Conferees Restore Defense Workers' Rights Under New Personnel Plan
Monday, December 10, 2007
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Randy
Erwin, NFFE Legislative
Director Phone: (202)
257-0948 Washington, DC
– On
The
language included in the conference report
would restore collective bargaining rights and
adverse action appeal rights for hundreds of
thousands of Defense workers. The
language also removes blue collar workers from
the system
entirely.
“Collective bargaining and a
fair system of employee appeals are basic
rights that all workers deserve. We are happy
to see Congress step in and do the right thing
regarding workers’ rights,” said Richard N.
Brown, NFFE National
President.
The
language in the conference report would leave
in place DoD’s ability to create a pay for
performance system. However, the measure
would guarantee that NSPS employees get 60
percent of the annual pay raise given to most
federal workers. Only the remaining 40
percent of the pay adjustment, which is set
annually by Congress, would go toward
performance pay. Defense workers will
also continue to receive locality pay when
performing at a satisfactory level and
above.
“We believe these changes
greatly improve the personnel system over its
previous form,” said Brown. “The plan
that DoD came up with was never going to fly
with the rank and file Defense employees, and
the plan would never be a success without buy
in from those participating in it. NSPS
is still far from perfect in our opinion, but
at least some common sense has been
restored.”
The
House and Senate will likely vote on the bill
this week and send it to the president for his
signature.
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Established in 1917,
the National Federation of Federal Employees is
the oldest union representing civil service
federal employees. NFFE currently
represents 90,000 federal employees
government-wide, including 45,000 in the
Department of Defense. NFFE is affiliated
with the International Association of
Machinists and Aerospace Workers.