Federal Managers Association

Washington Report

• FMA SPEAKS OUT AGAINST TARGETING VA MANAGERS

• In late July, the Washington Post reported that a local American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) chapter based out of the Department of Veterans Affairs, conducted an internal review of misconduct of managers and supervisors within the VA, which was used to create a list of those who should be terminated from their positions. The AFGE chapter shared this report with VA Secretary Bob McDonald. In response, the Federal Managers Association (FMA), along with the Senior Executives Association (SEA), requested the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, as well as the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to investigate this internal review.

  Concerning to FMA and SEA is whether or not the local chapter used official time to conduct the internal review. As stated in the letter to Congressional leaders, FMA and SEA commented, “Official time provides for federal labor organizations to conduct representational activities. However, to our knowledge, official time does not cover a union investigating agency managers and executives for the purposes of creating a hit list of those it seeks to have removed from the agency.” The letter further added, “Investigating federal employees, which is typically an agency function, is not an authority granted to unions by federal statue.”

  FMA, SEA, and AFGE are all members of the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations. This council is dedicated to improving working relationships throughout the federal government, encouraging collaboration at all levels in order to create a more efficient and effective federal government. FMA is disappointed a chapter of AFGE acted in a manner that does nothing but erode gains the Council made. In order for federal departments and agencies to be efficient and effective, labor and management must work together. Providing a hit list of managers whom labor wishes to see terminated can only create a hostile environment between the two groups and degrade morale within the VA.

  To read the full letter from FMA and SEA, please visit the Legislative Action Center of the FMA website, www.fedmanagers.org.

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