Doreen Greenwald, National President of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and April Goggans, President of NTEU Chapter 250, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the challenges facing federal workers. They addressed proposed budget cuts, workforce reductions and the impact on critical services provided by agencies like the IRS and Health and Human Services.
Greenwald highlighted the NTEU's fight against what she called "unprecedented attacks" on federal employees and their unions. She emphasized that the proposed cuts are not about efficiency, but rather about dismantling services for the American people. Greenwald believes that reducing IRS staffing could lead to a significant drop in customer service levels, potentially returning to a mere 12 to 16 percent service rate for taxpayers seeking assistance.
Goggans shed light on what she called a chaotic situation at the Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services. She described a workplace where employees face constant uncertainty, with reorganizations happening without proper communication or planning. Goggans claimed the recent staff reductions have left critical programs understaffed, forcing remaining employees to work overtime and weekends to maintain essential services like Head Start and child care assistance.
The union leaders stressed these federal workers are providing vital services to the American public. They called for greater transparency in proposed cuts and reorganizations, arguing that federal employees themselves are the best resource to identify efficiencies. Greenwald and Goggans urged listeners to stay informed about these issues, as they directly impact the services taxpayers rely on.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about the challenges facing federal workers and the potential consequences for public services.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
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