NAGE Submits Comments on NSPS Regs
May 5, 2008
NAGE submitted on Friday comments to the Department of Defense (DoD) regarding draft issuances for the Pentagon’s controversial new personnel plan, the National Security Personnel System (NSPS).
The Department is moving forward with implementation of its personnel system, although with less sweeping changes than were envisioned by former-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who convinced Congress to grant DoD the authority to create the new personnel plan back in 2003. In January, Congress repealed much of the Department’s authority, including the right to abolish collective bargaining and adverse action appeals, steps the Pentagon planned to take before lawmakers stepped in.
At this point, NSPS has not been implemented for Defense Department bargaining unit workers. DoD has several requirements it must meet before it can begin implementation.
After reviewing comments from NAGE and other unions with national consultation rights, the Department is expected to release final implementing issuances. Then, they must bargain with unions.
At the moment, it is unclear how, when, and at what level collective bargaining will take place. It is doubtful that bargaining will commence immediately after the final implementing issuances are released. Implementation cannot occur on bargaining unit members until the collective bargaining process has been finished. It is extremely unlikely that this process would be completed in calendar year 2008.
“This is just the first step in the process,” said NAGE Federal Director Gina Lightfoot Walker. “DoD showed us what they would like to do under NSPS, and we have responded to their ideas. We still have a very long way to go before we begin bargaining and a long way before any of this is implemented for our members.”