FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2002
July 24, 2002
Magda Lynn Seymour
Diane S. Witiak
(202) 639-6419
Diane S. Witiak
(202) 639-6419
AFGE Applauds House Action To Abolish Outsourcing Quotas
Categories:
News & Publications, Washington, D.C., Press Release, D.C. Government
(WASHINGTON, DC)—Bobby L. Harnage, National President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), today issued the following statement in response to House passage of the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill:
“House passage today of Congressman Jim Moran’s amendment to abolish the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) ill-conceived outsourcing quotas allows federal agencies to determine when and if government services should be considered for outsourcing, rather than forcing agencies to meet OMB’s arbitrary mandate.
“Although OMB claimed that its quota system was designed to create more public-private competition, its directive provided no assurances that federal employees would have opportunities to ‘compete’ for their jobs. In fact, to meet OMB’s irresponsible quota deadlines, many agencies were opting to convert their jobs directly to big private sector businesses without competition, at a time when corporate scandals are being highlighted daily in the news. Why are agencies being forced to contract important government services to such infamous companies as Arthur Andersen, Enron and WorldCom? Is this really best for America’s taxpayers?
“These quotas give no consideration to each agency’s needs or abilities to effectively carry out its mission. Instead, it forces agencies to needlessly contract out jobs that even managers believe should continue to be performed by reliable and experienced federal employees.
“AFGE and its members applaud Representative Jim Moran (D-Va.) for his tremendous efforts to ensure passage of this critical amendment. This vote definitively repudiates the White House’s pro-contractor outsourcing give aways without competition.”
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