Dear Journal,
I've been stewing over this for a while (10 years), but today I felt like I needed to put pen to paper and really delve into how the union is hurting our government and those who genuinely care about their jobs after reading a comment on Unions in the Gov. It's a hard truth to face, but I believe it's something that needs to be said.
The union is meant to protect workers' rights and ensure fair treatment. But in reality, it often ends up protecting the lazy and incompetent at the expense of those who actually give a damn about their work. I've seen it time and time again—employees who do the very bare minimum, working at a snail's pace, knowing that the union will protect them regardless of their performance.
Meanwhile, there are those of us who bust our asses every day, going above and beyond what's asked of us. We do this because we care about our jobs, about serving our country, and about making a difference and helping the men and women in the field. But where's our representation? Where's our protection when we're overworked and underappreciated?
I've witnessed coworkers take on extra duties and projects because they were on probation for 2 years, because they were told to, and they lived in fear that they would be fired if they didn't take it. In fact, I have heard this first hand by a supervisor to a union employer on her first day!. But when they're overwhelmed and seek help from the union, they're met with excuses and half-hearted support. It's like the union only cares about those who fabricate issues or cause a scene, rather than those who genuinely need assistance.
This kind of environment breeds resentment and kills morale. Those who work hard feel unvalued and unsupported, while those who slack off are rewarded with protection. It's a backwards system that hurts not only the dedicated employees but also the government as a whole.
Productivity suffers when employees aren't held accountable for their performance. Taxpayer money is wasted on those who aren't pulling their weight, usually found having small chats with people all over the office, surfing the net when at their desk instead of doing their job. I know everyone knows this person. And those who could make a real difference are bogged down by the extra work left behind by their underperforming colleagues.
I've seen firsthand how the union can disrupt the natural flow of work and the chain of command. Supervisors are hesitant to discipline underperforming employees because they know the union will step in and make their lives hell. It's a system that encourages mediocrity and discourages excellence.
I believe in a system where hard work is rewarded, and underperformance is addressed fairly but firmly. I believe in a system where everyone is held accountable for their actions and expected to do their job to the best of their abilities. The union, as it stands, doesn't support that. And that's why I believe it's hurting our government and those who truly care about their work.
. As a disabled Marine, I've always believed in the chain of command and the importance of discipline and order. But what I've seen lately in the civilian government world makes me question the system in place.
I've been thinking a lot about the role of unions in the government. In the military, we can't unionize, and for good reason. It would disrupt the chain of command and make it difficult to maintain efficiency and order. I believe the same should apply to all government employee unions. They should be dissolved. No exceptions.
I've seen firsthand how unions can disrupt the system and protect incompetent employees. It's just like in the military—if someone isn't pulling their weight, they should be held accountable, not protected. But unions often make that impossible.
A friend of mine, who I won't name or what race he was, I will say green, to keep this neutral, recently went to the union for help. He's been overwhelmed with additional duties—29 of them, to be exact. These aren't small tasks; they include roles like COR, which is a full-time job in itself, added training for a 4-Star HQ and all subordinates, ITPOC, Sharepoint Designer, Trusted Agent for the command, and more. All this on top of his actual SF-50 Position Description that details his actual duties.
You'd think the union would step in and help, right? Wrong. The response he got floored me. The union rep basically said, "I don't know your race, but supervisors look at you as a mule and they will pack you with more and more..." And the really shocking part is this rep hand typed it in a message! She had to put actual thought to her typing. The rep went on like this, but you get the point. It was disgusting to read.
After getting nowhere with the union, my friend decided to take his case higher up. He went to the Inspector General (IG), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and even reached out to other higher-ups to begin a deskside audit! He did everything by the book, hoping that someone would see the injustice and do something about it. This is still sitting on the supervisors desk 4 years later.
I've seen the union fight tooth and nail for some people, often based on race similarities or personal relationships, even when they're in the wrong. Meanwhile, others get little to no support. It's a joke. It's not about fairness or protecting workers' rights anymore. It's about politics, favoritism, bro or bra system, or stick it to the man system when it excites them.
I believe in a system where everyone is held accountable for their actions and expected to do their job. Unions, in their current state, don't support that. They disrupt the chain of command and make it difficult to fire underperforming employees. It's time for a change.
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the nature of government unions and how they differ from traditional trade unions. And I've come to a conclusion that might ruffle some feathers, but I believe it needs to be said: government unions should be illegal.
Now, don't get me wrong. I believe in the right to organize and collectively bargain in the private sector. Trade unions have a vital role to play in ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, and worker protections. But government unions? That's a different beast entirely.
Here's the thing: in a trade union, workers and management have a clear adversarial relationship. Workers want higher wages and better conditions, while management wants to maximize profits. A union in this context makes sense, as it helps balance the power dynamics between labor and management.
But in the government, there is no profit motive. The "management" is the elected officials and the taxpayers. And the "workers" are the public servants, paid by taxpayer money. This dynamic changes everything.
Government unions, instead of balancing power dynamics, often end up distorting them. Here are a few examples:
Protection of Underperformers: As I've mentioned before, government unions often protect underperforming employees, making it nearly impossible to fire them. This not only hurts morale among dedicated workers but also wastes taxpayer money. For instance, remember the VA scandal a few years back? Employees were manipulating waitlists, leading to veteran deaths, yet it was nearly impossible to fire them due to union protections.
Disruption of Chain of Command: In the military, we understand the importance of a clear chain of command. But government unions often disrupt this. A supervisor might want to discipline an employee, but the union steps in and makes it impossible. This undermines authority and makes it difficult to maintain order and efficiency.
Political Influence: Government unions have significant political power. They can endorse candidates, donate to campaigns, and lobby for legislation. This creates a conflict of interest. Essentially, public servants are using taxpayer money to influence politics in their favor. That's not right.
Unbalanced Negotiations: In the private sector, unions negotiate with management, and both sides have skin in the game. But in the government, unions negotiate with politicians, who often have little incentive to say no. After all, agreeing to union demands can secure their votes and political support. This leads to bloated contracts and unsustainable pensions, all funded by taxpayers.
Look at what's happening in cities and states across the country. Many are facing budget crises, largely due to unsustainable pension and benefit obligations negotiated by government unions. It's not fair to the taxpayers, and it's not fair to the dedicated public servants who end up bearing the brunt of the backlash.
I believe that public servants should be well-compensated and treated fairly. But government unions, as they currently exist, do more harm than good. They distort the power dynamics, protect the wrong people, and waste taxpayer money.
It's time we rethink the role of unions in the government. It's time we put the interests of taxpayers and dedicated public servants first. And it's time we make government unions illegal.
Until then, I'll keep advocating for what I believe is right, hoping that one day, someone will listen.
You're probably asking why I've included that image of the national debt and the dollar. Well, let me explain. Government unions are a significant contributor to our skyrocketing debt. They lobby for increased spending on public sector jobs, higher wages, and more generous benefits. And politicians, eager for their endorsements, often cave to these demands.
But all this spending comes at a cost—a cost borne by the taxpayer. As government unions secure more and more for their members, our national debt continues to climb. And who's left holding the bag? The American people.
Moreover, these union-negotiated benefits and wages also drive up the cost of government services. As public sector compensation packages become more and more generous, taxes have to increase to fund them. This not only hurts the taxpayer but also makes it harder for governments to provide essential services efficiently ani.
Semper Fi,
A Disgruntled Disabled Marine
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