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| Veterans Affairs has 346 workers who do only union work |
| 2017-04-28 |
| [WASHINGTONEXAMINER] An estimated 346 employees in the Department of Veterans Affairs do no actual work for taxpayers. Instead, they spend all of their time doing work on behalf of their union while drawing a federal salary, a practice known as "official time." That's according to a report by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office. But exactly what those VA workers are doing and why so many are doing it is not clear. The VA doesn't track that, and the GAO report offers no clue. Rep. Jody Arrington, R-Texas, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, thinks the number on 100 percent official time may be much higher. He also notes that the 346 workers don't include those who spend most, not all, of their time doing union work. "The lack of accountability at the VA when it comes to monitoring official time suggests it might be worse," said Arrington, who has introduced legislation that would require the department to track the use of official time, among other reforms. Pointing to the waiting list scandals at the department, Arrington said the official time situation is reflective of the "broken culture at the heart of the VA" and adds, "I haven't heard one good, acceptable reason why the practice has continued." The VA was not eager to discuss the matter with the Washington Examiner. After several days of inquiries, it responded with the following statement: "VA believes that the appropriate use of official time can be beneficial and in the public interest as stated in the Federal Service Labor-Relations Statute, which governs how executive branch agencies treat official time. VA takes the position that labor and management have a shared responsibility to ensure that official time is authorized and used appropriately. VA practices are in compliance with the Federal Service Labor-Relations Statute." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 If I may, add to #3 no mo uro's comment; firing the people responsible for creating and authorizing this job classification. |
| Posted by: Jan 2017-04-28 11:31 |
| #5 If we can negotiate NAFA we can certainly rewrite agreements with unions particularly since unions are not sovereign nation and have no equal standing to an elected government of the people. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2017-04-28 09:10 |
| #4 "broken culture at the heart of the VA" Easier to explain if you visit a VA Hospital or examine the TSA workforce at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. Much easier. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-04-28 08:07 |
| #3 Fire them immediately, no review process, no unemployment benefits. Confiscate every cent they put into their retirement + every cent we did. Put it into Social Security. Turn them loose choose between a) doing real work in the dreaded private sector at a much lower pay grade or b) economic oblivion. Problem solved. Justice served. |
| Posted by: no mo uro 2017-04-28 06:20 |
| #2 Trump signs order creating accountability office at VA |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2017-04-28 02:46 |
| #1 Must all be in Phoenix. Sad |
| Posted by: Alpha2c 2017-04-28 01:24 |