| Comment Number: | EM-023151 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 10:40:41 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:
To Whom It May Concern: We as government workers are about to face one of the most disturbing changes in history under the newly proposed National Security Personnel System (NSPS). This is all being done under the umbrella of "national security" which seems to be a disguise for reducing collective bargaining rights, pay and benefits, and personal individual freedoms. There is nothing wrong with the current system if the current system is used correctly. NSPS will be based on supervisors and workers and how well they are trained just as the current system is. Any system is only as good as the people that make it up. It is not rules and regulations that make systems work, it is people. People must have trust in the government they work for just as the government must trust the people working for them. Reducing people's individual rights, bargaining rights, and instituting a pay system that has not been explained will only cause distrust and morale problems. I along with many other people resent and detest the way NSPS is being shoved upon us. I am not a union member but I believe in collective bargaining and believe it benefits both sides. I know the unions and collective bargaining have not been given a "fair shake" in negotiations. Unions are just as much a part of this country as any other organization and they have helped protect this country and made it strong. Having good collective bargaining also helps protect the individual's personal rights as well as allowing for effective communication between management and workers. Good collective bargaining has been in effect for many years in DoD under the current system and this has not adversely affected the mission of DoD or national security. Some would surmise that NSPS might be a way of "busting" the government unions and collective bargaining. The real issues of NSPS for most people are fear and distrust. This comes from not knowing what to expect because DoD has done an extremely poor job of educating and explaining what the new system is. They seem to want to be vague or withhold information from the workers which can only lead to fear and distrust. What is the rush to implement a system which has not been explained to the employees? When you are changing someone's pay and benefits and you are vague or withholding information from them, you create a poor working atmosphere, fear, distrust, and a general lack of well-being in your workers. It seems to the employees that DoD does not care! Why can't NSPS be put on "hold" until further studies are done and more time is given to explain and inform workers of the many changes that will take place? What is the rush in implementing the system?