GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Union opposes draft civil service changes

• 10651
  

  Skeptical - I might profit under the new system, but only at the expense of others who also deserve to profit. Back in the 80s there was a similar plan, where managers were given a pot of money to distribute to the "deserving". Funny thing was, no one "deserved" except managers and their management friends.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 27, 2005 4:37 PM
• 10370
  

  I find it curious that all you ever get is the naysayer opinion on this. Not a single person thinks that they will benefit?

  IF you take everyone's stated opinion that the only thing it will take to rake in huge, undeserved raises & bonuses is to play golf and go drinking with the boss, then why isn't everyone just making plans to do so now and then? My guess, is that way down deep, everyone realizes that there really will be at least some justification required for every recommended raise.

  I am looking forward to a pay for performance plan. I work rings around the average individual and look forward to some others actually picking up the ball for a change. But no, they'll just do the same as they've always done - sit back, surf the net, hang out by the coffee pot and complain about how they aren't getting a fair shot because (fill in the blank) is "the boss's favorite, so why bother?"

  Skeptical Posted June 15, 2005 8:48 AM
• 10354
  

  It will mean a lot of favoritism. If you work hard, but your supervisor doesn't like you, there goes your raise. Morale will go down the tubes.

  Tammy Nelson Posted June 14, 2005 3:42 PM
• 10344
  

  Here we go again...the unions object to personnel reform. The unions are again showing that they are against any worthwhile change for their own self preservation. When will the union members get it. Unions don't exist for the benefit of the working man (most union members are nothing but that) but exist for their own selfish reasons. They pray on the insecurities of low level employees who are constantly trying to get something for nothing. Good luck unions, you are wasting your time in fighting this one.

  Professional Government Employee Posted June 14, 2005 9:49 AM
• 10309
  

  And they have trouble recruiting now! They will have real recruiting problems in the future under this proposed program.

  The Navy potential engineer describes a problem I also experienced. My private sector management background is far better than that of anyone I work with and yet the classification for the jobs is engineer! These people do not work as engineers but they are supposed to do project and process management and write policy. They have no meaningful policy! The only policy is to do what the law requires! There are no policies about how the operations people should implement the laws. These guys generally have no idea of how to manage or even what mangement means! Many think that because they are in the management positon everyone should do as they are told regardless of what the manager says! No one below the management level is supposed to think! Therefore, the military gets whatever the managers think and that is not very good! It is no wonder that military thinks so little of the civilians in DoD. The civilian mangers have no idea of how to manage!

  taxpayer Posted June 13, 2005 7:32 AM
• 10285
  

  Yawn...so what if the union opposes. This union and all the others have become powerless. It will be what the presidential agenda mandates regardless.

  A-76 Career Federal Employee Posted June 11, 2005 5:30 PM
• 10277
  

  I have examined in detail how the NSPS will effect my own career. I can say that I am very grateful to the NSPS for not being in place five years ago. If I had been under the NSPS five years ago the retirement which I now qualify for would be $630 a month less. Thank you, NSPS. Please delay implementation as long as possible. In terms of spreading the benefits of personnel reform to all other agencies of the government I expected that had to come because it will eliminate any comparison of NSPS salaries to published GS pay tables since there will be no GS`s if the reformers get their way. The pay for performance employees would have found that 60 to 70 percent of their ranks would have fallen behind where they would have been under the GS system as compared to the pay for performance system.

  Personally I think the reforms were started in the wrong departments of the government. I think I would have chosen those departments that were not essential to the national defense or security. Risking the morale of the personnel in agencies that keep the nation secure with reforms that clearly will not be for their benefit seems unwise at best.

  Joe Newman Posted June 10, 2005 4:45 PM
• 10267
  

  Personally, I would like to see some aspects of the civil service system go. Many of these rules were undoubtedly some good-intentioned, though twisted, view of institutionalizing fairness in a system that is ultimately flawed by human nature and organizational politics. It is also not effective in recruiting and retaining "the best and the brightest" - if that is an agencies' true objective. Good example of why people leave the civil service after so many years of service: I worked In the technician series over at DoD for over 10 years as a GS-11. I went on to get a degree in a related field of engineering. When I graduated, HRO wanted to "break me back" to a GS-7 engineer, saying that my experience didn't count enough to give me the same grade in a different series. I told them, in that case I wanted to stay a technician. They persisted in trying to persuade me to take the title of engineer, and said I wouldn't lose any money because I would be on "save pay." They even said it was to my advantage to agree to this because my career ladder was to a GS-12.

  What they don't mention is that yes - you can lose money in a save pay arrangement because you only get half of your COLAs yearly. Also, the save pay is typically only good for two years - so you are also in danger receiving of a permanent pay cut. Also, in a RIF situation - you won't be as well off as you would have been if you retained your grade. I know people that have been broken back and they all told me they have never recovered financially from the setback, EVEN when they were repromoted back to their original grade levels. Another salient point - this is a system where there are no guarantees that I would have ever been promoted back to my original level. So, in the middle of these one-sided "negotiations", I quit.

  If this happened in private industry, the organization would have found a way to reward me for my effort and even given me a raise.

  But then again, it doesn't matter whether I was on paybanding, NSPS, or old civil service rules. My ex-management was out to screw me. Rummy and others just want to make it easier for them to do it.

  Have a great Navy Day.

  Out of it.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 10, 2005 12:44 PM
• 10265
  

  The new system looks dangerous if you have stupid or bad management. Plenty of that around. Mine are OK right now.

  The current system protects the worthless. It only helps good old boys, suck ups, yes men, politicians, quota females, quota minorities, and union lackeys that otherwise couldn't hold a job. If the new system gets rid of them, that's OK with me.

  But it will not. It will be manipulated just like the current system.

  GovExec.com reader Posted June 10, 2005 11:26 AM
• 10250
  

  I guess as a veteran who has been messed over by the old civil service rules in the hiring and placement of disabled veterans, I can say that I care less what BUSH does. The civil service system only worked for those who could manipulate it or were in positions of authority and thought they were untouchable. They didn't care about rules or laws from either congress or OPM. Now they have seen their well dry up and they don't like it so to speak. Many veterans suffered under the current system and still do, but agency directors and HR people were and are still in there trying to find any way possible to mess over the vets. Well, have a nice day folks. Your pony ride is about over.

  Charlie Posted June 9, 2005 9:45 PM