A stated objective of President Trump’s administration and the Republican Majorities in the Senate and Congress is reforming the federal workforce. We could not agree more.

The National Association of Independent Labor (NAIL), a Federal Workers Union, stands ready to assist. As a Federal Union with charter National Consultation Rights, NAIL always strives to play a critical role in shaping policy that fosters workplace efficiency and fiscal responsibility while representing our employees to protect their SCOTUS-affirmed protections.

While understanding there is anxiety about the future federal workforce makeup, the fact is federal employees in Unions have recognized inefficiencies in their workplaces for decades. We have tried to utilize the burdensome, multi-tiered chain of responsibility to streamline processes. We have tried the more circuitous beneficial Suggestion Program to share best practices and offer suggestions for efficiency. All avenues have been met with varying degrees of non-acceptance or limited implementation from management.

The lunchpail employees executing the Nation’s business and Executive Branch’s goals and objectives support a more responsive and financially sound business model. We know government and we know what effectiveness and efficiency look like.

Why do we have so many levels of supervision and management? How is it that a Sergeant can manage a platoon of 13-15 Soldiers in combat but a civilian manager or supervisor can only have 2-4 people? How is it the lunchpail employee can find the most effective and efficient process for the job yet when the idea runs through the 5 levels of supervision above, the idea is squashed?

Federal government reform starts with reducing the burdensome administrative levels that create costly inefficiencies.

For too long, politically motivated Federal Unions strive for aligning with a political party, amendment, or proposition that does not align with most federal workers, or even the employees they purport to represent.

The administration is for open Union elections? So are we.
The administration is for nonpolitical federal employees? So are we.
The administration is for financial transparency? So are we.

Federal Employees may feel like they are in for some turbulence, and that may be. Globally, we are in turbulent times. Many are still experiencing the aftereffects of the pandemic with higher prices and economic uncertainty—along with many of our fellow Americans. We have been bastions of fortitude and resilience from the foundation of our government and prolific progenitors of efficient processes—when those ideas survive management’s bureaucracy. We look forward to reviewing the various proposals. NAIL and our members stand ready.