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Return to Article: Seeing Red

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  I've been following the Union activity closely since the day President Bush entered the White House. I was once a Union official. The Unions have not performed well these past four years and some of the blame needs to be accepted by the Unions.

  I teach Bible classes. After 8 years of plenty the Unions should have been storing grain, i.e. goodwill, for the inevitable drought and famine to follow. Now that we are in our fourth year of famine, it is unacceptable to keep crying that they didn't prepare for this disaster.

  The very serious question now for the Unions' leadership is how do we federal employees survive if the drought and famine goes another 4 years?

  HR Specialist

  PS- and than there was a Pharoah in Egypt that did not remember Joseph. :-)

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 7, 2004 8:11 AM
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  Unions are good for balancing the act between federal managers and federal employees. Although I haven't had much opportunity to use our unions, it's a blessing knowing they are available if needed. As far as DOD and its safety record and the unions, as a former DOD employee, I have witnessed a few unions displaying more concern for its organization and union dues than for the safety of its members and the employees. But only a few. The majority of the unions that I came into contact with in DOD were responsible DOD employees watching out for the welfare of other employees. The unions in the Veterans Administration again display the same responsibility. The irresponsible employee/union member can be found here and there but they, thankfully, are the minority. With the current Commander In Chief, unions must play a vital role in ensuring Federal employees are treated fairly on the job, in their pay, and other important issues.

  Nena Phillips Posted September 3, 2004 2:32 PM
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  Interesting comment by John Gage at the end of the article that shows his true position as a political activist rather than a bargaining unit representative.

  For AFGE members that do NOT agree with John's selection as representative of all federal workers, go to www.unionforbush.com
  I heard about the guy on Bill Bennett's radio show. He's a conventional union member that doesn't support the "we're union, we HAVE to be Democrats" line of thought control.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 3, 2004 1:44 PM
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  Gage should relax. The Pentagon is listening. And the leadership has been listening and watching for a long time. That's why the adults in this drama have decided we needed a new system - and Congress agreed. The unions have abused the current system for too long at the expense of the taxpayers. As a safety professional for over 20 years in DOD, I could tell horror story after horror story about how unions have interfered with achieving safer and more productive work processes. And concerning his comment about Kerry becoming President - well maybe then we will all have top cover for unearned awards and decorations. It would certainly return us to the good ol'Clinton days when truth and dignity were optional.

  R Garver Posted September 3, 2004 5:20 AM
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  Or force Congress to adopt the Canadian Federal Civil Service System. Canadian National Civil Service Unions have some real teeth as seen in some of their current labor management disputes.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 2, 2004 4:21 PM
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  The feds are the only big group of Americans that allows itself to be kicked around by a pack of politicians. Historically, 90% have refused to pay union dues. Free riders. If all bargaining unit feds supported their unions, the politicians would not dare mess with us.

  Arise from your lethargy! Read the writing on the wall.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 2, 2004 1:46 PM
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  Listening is not the hallmark of this administration - telling is!

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 2, 2004 8:25 AM
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  Why are these "Unions" whining so much? Of course the admninistration is enriching the bottom line of private corporations - they have to get elected this year and those are the guys that give them money and votes to stay at work on my dollars. That is the great American political system! As long as government is political, the actions of elected personnel and political appointees is going to be political! Boy Unions, is that really hard to figure out? Then what do the Unions do? They cry to the political people to stop being political! Unions get a life!

  tax payer Posted September 2, 2004 6:25 AM