Comment Number: OL-10507593
Received: 3/14/2005 12:53:25 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:

The proposed NSPS would cause DOD to become like the countries they go into to fight for the people’s rights and freedom. NSPS would take away a civilian worker’s rights and freedom in the work place. But you know this because that is the reason you are restricting union rights. You talk about training managers/supervisors on how NSPS is suppose to work. Training does not mean that supervisors will rate people on their job performance. The majority of supervisor’s ratings are based on favoritism. As long as you are one of the supervisor’s chosen ones (favoritism) you will receive an outstanding rating. If you are one of the chosen ones, your work can be below satisfactory, but you will still get the high rating (favoritism). But you know this because that is the reason you are restricting union rights. Under NSPS majority of the supervisors will still rate as they do on the present system, favoritism. The present system allows supervisors to address poor performance, but you make it sound that they will only be able to do this in NSPS. Under the present system, if you are an outstanding performer, but your supervisor do not give you the credit due, you know you will be getting your step increase that you are entitled. Under NSPS, if you are not one of the chosen ones, but you are an outstanding performer, you get nothing. But you know this because that is the reason you are restricting union rights. If you did not restrict union rights under NSPS, you know there would be thousands of complaints filed with the union. You also know that the union would win the majority of the complaints. To prevent this from happening, you will restrict the union rights under NSPS. You also know that if you did not restrict the union rights under NSPS, the union membership would increase 50% overnight and continue to increase year after year. And you cannot afford to have the union’s membership to increase. After the first rating under NSPS, how many of us will try our best to get another job with another agency that don’t have a system like NSPS or with the private sector. Those under CSRS will try to get a job with another agency. Those under FERS will try to get a job with another agency or the private sector. With a high turn over of personnel, the mission would be jeopardized. Several times I have read were you like to say “pay increases should not be based on LONGEVITY”. New personnel get a pay increase after one year. Is this longevity? If you stay in the same grade, you will eventually starting getting pay increases every TWO years, then every THREE years then NOT AT ALL. The longer you stay in the same grade, the FEWER pay increases you will get. Therefore, pay increases are not based on longevity. Why are you asking for our comments? If NSPS is implemented, you want to be able to say you asked for comments, you asked for inputs from the unions and you had town hall meetings. Why ask for our comments and input from the unions when your plan is to do as you please regardless of someone else’s opinion. The civilian worker is the glue that holds DOD together. If you take away that strong glue that is holding you together and replace it with chosen ones, (favoritism) weak glue, what do you think will happen to the mission? There are a few good supervisors working for DOD. They do rate you on your performance not favoritism. But the percentage of good and fair supervisors is very low. If a good supervisor have several outstanding performers, the percentage of the money from the pay pool would not be enough to award all of the outstanding performers. Some may get performance pay out, some a bonus and others nothing. But you know this because that is the reason you are restricting union rights. The chosen ones under favoritism, glue is weak not strong. If you start NSPS, you will find out the hard way that weak glue will jeopardize the mission. I have been reading about NSPS for sometime. After reading several different documents, in my opinion the only reason you want NSPS is to save MONEY. On page 7553 you mention that the present system have some weakness that make the support of DOD’s mission complex, COSTLY, etc. On page 7560 you talk about performance pay out and bonus. Those that receive a performance payout will have that amount increased their basic pay, which in turn would increase their retirement pay. Those who will receive a bonus will not have their retirement pay increased. Those who receive nothing will also have nothing to increase their retirement pay. Reading between the lines you can see that you will be saving money. You state that DOD may determine a percentage of pay to be included in pay pools and payouts. Last year I remember reading that each department in DOD will have to send to you how they plan to rate their workers. An example, if the Army was entitled to 12% of the pay pool, but if you don’t like their plan on how they are going to rate their workers, you could decrease their percentage of the pay pool anywhere from one to 12%. According to what I read, some departments can receive 0% of the pay pool. On your website, under your Frequently Ask Questions, question number 26 asks “Will NSPS affect my retirement and health insurance benefits, or leave entitlements”? Your answer “No. NSPS will not change the RULES regarding retirement, health insurance, annual leave or sick leave”. My question is: will NSPS affect my retirement? The answer is YES; my retirement pay will be less under NSPS. Not only will you save money on civilians by paying them less while they are working, but you will also save in the long run on retirement pay. On a RIF you want the chosen ones, weak glue, performance, which is based on favoritism not performance, to count more than seniority. The majority of civilian workers with seniority are outstanding workers, strong glue, but do not get the credit they deserve. The majority of workers work because of money; they need money for survival. When you start screwing around with a worker’s money, you know you will have workers who will file complaints, but you know this because that is the reason you are restricting union rights.