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This Labor Day, we were reminded of the unions that built America and the power of collective bargaining. Although our collective bargaining rights were stripped away a year ago, our members have remained steadfast as we continue to advocate for fair treatment while honoring the contributions of workers at the Goddard Space Flight Center and highlighting the worldwide impacts of our work. Members of GESTA showed solidarity by participating in the annual Greenbelt Labor Day Festival on Labor Day and after the parade met and discussed the areas in which our diligent efforts have been helpful to employees during the past year.  Members representing GESTA marched in the Greenbelt Labor Day parade. Exercising our right to vote is one of the most fundamental ways we participate in our democracy and shape the future of our country. Our vote impacts who will lead our local and national stage, and the policies, funding and legislation that directly impact federal agencies and our federal workforce. We strongly encourage our membership to make plans to vote in the upcoming nationwide general elections which will take place on November 3rd. To find information on your options for casting your ballot and your voter registration status you can consult the non-partisan Vote 411 site: https://www.vote411.org/ which provides a one-stop location to access information on voting for voting eligible residents of all 50 states. We also want to also bring your attention to your ability and limitations to take administrative leave as a NASA federal employee in order to vote.
An ongoing bipartisan congressionally-mandated National Academies (NASEM) Study is collecting information and will report out their findings and recommendations for strengthening Goddard’s technical and scientific capabilities. In July, the study committee contacted GESTA with a request that our union participate directly in the study by providing a public response to their questions. You can read GESTA’s public written response to the committee here. GESTA President Trysh Moton, Secretary Alyssa Barlis and Area Vice President Margaret Samuels also spoke in person at the National Academies in Washington, DC on August 4th, and you can view the recording of the committee meeting via the NASEM committee website. A note that the other open sessions of the NASEM committee meetings, including those with testimony by Center management are also publicly viewable from the study webpage. In responding to the committee’s questions, GESTA pulled from the broad perspectives and experiences we have heard from our members and Goddard’s workforce over the last year and half. We want to give a big thank you to the Goddard community and members who have courageously provided this feedback which allowed us to provide the committee with a clearer view of the recent impacts to Goddard’s workforce and facilities, and of our community's recommendations for rebuilding Goddard’s future.
On the occasion of the successful launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on August 30th, GESTA and IFPTE leadership took the opportunity to congratulate the NASA workforce on this extraordinary achievement.
Being able to witness the Artemis II voyage to the Moon, led by the exemplary Artemis II crew (including mission specialist Christina Koch, who began her career at NASA Goddard) was an awe-inspiring and for many, life-defining event. The mission captured the world’s attention, not only because of the technical and scientific feats NASA was able to accomplish in returning humans to orbit and observe the Moon, but because of the rare human and cosmic perspectives the mission brought to us. The journey was a very timely reminder of the importance of NASA’s role in space exploration and space science for the US and the entire world. We can all feel pride in belonging to such a NASA team. On the occasion of the Artemis II launch, IFPTE leadership and GESTA’s President spoke on the historic journey, and emphasized the role of NASA’s federal workforce in making the mission possible.
GESTA membership recently passed a resolution to condemn the killing of Alex Pretti, a fellow federal employee and federal union member, by federal immigration agents. You can read the GESTA resolution text here. As noted, copies of this resolution are in the process of being sent to the international leadership of IFPTE, members of Congress representing GESTA districts, other stakeholders, and the press
On January 14th GESTA members and allies, as well as IFPTE leadership, rallied on Capitol Hill with other federal union members in support of the The Protect American Workforce Act (PAWA).
 During Acting Center Director Cynthia Simmons’ and NASA Associate Administrator of Science Mission Directorate, Nicola “Nicky” Fox’s, Goddard wide Welcome Back and Community Briefing on November 19th, GESTA leadership handed out information outside the auditorium. Although not organized by GESTA, some GESTA members and other employees also printed signs for employees to pick up and hold during the town hall to remind our leadership and stand in solidarity with other employees in recognizing NASA’s mission. Ultimately, security guards prohibited employees from distributing and bringing the signs into the auditorium. Samples of the printed signs are shown above. They are taken from the NASA mission statement. Some employees and members have now posted them on their office doors. Leftover posters are available in the middle stairwell of Building 34 if you would like to grab one.
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