Union plans to air radio ad to bolster image of federal workers

The nation's largest federal workers union is taking to the airwaves to defend rank-and-file federal workers against growing anti-government sentiments.

The American Federation of Government Employees plans to spend about $200,000 to air a 60-second radio ad in more than 30 markets, including Washington and several Southern cities, a spokeswoman said.

The ad features AFGE President John Gage and workers from the Bureau of Prisons, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Administration, who tell listeners to "trust" them as they carry out their work.

"Some polls say Americans don't trust government. But listen to our members, the real people who work hard for you every day," Gage says at the start.

A corrections officer at the Supermax prison in Florence, Colo., tells listeners: "Trust me. The terrorists are locked down tight."

A Social Security claims representative from Fort Lauderdale says: "Senior citizens can trust me to get them the right check at the right time."

And a VA registered nurse says: "I care for veterans like family."

"You can trust us. We work for you," Gage says at the end.

The ad is the AFGE's attempt to humanize federal workers and say that proposals to cut federal spending and federal jobs are irresponsible.

"We want people to know what those irresponsible ploys really mean," Gage said in a statement announcing the ad buy. "They mean reductions in Social Security for our seniors. They mean reduced services for our veterans. And, they mean fewer guards at our federal prisons. The men and women of the federal service are not nameless, faceless bureaucrats. They're what hold our nation together."

To hear the audio of the radio ad, visit http://washingtonpost.com/federaleye.