Readers talk back on postal workers, pay issues

The Federal Diary gets a lot of reader reaction. Occasionally, we give readers a chance to speak out by publishing a few of their remarks, which have been edited for clarity and length.

The folks at the American Postal Workers Union didn’t like a column that said the union was “disingenuous to use vets” as it did in a television spot against postal legislation that could lead to layoffs.

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The APWU ad honoring veterans does not “use” veterans! It’s trying to protect their jobs!

Although H.R. 2309 does not explicitly target veterans, it dramatically increases the likelihood that they would be exposed to layoffs.

Under current collective bargaining agreements, if layoffs were to take place, employees with veterans preference would have considerable protection against layoffs. Reassignments to other jobs and facilities are required before layoffs can take place, and veterans get preference in those moves, giving them a better chance to retain a job at their current pay grade and in their current facility. However, if no jobs are available — such as when a facility is closed — they are given opportunities for geographical reassignments. While layoffs of veterans are possible, they are unlikely.

H.R. 2309 would allow contractual protections against layoffs to be voided and substituted with federal RIF [reduction in force] rules. Under those rules, reassignments beyond a competitive area are not required. Therefore, if a processing plant is closed, there would be no obligation to offer veterans jobs in other locations. Employees working in the facility would all be subject to layoff — including veterans.

The Postal Service is planning to close approximately 250 mail-processing facilities and thousands of post offices. If the House bill passes, veterans who are protected under current law could be laid off.

Cliff Guffey, APWU president

Note: The U.S. Postal Service says no decision has been made on closing postal facilities at this time.

Pay freezes

My colleagues and I (who are all at least GS-14s) are greatly disturbed by the proposals for a pay freeze until 2015 and elimination of step increases for certain employees. We are all of the group whose salaries are lower than those in the private sector. Furthermore, we are greatly restricted by what we can do outside of work — due to the “air of impropriety” problem. We all work more than 40 hours a week — we couldn’t do our jobs without the extra hours. Plus, we frequently travel and always lose money even with per diem (it costs me $23 a day to hire a cat sitter). Plus, we have to do things like buy nice clothes because we have to go to meetings and look professional. Plus, the government doesn’t reimburse us for professional memberships.

We are trying to figure out what we can do to make our voices heard. Any chance that you’d be willing to write a piece about what federal workers can do to fight these proposals?

If we are put under a pay freeze/step increase freeze, we’d like to propose the following: We are only required to work a 32-hour week, and the restrictions on outside activities are lifted.

Pamela Marcus, Kensington, Md.

If readers have suggestions on what federal workers and others can do regarding these proposals, send them to federalddiary@washpost.com.

Some readers, like two below who posted online comments to Thursday’s column, might have other ideas.

I’m not impressed with the perpetual argument that institutions like the federal government have to pay a premium wage to “recruit talent,” especially at a time when so many talented people are in need of a job. People are lining up for these jobs. The federal workforce is already arguably OVER-paid, relative to the results, if the government cannot find a way to support itself on its existing revenues, without strangling the entire economy.

Iconoblaster

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Boo Hoo Hoo — any one of these hacks if they are that unhappy are free to take their “skill” to the private sector.

scottmmanson1

In response to scottmmanson1 , another reader wrote:

I’ll let every doctor at the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, Veterans Affairs and the Public Health Service know your feelings.

bert8