| Pence, the governor of Indiana who has supported anti-union laws and limiting workers' rights, earned a zero rating from AFGE during his last term in the House, which ended in 2013. "I think it's fair to say federal employees are going to be facing a number of challenges ahead," said Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union. "We're going to have to work really hard to educate the new administration about federal employee issues and the support they need to perform their mission on behalf of the American public." The hiring freeze is one concrete federal workforce proposal Trump committed to in writing. Trump indicated the importance of a freeze, with limited exceptions, when he made it the second of 28 points in his "Contract With the American Voter." But unlike previous calls for a freeze, Trump's is not proposed as a money-saving measure. Instead, he listed it as a tactic to clean up corruption and special interests in Washington, as if there is a connection. Federal Managers Association President Renee Johnson said her organization opposes "arbitrary attrition policies" because of "the severe negative impact that a reduction of resources has had on services." Trump's call for a hiring freeze demonstrates why federal labor organizations will "play defense on many of the issues that are important to federal employees," said Matthew S. Biggs, legislative director of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers. At the time of the freeze proposal, Cox said Trump's "broad, ill-defined hiring freeze is more evidence that he is unprepared and unfit to be the next president of the United States." On Wednesday, Cox, a visible presence at Clinton events, pledged to "work with the Trump administration on areas of common ground." It will be difficult for many to find common ground on workplace diversity with a man who came to political prominence as a leader of the racist birther movement, designed to sabotage America's first black president. Diversity has been an important goal for President Obama. Two federal unions, the National Border Patrol Council and the National ICE Council should have no difficulty finding common ground with Trump because they endorsed him, in noted contrast with AFGE, their parent organization. The councils like his get-tough immigration proposals, such as banning Muslims from entering the country, or some variation, and building a border wall that Mexico would fund. "We think it's going to be a brand new day," said Shawn Moran, NBPC vice president. "We have someone in the White House who understands our mission and supports our mission." But with the policies Trump and his supporters promote, that new day will be cold and cloudy for federal workers. Has he shown any understanding and support of them in general? Moran said NBPC can work with AFGE as a conduit to encourage Trump's administration "to look at federal employees differently." Wishful thinking. Read more: [Trump links federal hiring freeze to fighting corruption] [Two federal unions cling to Trump, despite everything] [Christie on Trump's plan to fire feds faster and clean out Obama's people] | 
Twitter
Facebook
Posts
