| Comment Number: | EM-019891 |
| Received: | 3/14/2005 1:46:55 AM |
| Subject: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| Title: | National Security Personnel System |
| CFR Citation: | 5 CFR Chapter XCIX and Part 9901 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
March 14, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: I write to express my concerns about changes to work rules in the Department of Defense (DoD). The proposed regulations, known as the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), were printed in the Federal Register on February 14, 2005. This message will be sent to both DoD and my representatives in Congress. I have worked for DoD for 19 years. I am very angry that these proposals take away many of my rights and tie the hands of the union that represents me. Why is this system not being imposed on the military? Wouldn't pay banding create better soldiers? Could it be, DoD wants to keep the troops happy and encourage team work? Under the General Schedule and FWS, employee pay was clear. It was funded by Congress and could not be taken away. However, NSPS will take away this certainty. Salaries and bonuses are funded by DoD. In the past ? as recently as just last year ? DoD did not fund its awards program. Given the agency?s miserable record on this issue, how can employees feel confident that our salaries and bonuses will be funded in the future? How can two individuals that recieve the same exceptional appraisals not be garenteed the same reward for their hard work? Why can't anyone explain to me exactly how the shares will be given out. It looks to me like these "shares" will be nothing more than rewards for the "don't ask and don't tell" employees. ?Friend of the Supervisor? Pay System With the new patronage pay system, which DoD calls ?pay for performance,? the amount of a worker's salary will depend almost completely on the personal judgment of his or her manager. In a perfect world with honest supervisors this system could work fine, but unfortunately, that's not the case in goverment. I know and have known supervisors who would definately abuse this system to retaliate against any one who ever questioned or challenged them. This is the ultimate system for managers to surround themselves with incompetent butt kissers. Any one who has any moral ethics and dare to stand up for what is right under an unjust supervisor will certainly pay the price under this system. This system will force workers to compete with one another for pay raises, which will destroy teamwork and increase conflict among employees. This system will create a situation in which workers are in conflict with one another and afraid to speak out about harassment, violations of the law, and workplace safety for fear they will not recieve as many shares as the next guy or gal and ultimately cost them money. Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. Could this system encourage people to become hostile in the work place? Schedules and Overtime, NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes. If it was not for our negotiated union basic labor agreement, my supervisor would not give more than one day advance notice in scheduling overtime. This makes it extremely difficult to plan your week when you don't know if you have to work late or not. It puts an extra burden on my wife and on working parents who care for their children and family. It will also mean that abusive managers could harass employees with bad schedules or short notice. Is this the thanks I get for devoting 19 years of my life supporting our soldiers? Civilian Deployment Federal employees could be assigned anywhere in the world, even into a war zone, with little or no notice. I am proud to serve my country but I am also responsible for caring for my family and my personal obligations at home. We signed up for a civilian job. We did not enlist in the military. Today?s volunteer system works well. America is at war. We are fighting for democracy abroad. But the regulations are an attack on workers? basic rights. Furthermore, NSPS will divert the attention of defense workers from the soldiers? welfare to protecting themselves from abuse on the job. I urge you to force DoD to rethink this proposal. We need work rules that preserve fairness, serve the American people, and respect the rights of Defense Department workers. Sincerely,