TOPICS
TOPICS
Unions call for repeal of law authorizing new Defense personnel system
Union officials who walked out of meetings with Defense Department leaders over the design of the National Security Personnel System asked Congress Tuesday to repeal legislation authorizing the department to create new civil service rules for its 650,000 civilian workers.
"We're calling on every member of Congress and every senator to do the right thing," said Richard N. Brown, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. "And that right thing is to reverse NSPS. It will do more harm than good."
Six unions - NFFE, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Association of Government Employees, the Metal Trades Department of the AFL-CIO, and the National Association of Independent Labor - walked out of congressionally mandated meet-and-confer sessions between Defense management and union leaders on Monday. The six unions represent about 100,000 Defense workers.
Five of the unions are members of the 36-member United Defense Workers Coalition, which is lobbying against Defense's proposed rules, and continues to meet with Defense leaders. The National Association of Independent Labor is not a member of the coalition, but was participating in the meet-and-confer sessions.
Defense's rules, announced in February, have yet to be finalized, but they would restrict union bargaining rights, create stricter disciplinary rules and eliminate the General Schedule in favor of a pay-for-performance system.
Mark Gibson, a negotiator with the American Federation of Government Employees, said union members have indicated that they want to continue meeting with Defense management. The meet-and-confer sessions are scheduled to end Thursday. But Gibson said he respected his colleagues' decision and felt as disheartened as they about the details of the new system. "Congress is accountable. It's their bad law. They need to fix it," he said.
Ronald Ault, president of the Metal Trades department of the AFL-CIO, said Congress has a long history of making bad law, some far more severe than NSPS. "Slavery was once the law of the land," he said. "At one time, women didn't have the right to vote. If you look at the shameful history of our Congress heaping injustices on the American people, NSPS is just the latest bad law."
The preliminary rules indicated that Defense would declare issues related to the assignment of work, deployments and use of new technology to be management rights that are not subject to collective bargaining. But the rules provided few details of how Defense would define those areas.
During the meet-and-confer process, the unions objected strongly to indications from Defense leaders that the final rules will allow the Defense secretary to issue directives that would overrule collective bargaining agreements.
The union leaders offered different assessments of what future role unions would have at the Defense Department. Ault said the rules so restrict unions' role that he would have trouble recruiting members. "I wouldn't pay for something that doesn't have any value," he said. But Gibson indicated that the unions plan to fight on, lobbying Congress and organizing at the local level to overturn the new system.
COMMENTS
- "I must admit, even after 6 years as a DAC, I'd never really seen a need for a union. As a retired military, I've actually been conditioned against them. Other than my GI Bill earned college training, I knew little and cared less about unions. " Give me a break - you were part of the biggest union in the world only you call it the US military! You have great retirement, insurance, housing, education and all other benefits. You also have preference in hiring as long as you stay in the government and your union negotiates many special pricing deals with a lot of private sector businesses. You also think you should get free college benefits for your kids and list a residence anywhere you served that does not require income or other taxes. The US military is the biggest and most powerful union in the world! give me a break Posted July 1, 2005 8:56 AM
- Kudos to “Engineer” in DC. Para. 2 spells out the problems with the new system!! Most succinct analysis I’ve seen yet! Same to HR Specialist! “when your agency decides to take back AWS …” This is exactly what happened to me. A lousy but obstinate boss (whom I pray will NEVER control my pay) did one good thing for our section. She implemented the Alternate Work Schedule in our shop because she wanted to use it. For 3 years we labored in a manpower shortage that caused our new hires to rotate through like a revolving door, leaving as soon as they got their feet in the DAC door and could exit gracefully to better climes. Our only saving grace was the SDO. When that boss finally departed, the organization’s Assistant Director (newly retired COL) convinced the Director (soon to be retiring LTC) to stop all participation in AWS. No explanation, no complaints, no additional manpower. Well, back in the late 70’s I worked for MTMCTEA. I read their analysis on AWS’s impact on operational hours (extended), traffic patterns (lessened/relieved congestion), and worker participation (ecstatic/morale soared); even used it in as reference material towards my MBA. Analysis from a business perspective? It just makes sense. Helps the customer, helps the organization, cuts traffic problems and absenteeism. When I had the opportunity, I took advantage of it. My wife and I are on the same schedule. I must admit, even after 6 years as a DAC, I’d never really seen a need for a union. As a retired military, I’ve actually been conditioned against them. Other than my GI Bill earned college training, I knew little and cared less about unions. But when people change standard operations and impact on quality-of-life due to arbitrary and capricious whims, well, this normally “Salute-&-March-on” retiree gets his ruff up. In brief, I contacted the Union. They stood up for us and the status quo continues with no loss in productivity or morale. Needless to say, I am now a dues paying member. Thank you, Mr. Union Rep. Tip out. Tip Posted June 23, 2005 4:16 PM
- Point - Unions did not put the airlines and car companies out of business! The companies put themselves out of business. The airlines agreed to all the Union demands and now cannot pay the price! In fact, the Unions have agreed to reduced salaries and benefits! GM has been reducing value for decades - it's not a recent thing. If GM is hurting so much why are they investing billions in China? GM has greater value if sold in pieces rather than continuing as a going concern. UAW is working at the new BMW, Hyundai, and Honda plants now in the USA and they seem to be able to compete. Maybe the car companies you talk about have bad products, top heavy managements and employees in management that do not believe they are going down the drain! Seems to me that Ford and GM need to get rid of a third of their managers and reduce the salaries of those remaining by at least 30%. Then they can start on the unions. taxpayer Posted June 7, 2005 6:50 AM
