| Comment Number: | EM-023236 |
| Received: | 3/15/2005 2:41:49 PM |
| 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 15, 2005 DoD NSPS Comments , DoD NSPS Comments: I am a DOD civilian worker and AFL-CIO member. I am very dismayed as to how the Bush Administration has proposed to implement the NSPS. I do feel that some changes should be made to our current HR system but when legislation, approved by Congress, gave the Secretary of Defense the sole authority to create a new personnel system, I was very concerned that this would allow manipulation of the rights of the civilian worker. By unilaterally creating the new NSPS, I feel that a lot of my current civilian rights will be removed or limited to what rights I will have as it relates to worker seniority, work and pay performance and employee grievance and arbitration rights. I do believe that we should be one team but I also believe that taking away team players rights is not the definition of what a team consist of especially when there are discrepancy amongst the team players. I believe the civilian workforce is dedicated to supporting the military force in every way possible but to be considered as military personnel is unfair. I believe the new proposed NSPS is geared towards this idea. I do believe in the protection of our country against terrorist threats and I feel that all American citizens can contribute in various ways to support the war on terror. It appears that whenever a perceived change should occur, the reason behind the change is due to "National Security". I believe that some things and not other things directly affect National Security. The things that have a direct impact on the American people should be addressed. For example, airport security, boarder patrols and all commercial transportation vessels just to name a few. However, modifying the personnel system as proposed, I do not believe this will solve, to a great extent, our primary national security issues. I feel that the proposed NSPS is an attack on our civilian workforce and our labor unions. I believe with the help, recommendations and assistance of the our political officials and our labor unions, alternatives to satisfy the need for a new personnel system and keep the civilian workers motivated to continue to work for world peace, can be achieved. Without giving serious consideration to the rights of the people who will be severely impacted and forcing major unwanted changes that the civilian workforce do not feel are beneficial, could be more disastrous to our country than an outside terrorist attack. I also concur with the following: 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 years. I am angry that these proposals seem to treat the employees who help defend our country as the enemy. Most DoD employees work hard and are committed. I believe that mistreating the employees will hurt the agency?s mission. I am very upset by NSPS. This system will change the way workers are paid, evaluated, promoted, fired, scheduled, and treated. These rules would create a system in which federal managers are influenced by favoritism rather than serving the civil concerns of the American people. Annual Pay Raises 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? ?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. This system will force workers to compete with one another for pay raises, which will destroy teamwork, increase conflict among employees, and reward short-term outcomes. There is no guarantee that even the best workers will receive a pay raise or that the pay offered will be fair or competitive. 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 problems. Furthermore, there will be no impartial appeal system to assure that everyone is treated fairly. Schedules and Overtime NSPS will allow managers to schedule employees to work without sufficient advance notice of schedule changes. This will make it extremely difficult for working parents to care for their children and family. It will also mean that abusive managers could harass employees with bad schedules or short notice. Overtime rotations can be canceled, which means that employees may not be able to plan adequately for childcare and other important responsibilities. 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,