| Comment Number: | OL-10511578 |
| Received: | 3/16/2005 4:10:16 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:
Some of my many concerns with the forced implementation of the NSPS system is the attempt to destroy the unions in the government system. From what I gather from my limited understanding of the program, there seems to be no safe guards in place to help an employee from receiving fair and equitable treatment. By this I mean, Promotions, pay raises, and threat of termination. What prevents a supervisor from continuously promoting or presenting pay raises to his friends, (commonly known as the good old boy system). If a supervisor doesn't like a particular employee, even though that employee is a good worker, what system is in place to protect the employees rights and secure their job or receive a timely pay raise. It seems that Secretary Rumsfeld is putting a lot of trust in the supervisor/management system without giving these concerns much thought. The Secretary doesn't have to worry about fair treatment, he is at the top. In a fair and balanced atmosphere in the work enviornment, the NSPS system would be a great program. However, this is not the case in government service. I have only been a government employee for four years and I don't believe there are many supervisors/managers who can be fair towards all their employees. Even the ones they dislike. As a former E-9 in the Navy, I had to make my best effort to be fair to all sailors whether I liked them or not. I just don't see this type of effort being considered at my place of employment and I can only assume this is typical in government service. Even though I am a union member, I am not a strong proponent of unions. I only joined the union because I have seen unfairness on a regular basis. The unions are needed to protect employees rights from agressive supervisors/managers seeking to take care of their friends. I know that no place of employment can be free of unfair supervisors, but unions can help shed light on problem areas and then maybe management will open their eyes and stop unfair treatment. There is a lot of talent in civil service, supervisors only need to properly recongnize those individuals who go the extra mile to get the job done right the first time. Instead I see awards that go to personnel who are considered the bosses favorites. I know that sometimes supervisors will give cash awards to less motivated personnel trying to get them to produce a fair days work but all that does is demoralize those employees who give 100%. So my point is, how is NSPS going to keep things fair. From what I see, NOTHING. I agree that there are some civil service employees who should be terminated and giving the supervisor/manager that authority is the right thing to do. But again I say who is going to protect the employee when he/she is being wrongfully processed for termination. All I see is a lot of future law suits that will embarrass the government and the civil service program. I ask that the NSPS implementation team takes the time to look over these concerns instead of trying to disolve the unions. The unions will desolve themselves when supervisors/managers learn to become fair and exhibit true leadership toward all their employees.