Metrologists United

The easiest thing to do is to print out a showing of interest card, fill it out (it must be signed physically) and then submit it (or a picture of it) to one of the organizers in person, over Signal, or via email to nist.afge@proton.me. If you'd like to help us get the word out, there is a printable version with 2 cards and instructions you can print double-sided (on a personal printer) and hand out to colleagues during non-work time.

You can submit a showing of interest card either online or physically to an organizer. To submit online, download and print the showing of interest card and follow the instructions in that document. Otherwise, please complete the card given to you by an organizer and return it directly to them.

Most non-supervisory NIST personnel are eligible to join. For more detail, you can look at box 37 of your SF-50 to see if you are eligible to join a union. The number in this SF-50 box is referred to as a BUS code. If this code is 7777 (or "quad 7"), you’re currently unrepresented and eligible, no matter your duty station or job title. If this code is 8888 (or "quad 8"), you are current unrepresented but not eligible. We plan to pursue a union for every civilian worker at NIST, regardless of their job title or location. While we chose Metrologists United as an organizing name, we recognize and appreciate that not all NIST employees are metrologists and are committed to serving all NIST employees. Your SF-50 is available in your employee personnel folder at https://eopf.opm.gov/doc/.

1. We will gather signatures from 30% of eligible personnel with “showing of interest” cards. For NIST, this means approximately 1,200 people across all three campuses. You must fill out every field on your card by hand with your personal contact information, including your phone number and address. Return your completed SOI card to the organizer who gave it to you, or send a picture/scan of it to nist.afge@proton.me. We will reply with a confirmation email and secure all signed cards until the petition is submitted to AFGE.

2. We will submit the signed “showing of interest cards” to AFGE to formally petition to unionize. The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) will investigate the legitimate eligibility of everyone who submitted an SOI card and may potentially hold hearings to make these determinations. However, changes to job terms or conditions for staff who sign SOI cards for the proposed bargaining unit are illegal until the election takes place. Only the FLRA and the organizers will have access to the cards. They will not be shared with NIST management at any point and your card submission will remain confidential.

3. It will take approximately 4-6 months to schedule a vote. All eligible employees can vote, and ballots can be completed by mail, online, or by phone for up to 2 weeks. We only need 50% + 1 of those who vote in order to formalize the union. For example, if only 10 eligible employees vote, we only need 6 to formalize. All eligible employees will still be allowed to join the union, whether they voted or not.

4. Once the union is formed, we will establish a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with NIST, which can cover everything from telework agreements to the cost of food in vending machines.

Yes, federal law protects lawful union organizers from adverse action. However, our efforts to unionize will likely be met with resistance. Use good judgement and discretion when discussing union activities with colleagues or while on NIST campuses, especially while we collect signatures for the formal petition.

No, federal workers are not allowed to strike. We may not strike under the FLRA and per agreements we signed when we onboarded. However, we can mobilize personnel, file lawsuits, and negotiate our collective bargaining agreement with NIST once we form the union. Unlike in the private-sector, our negotiations are guaranteed under law to be carried out in good faith. Reasonable negotiations cannot be dismissed, or else the agency can be sued under FLRA provisions.

At the moment, there are no costs to individuals to assist with the organizing and initial unionization effort. If you choose to join the union after it is formalized, there is a small recurring cost (your dues) that pays for AFGE’s staff and legal efforts (e.g., if you make $50,000 a year, your monthly dues will be approximately $20). Paying dues gives you the right to vote on bargaining items and access more affordable legal representation, but all eligible employees will still benefit from the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union. You can read more about AFGE’s union benefits at https://www.afge.org/member-benefits/.

Talk to your friends and coworkers! If everyone reaches out to at least 3 other eligible people, we’ll have the numbers we need in no time. We’ll also be distributing physical and digital fliers to share soon. Use your best judgment when deciding who to talk to. Speak in person or stick to encrypted services, like Signal and Proton.

• We are not allowed to conduct unionizing efforts during work time, so only talk about this when you’re off-duty, such as when you’re on break (e.g., lunch) or before and after work.
• Only share fliers in non-work spaces (e.g., breakrooms, the parking lot, or walks around campus), or text or email them to your friends using personal devices. Do not keep or hang union materials in government spaces (e.g., offices, desks, copy rooms).
• Do not send or receive union information with .gov email addresses or any work resources (e.g., printers, computers, paper, work phones). However, you may email someone’s .gov address to request their personal contact info. We recommend the use of an encrypted communication channel (such as Signal) to protect your privacy.