Workers Plan to Retire, Without a Retirement Plan

Even though most employees invest in stocks, bonds and government securities through the TSP, "between seven and eight in 10 federal workers describe themselves as having some or only a little knowledge of investments and feeling somewhat or not too confident about their knowledge or ability to make investment decisions for retirement," the survey report said.

The survey was based on data from 7,294 employees and was weighted by age, gender, race and salary to match actual proportions in the overall workforce. The margin of error was plus or minus 1.4 percentage points.

Union Election

The majority of Customs and Border Protection employees have selected the National Treasury Employees Union to represent them in an election overseen by the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

Customs and Border employees cast 7,369 votes for the national treasury union, 3,426 for the American Federation of Government Employees, and 211 for neither, the labor authority said. CBP had asked for the election to reduce union jurisdictions and to reflect a new chain of command growing out of the merger that created the Department of Homeland Security.

Peter Winch , national organizer for the government employees federation, said the union would file an objection to the vote count and ask for a new election. CBP managers with ties to the treasury union from the old Customs Service helped NTEU get out its campaign message and showed "total favoritism," Winch said.

Kristi Clemens , spokeswoman for the CBP, said the agency "worked hand in hand with FLRA and representatives from AFGE and NTEU to ensure a fair and efficient election. Throughout the election process, CPB strove to maintain neutrality."

CBP employees, as part of the Homeland Security merger, were consolidated from the departments of Treasury, Justice and Agriculture. NTEU had represented legacy customs employees from Treasury and AFGE had represented former Justice Department immigration inspectors.

Colleen M. Kelley , president of NTEU, said, "We are very pleased that NTEU gained so much support from employees from all the agencies."

Stephen Barr's e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.