Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

Retired - You are correct. Few people appreciate how costly federal unions are. Many members believe most expenses are paid via dues. The direct and indirect cost to taxpayers is huge. Union "accomplishments" nationally are shamefully minor. Locally, federal unions primarily defend malcontents and poor performers. National leadership is weak, and local leaders often do little more than promote personal agenda. I wish federal unions were effective. They could promote a more positive image of the federal workforce. Sadly, they are a joke.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

To Exec DOD :

I guess you're entitled to your opinion. Let me set the record straight since I don't agree with your opinion. A wonderful HR Director once pointed out to me, management gets the union they deserve..........even Bush didn't think you could manage because he let Rummy try to decimate the DOD LR system via the National Security Personnel System. So if your opinon is that federal unions are worthless because all they do is defend malcontents and poor performers, then you are sadly part of the problem, because if you did your job right, there would be nothing for unions to defend.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

Federal unions should be abolished because their national achievements do not warrant the cost. The same is true of agencies, departments, managers, and employees. The public holds us in low esteem because we lack the will to do it.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

To retired IRS,
You have lots of rhetoric, but little substance. Yes, unions are here to represent all of the population within its group. By providing management with imput, and not claiming control, management can get an idea of certain problems. Then management can make decisions as to whether to concede, partially concede, or go with its on program, after discussions with union leaders. Discussions can save money by avoiding grievances. There is a way to save money.
You say unions are a waste of money. That may be true for bad union decisions. The same would be true for bad management decisions. Good union decisions and good management decisions save money.
As I said before, you show much rhetoric and little substance in your comments.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

I worked closely with federal unions at national and local levels. Decisions, policies, and positions were often based on personal or political bias and agenda rather than member interest. Their achievements do not justify their cost. Congress and members have not demanded accountability, and they are an unnecessary drain on taxpayers. Agencies without unions run more effectively, and unions are not needed to "protect" federal workers.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

Unfortunately, I am one of the peons who has to do double duty because of the malcontents and under performers who will not work. Perhaps if the union would show a little more discretion in who they defend or at least encourage pride in accomplishment, I would take them more seriously.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

The unions create malcontented performers by defending the underperformers.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

worker - You have gall claiming another comment has little substance. Your comment is trite and meaningless. Get back to work. BTW, retired IRS is correct.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

It's interesting to me that union's bear the brunt of critisism in comments about their huge cost to taxpayers. The unions exist to represent their bargaining unit employee's interests. That's their job. If they don't represent "malcontents and poor performers" they are remiss in their duties. Having sat on both sides of the table, I can tell you that the issue is not the unions - it's the lack of training given to management employees about their obligations to follow their CBA and document poor performance, along with little to no knowledge about how to approach negotiations.
There are far to many managers that either don't know or can't be bothered to research the correct procedures and don't use the resources that are available to them (HR). If a union is successful in negotiating for it's members a burden on taxpayers, it is we, the management team, who have not done the job we are paid to do.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

Initially managers are often weak (some remain so), but agencies without union representations run more effectively. Federal unions are unnecessary, and their expense is a meaningless waste. Arguments they are needed to protect workers are baseless. Ample legal and regulatory protections exist in all agencies.

Re: Federal Unions are Worthless

To retired treasury,
Read the comment and tell me the substance as relates to the issue.

Re: New attempt at old idea

There are no sound management pratices in FAA. If there were we would not be billions of dollars overspent and years behind in modernizing the system. Do you remember "Advanced Automation"? $6 billion down the drain. That is just one example.
FAA managers are too interested in building their "empires" and counting beans.