Bal Harbour, FL
The AFL-CIO joins federal workers and their unions in resisting proposals that would mindlessly slash the federal work force and reduce the ability of federal employees to administer government effectively and efficiently.
Thus far in his administration, President Clinton has already greatly reduced the size of the federal work force, generating some $64 billion in savings to taxpayers and many innovative ways to improve service to the public.
Now, the new leadership in Congress wants to use the appropriations process to make much deeper reductions in the federal work force. If they succeed, federal agencies will have even greater difficulty meeting the basic needs of citizens and, as a result, the public's disillusionment with government would grow.
We urge the Clinton Administration not to engage in a bidding war with the Republicans in Congress over the number of jobs to cut from the federal payroll. To do so would imitate the worst elements of the "downsizing" craze that has swept many U.S. industries. Setting arbitrary ceilings on federal employment would ignore the productivity and efficiency issues that are so critical to maintaining the services that working Americans expect their government to provide.
Instead, any further efforts to streamline government should be carried out in full consultation with federal employees and their unions and through a rational process that evaluates the effectiveness and continued viability of federal programs.
We believe the American people want not smaller but better and more efficient government. There will be no real progress toward that aim without the full participation of federal employee unions in the decision-making process. We urge Congress and the Administration to allow the current partnership between the federal government and its employees to continue to improve government in a way that preserves the integrity and viability of the federal work force.