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A New Way Forward

There is no question that organized labor in this country is under attack. These attacks have come at the very core of what it means to be a union – our right to collectively bargain. What started in Madison, Wisconsin has spread across this country as state and national politicians seek to vilify labor as the cause of their fiscal woes and make us pay through stripping our rights to bargain on behalf of the working men and women we represent.

This is the landscape we find ourselves in: one in which we must continue to build membership and work for change, or have our rights trampled. The easy path would be for us to become discouraged, hang our heads, and give up. But that is not what we are about, and that is not who we are. That is not our proud history.

At this moment in time, when the very worth and dignity in being an American worker is being called into question, we must continue to build membership and organize the unorganized. Our union’s very survival depends on our ability to grow and mentor future leaders. If we are unable or unwilling to grow, we will soon be out of business.

NFFE’s new Organizing and Recruiting Strategic Plan recognizes NFFE’s need to move from reacting to change to acting on change. To accomplish this will necessitate a fundamental shift in our thinking, requiring us to move from a “servicing model” to an “organizing model.” This is not about emphasizing building membership at the expense of servicing our members; it is about building highly-functioning locals, effective local leaders, and engaged members. It is fundamentally about gaining power for workers.

Building, supporting, and sustaining effective locals and councils is the only way we can be successful at building membership on a continuing basis. Collectively we all have a personal responsibility for the success or failure of our union.

Change will not happen overnight. But we must commit to begin this change if we are to sustain this union. Working together, this is our chance to build something greater than ourselves, and continue NFFE’s proud legacy of working for America every day.

William R. Dougan

NFFE Local 589 Members Call for Change at Jackson VA Medical Center

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

(National Federation of Federal Employees)

After years of frustration with understaffing, mismanagement, and a hostile work environment, NFFE Local 589 physicians are calling for change at the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center.

In recent months, Local officials have joined together with other unions at the facility to fight back against a management culture that has diminished employee morale and deprived physicians of the tools they need to care for our nation’s veterans.

In a recent survey conducted by the Local, the extent of the management issue was brought to light. A full 98 percent of physicians polled said that morale at Jackson is not where it should be. Another 85 percent said that staffing shortages had affected their excellent delivery of care to veterans. Worse yet, 67 percent of physicians who responded said that they personally knew of instances in which management decisions to cut costs decreased the quality of care for our veterans.

With this information in hand, Local President Joe Simon, penned a letter to Veterans’ Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki calling for the removal of the top five management officials at the facility.

“Physician trust in our current facility leadership’s character and competence is now beyond repair,” said Simon in his July 10^th letter to the Secretary. “Our leadership has created a culture of privilege and intimidation. Medical care providers are viewed as objects to be manipulated to achieve performance targets by any means necessary.”

Earlier this month, Local officials were invited to meet with the VISN 16 director to discuss the management issues at the facility. Unfortunately, the VA failed to make a commitment to change the leadership in Jackson, a move that Simon believes will further strain labor-management relations at the facility.

NFFE Local 589 represents nearly 500 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other medical professionals at the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi.

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