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I am a DA Security Guard at Redstone Arsenal Alabama. Myself and my coworkers who were hired recently to man the gates of the installation were hired as GS4′s step 1. We were told from the beginning of our employment that after 3 months probation we would be increased to GS5.  This did not happen. Traditionally guards for the Army have been hired as GS5′s. We have never been given a reason for this downgrade. Many of us are struggling financially due to it. Our local union representation apparently does not care and does not keep us informed as to what if anything has been done.

Now we have learned that a government organization on the installation is getting new management in the form of a 4 star General. She supposedly has requested guards to be hired to secure the headquarters building and wants them to be GS5. Of course she is a 4 star and will get what she wants. Although these guards will be hired by this organization they will do the same work (actually less than we do) and probably be supervised by the organization that I work for and will be paid more than us. This is not fair and we feel that we should be restored to GS5 with back pay. However, it seems that our union representatives are too friendly with upper level management here and care very little about union members well-being. We do not know what to do about it.

Adam Heard
AFGE Local 1858
US Department of ARMY, Alabama