FCC's Union Praises Proposal to Block Schedule F Plans
A draft rule published in the Federal Register Friday by the Office of Personnel Management would protect the due process rights of federal employees from “a president hostile to the civil service,” said a news release from the National Treasury…
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Employees Union, which represents FCC employees. The draft rule is intended to block future versions of President Donald Trump’s Schedule F plan, which would have taken away civil service protections from many federal workers (see 2010300048). That plan was rescinded by President Joe Biden before ever being implemented. Under the new draft rule, federal employees affected under a resurrected Schedule F “would retain their basic rights to notice of an adverse action and an opportunity to respond,” said NTEU: “These rights would help shield them from unlawful and politically motivated firings.” Said NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald in the release: “We never want another attempt at Schedule F but just in case, this rule establishes some important guardrails to ensure that whatever is done is consistent with civil service laws and regulations": “The merit-based civil service is a critical part of our democracy, and no one should be able to undo that by Executive Order.” The draft rule stems from an NTEU petition that was supported by the Federal Worker’s Alliance, a coalition of 13 unions representing federal employees. “Today’s action by President Biden is a reminder that we have a responsibility to take action to shore up the civil service and prevent any president from pursuing these corrupt schemes,” said American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley in a release.