AFGE Action NEWS

The grandiose, visionary flourishes of management speak about NSPS just don't hold water.  While Congress may buy this corporate politically correct lingo, I'm not buying it.

Let's start with the name National Security Personnel System.  The notion of creating a new personnel system that provides for the flexibility of the Department of Defense to manage its civilian personnel in an era of global terrorism was easy to sell lawmakers in the post 9-11 political environment.  Now that they've got it, the shift to the truth became easy; it's all about management flexibility and nothing at all about preserving the defense of our country.

Flexibility in and of itself is not a bad thing.  It becomes bad when the intent is more akin to giving a spoiled child their way to keep them quiet then in using the flexibility to correct the problem with the fact the child is spoiled.  NSPS is the personnel system that greases the squeaky wheel. 

Imagine all those managers who have laid blame for not being able to do their jobs on the employees, unions and the personnel system built over the last 50 years as the squeaky wheels.  Kind of deafening isn't it?

DOD has sold America's lawmakers an acceptable excuse as to the reason why they can't manage.  After all, it's got to be someone's fault.

Something or someone has to be the reason why managers can't hire, recruit or train employees.

Something or someone has to be the reason why management cannot correct poor performance of employees.

Something or someone has to be to blame for management in not being able to shape the workforce to meet changing requirements and missions.

Something or someone has to be to blame when courts of law and impartial review authorities overturn illegal and improper management actions that harm employees.

Something or someone has to be to blame when management enters into an agreement with union representatives and management does not comply with the agreement they voluntarily entered into. 

Something or someone has to be to blame for management not being able to pay their friends and cronies more for the same or less work than other employees.

Hey, we can't have a personnel system that allows abusive power to feed corporate egos, what's the point?  Congress must have agreed because they passed the law that allows NSPS. 

Don't let the squeaky wheel get greased but replace the cause of the squeak.  Excuses today that prevent our action will be the reasons for failure should NSPS be implemented without meaningful involvement of employee union representatives. 

Let's not be like the management squeaky wheels and look to lay blame on someone else.  Let's move and act like DOD employees, focused on mission accomplishment and service to those we serve and act.  Act today and get involved in AFGE's OPERATION FAIRNESS.