NSPS?? ? Is Your Head in the Sand? NSPSNSPS

NSPS AFGE Local 1858 National Security Personnel System

“These are landmark reforms, the most ambitious of their kind in a quarter century, and similar in scope and purpose to those enacted for the Department of Homeland Security.” - George W. Bush

“Every advance in the past century - Social Security, civil rights, Medicare, aid to education, one after another - came with the support and leadership of American Labor”. -Don Eiermann Local 1858 President

What DoD Says About Pay “National Security Compensation Comparability” DoD will try to ensure that the overall amount allocated for employee compensation for fiscal year 2008, will not be less than the amount they would have had without NSPS. After that, DoD says it will balance the interests of employees with DoD’s need for flexibility to make changes that might affect pay levels. In other words, DoD gives itself the right to lower overall payroll amounts in the future. DoD talks only of “overall” amounts of pay – it makes no promise to try to protect any individual employee from harm because of NSPS.

Local Market Supplements DoD will set local market supplements for employees in a band, and may set different amounts for different occupations or pay bands. Locality pay would no longer be given equally to all employees in the same local area. DoD will decide which jobs should be paid more and which jobs it believes are already being paid higher than the local labor market. Employees with an acceptable/unacceptable rating may not receive a pay increase.

Performance Payouts “NSPS will be a pay-for-performance system, based upon individual performance, contribution, organizational performance, or a combination”. NSPS will use pay pools to manage, control, and distribute performance-based pay. DoD will decide which parts of the organization and which jobs will be combined and what percentage of payroll will go into each pool. Some pay pools might have proportionally less money than others, which will mean smaller payouts for even the top performers in that pool. The money will come out of the existing payroll costs currently used for such things as within-grade increases, quality step increases, promotions, etc. DoD is not putting more money into the system – some employees can get more than under the GS system but only if some of their fellow employees get less.

Performance Management DoD says it wants the flexibility to change expectations throughout the year, and claims that supervisors will inform and involve employees in those changes. It is hard to imagine managers, many of whom fail to have any performance discussions with their employees now, communicating constant changes in expectations. Expectations may include behavior; attitude; goals; objectives; competencies; contributions; work requirements, such as standard operating procedures or instructions, manuals, etc.; a particular work assignment; etc.

Labor Relations Common Labor Relations Elements No More Bargaining Over: Agency-Wide Personnel Policies and Regulations Implementation and Impact… Prior to Management Action Procedures Involving “Operational” Management Rights Changes that do not have “Significant, Substantial Adverse Impact” Continued Bargaining Over: Personnel Policies, Working Conditions at Level above Recognition Non-Operational Procedures, such as Discipline, Promotion, etc. Working Conditions… but After Implementation Time Limits on Term, Mid-Term Bargaining Agency-Unique Labor Boards to Resolve Most Disputes Single, Integrated Process for Bargaining Issues Limited FLRA Review; Judicial Review Unique Features Component Personnel Regulations Not Negotiable (NSPS) National, Multi-Unit Bargaining at Agency Discretion (NSPS) NSLRB Adjudicates all ULPs (NSPS) Performance Ratings Not Grievable – by negotiated process (NSPS)

Ultimately – it’s your choice. Rights NO Fear Rights NO Fear NSPS General Schedule Locality Rate Adjustments Cost of Living Adjustments Within Grade Increases (Step) MSPB Review Right to Collective Bargaining Loyalty/Longevity Reward (RIF Standing) Full Due Process (3 rd Party Review) In-hand Today! Locality Rate Adjustments Cost of Living Adjustments Within Grade Increases (Step) MSPB Review Right to Collective Bargaining Loyalty/Longevity Reward (RIF Standing) Full Due Process (3 rd Party Review)

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