FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2023
August 17, 2023
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-639-6405/202-374-6491
[email protected]
SSA Employee Union Endorses Martin O’Malley’s Nomination to Lead Agency
Categories:
SSA
AFGE says O’Malley is the right person to lead vital federal agency
WASHINGTON – The American Federation of Government Employees body representing nearly 43,000 employees at the Social Security Administration has endorsed President Biden’s nomination of former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to be the next SSA commissioner.
The AFGE SSA General Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to endorse O’Malley’s nomination. The committee oversees AFGE councils representing SSA employees in field offices, teleservice centers, workload support units, hearings and appeals, payment centers, and quality review as well as AFGE locals representing employees at SSA headquarters and the operations center in Wilkes Barre, Pa.
“No federal agency reaches as many Americans as the Social Security Administration. SSA deserves a leader with full authority to implement a positive vision that will simultaneously improve public service and employee working conditions. Governor O’Malley is that leader,” said AFGE Council 215 President Rich Couture.
“AFGE Council 220 represents nearly 30,000 Social Security field workers who are out on the front lines working tirelessly to provide the best service possible to the American people under what has snowballed into extremely stressful working conditions,” said AFGE Council 220 President Jessica LaPointe.
“We urge the Senate to confirm Governor O’Malley as the next commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Based on his prior commitments to strengthen and expand Social Security and his successful, data-driven approach to improving government at both the city and state level, I am confident that Governor O’Malley will be able to lift the Social Security Administration out of its current crisis of low employee morale, damaging attrition, and customer service complaints,” LaPointe said. “We are confident that with Governor O’Malley as commissioner, we can get to work immediately so that the agency can thrive once again and provide the American people with the Social Security services they need and deserve.”
AFGE National President Everett Kelley, who previously applauded the nomination, urged the Senate to confirm O’Malley’s nomination without delay.
“Social Security is a critical lifeline to tens of millions of Americans, and the agency deserves to be led by a permanent commissioner who will fight every day for SSA’s people and programs,” Kelley said.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union, representing 750,000 federal and DC government employees. AFGE represents nearly 43,000 employees across SSA nationwide.
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