal resources on timely topics such as Reduction in Forces (RIFs) and whistleblower protections.
The Fiscal Year 2026 “skinny” budget proposal was released by the Trump Administration last Friday. The administration's proposal calls for a 24% reduction to NASA’s total budget and absolutely devastating cuts to Space Science (-44%), Earth Science (-53%), Aeronautics (-37%) and Space Technology (-48%). The budget would also eliminate all STEM educational programs and severely restrict funding to “IT services, NASA Center operations, facility maintenance, construction and environmental compliance activities”. These proposed cuts have already drawn an extremely negative reaction from the Space community and some political leaders. We encourage you to make your voice heard as well! The Planetary Society had compiled an Advocacy Action Center Webpage that streamlines (providing a template script and contact information) ways to call and write your Congressional representatives to advocate for NASA funding. A reminder to please do so on your personal time, on a personal device, in accordance with the Hatch Act.
In negotiations with NASA Goddard Protective Services and the Labor Relations Office, Protective Services has agreed to the following statement concerning the use of badge swipe data and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) footage:
“The Goddard Space Flight Center, to include all component locations, utilizes a series of Electronic Physical Security Access Control (EPACS) Devices and Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) network to maintain the protection and observation of the Center and facilities. These devices monitor the access authorization for employees, contractors and visitors to enter the center or buildings and provide notice to Security Police Officers if a person does not have authorization to enter the facility. The CCTV system is deployed at all entry control points and other areas as required for the Center and facilities. These devices are not used for time and attendance nor are they provided to managers for daily time and date verification. The system records can be utilized by NASA Protective Services and the Office of the Inspector General during any investigation. A supervisor cannot request employee verification of a specific time/date of entry due to a time card discrepancy. While extremely rare, if OPS or the OIG received a credible allegation of time card abuse/fraud, the right to use all available evidence in support of the official investigation will be utilized. Any request for access to Protective Services systems must be approved by the Chief of Protective Services.”  We recently learned that the termination of the lease for our employees at the NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS) is scheduled for May 31, 2025, with no replacement office yet identified. GISS is a laboratory within the Earth Sciences Division of Goddard Space Flight Center, affiliated with Columbia University, in New York City. GISS is a leading center for Earth and planetary science research. Our GISS employees produce a suite of datasets fundamental to the understanding of our planet Earth and their work has aided in the prediction of storms, including Hurricane Sandy, California wildfires, and tornadoes and tsunamis affecting the entire globe. We urgently ask if you may write or call the political leaders in New York State, as well as your own congressional representatives, and ask them to support GISS. Please do so on your personal time, on a personal device in accordance with the Hatch Act. To help you advocate, templates with talking points and the representatives' contact information, can be found here.
We'd like to make everyone aware that Travel Compensatory Time (TCTE) and Time Off Awards (TOA) will NOT be paid out in the case of a Reduction in Force (RIF). Compensatory Time (CTE) might be paid out. Annual Leave (AL) and Earned Credit Hours (CRE) will be paid out. To avoid forfeiting any of your leave in the case of a RIF, GESTA recommends you consider using up any TCTE and TOA leave first. WebTADS allows (with approval) for time card adjustments to be made to past pay periods, which could be used to switch prior use of AL to TOA. If you would like to do so, you may want to so sooner rather than later. GESTA has heard from colleagues at NASA Headquarters who were "RIF-ed" who tried to make time card adjustments after they were notified, but their requests were denied.
By Steven Hard, GESTA Executive Vice-President  On February 11, 2025 nearly 100 IFPTE members, including GESTA, marched on Capitol Hill with 2,000 other federal employees, trade Unionists and the public to protest the illegal actions of the Trump Administration. GESTA President, Tryshanda (Trysh) Moton, and I both attended the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) 2025 Legislative Advocacy Conference held February 10-14, 2025 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Nearly 100 IFPTE Local leaders and members from across the United States and across multiple sectors, came together to take their concerns to our elected lawmakers. We urged Congress to “do their job”, by exercising their authority as the legislative branch to block the unconstitutional actions of the Trump Administration. While we prioritized urging Congress to block the frenzy of illegal actions being taken by the Administration (you can read more about the details of GESTA's conversations with individual lawmakers in my prior Legislative Week blog post), GESTA and IFPTE members also provided lawmakers with IFPTE’s point papers listing all of our legislative priorities. GESTA also had the opportunity to hear from multiple speakers during the conference, and participated in a march and rally on Capitol Hill.
By Steven Hard, GESTA Executive Vice-President  GESTA President Tryshanda Moton (second from right) and Executive Vice President Steven Hard (right) met with Senator Mark Kelly (center) during Legislative Advocacy Week 2025. GESTA President Tryshanda (Trysh) Moton and I met with several lawmakers and their staff on Capital Hill as part of IFPTE’s Legislative Advocacy Week, Wednesday February 12th - Thursday February 13th, 2025. A full recap of these busy two days and our conversations with lawmakers and staff is below.
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