This is regarding “Pay changes ahead for federal workers; Defense, Homeland raises would be performance-based” (News, Feb. 17), by Stephen Franklin, Tribune staff reporter.
Franklin missed the point on a number of issues.
Franklin said that workers will “get raises according to how good a job they do.” He neglected to say that the determination of a “good job” would be an arbitrary decision made by a supervisor.
Requirements will not have to be met; guidelines will not have to be followed. If a manager does not want to give an honest, hardworking employee a raise, he or she will have that power.
Franklin goes on to say that workers will have the rights to “challenge their bosses’ evaluations.” What he doesn’t say is that in many cases, the challenges will go before a board appointed by management.
Franklin writes that “federal officials say whistle-blower protections will remain the same.” The American Federation of Government Employees contends that without adequate representation, protections on paper are meaningless.
The administration has turned its back on its most dependable, trustworthy and necessary employees.
