Bush Administration Cries ‘Uncle’ on Gutting Workers’ Rights at Homeland Security

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/02/21/bush-administration-cries-uncle-on-gutting-workers-rights-at-homeland-security/

by Mike Hall, Feb 21, 2008

The Bush administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has cried “uncle” after its lengthy fight to drastically limit the workplace and collective bargaining rights of some 160,000 employees. In a filing with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Homeland Security officials said they would abandon efforts to implement anti-worker rules and “proceed with labor relations pursuant to applicable law.”

Wow! What a concept! Obey the law!

More to the point, Homeland Security backed down after being faced with a federal appeals court ruling against the personnel system it unilaterally imposed on the workers in 2005, along with a congressional ban on spending any funds on new worker rules. Not to mention a ticking clock for the Bush administration.

AFGE General Counsel Mark Roth union says workers are “ecstatic” that they were able to beat back the Bush administration’s effort to eliminate collective bargaining.

It was clear from the beginning that the administration was shamefully misusing the tragedy of 9/11, where over 300 unionized firefighters, police and EMT’s died, to push the right wing’s anti-union agenda. The claim that collective bargaining is somehow inconsistent with national security was a slap in the face to all unionized workers. We all look forward to Jan. 20, 2009, when the folks responsible leave government having accomplished so much damage in eight short years.

Colleen Kelly, president of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which represents workers at Homeland Security, says:

The labor regulations DHS wanted to implement—and the White House wanted to extend throughout the government—were an effort to reduce employees workplace rights and give managers the unfettered discretion to alter fundamental working conditions, essentially at will.


FULL story at link.