FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 21, 2024
March 21, 2024
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-639-6405/202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Reacts to FY24 Minibus
Categories:
Congress, Budget
AFGE slams language aimed at curtailing remote work, applauds efforts to address BOP understaffing and TSA pay equity
WASHINGTON – American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley today issued the following statement in response to the fiscal 2024 spending package released this morning:
“While we continue analyzing the text of this legislation, it’s clear there are both good and bad provisions affecting the hardworking federal employees who dedicate their lives to serving the American public.
“Language attempting to tie the hands of the administration when it comes to determining the correct balance of in-person and remote work at each of our federal workplaces is particularly frustrating. Perhaps more than anyone in America, members of Congress, who will spend nearly 21 of 52 weeks this year away from their Capitol Hill offices, should understand that working remotely just is working. By the very same logic this legislation would apply to federal employees, the government is dangerously close to needing to sell the Capitol building.
“Instead of acknowledging reality and giving agencies the latitude to create reasonable workplace flexibilities based on the nature of the work being performed by their employees, lawmakers are playing political games with arbitrary, governmentwide caps in an attempt to punish the same federal workforce that performed heroically throughout the pandemic by taking up telework to keep the government running when Americans needed them the most.
“Congress should embrace telework and remote work for what it is – a vital workplace flexibility that improves employee morale and productivity, and helps agencies recruit and retain the most qualified employees to the federal government.
“Regarding other specific provisions, we are very happy that Congress is providing the Transportation Security Administration with the funding it needs to competitively pay its workers and address recruiting and retention challenges that affect everyone who travels by air. Likewise, while we wish more funds were included to address staffing and safety issues across the federal Bureau of Prisons, we are pleased that Congress directed the administration to research ways to improve pay for correctional officers and staff.”
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