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AFGE Responds to DoD Decision to Review National Security Personnel System

Posted on: Monday, 16 March 2009, 16:26 CDT

DoD to Conduct Full Review, Delay Pending Conversions

WASHINGTON, March 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) today responded to the Department of Defense's (DoD) decision to conduct a full review of the National Security Personnel System (NSPS). AFGE has been steadfast in opposition to the misguided policy, since its introduction by the previous administration.

"We have said consistently that this system is inherently flawed. It lacks transparency and fairness. It is a system that is completely untenable and should never have been pursued," said John Gage, AFGE national president. Gage met with DoD Deputy Secretary Lynn last week to discuss issues, including NSPS, affecting the civilian defense workforce. "I expressed these views to Deputy Secretary Lynn in our meeting last week and I am pleased that he has decided to take immediate action."

Previous reviews of NSPS by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have substantiated AFGE's claims that the system is inherently unfair, impairs employee morale, and suppresses wages. A report released by GAO a few months ago found that employees' belief that the system would provide a fair reflection of their performance fell increasingly as the system expanded. Additionally, in a report released by the Office of Personnel Management, OPM acknowledged that a growing number of employees do not trust the system to ensure fairness in pay or performance ratings.

"This policy was a product of the ideologues of the previous administration aimed at suppressing civilian pay and eliminating collective bargaining rights," said Gage. "It is about time we ended it."

AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Source: PR Newswire

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