I don't know about you, but I'm tired of hearing the most ridiculous claim made by Republicans and defenders of Scott Walker "that there are no federal employee unions." They say why are state workers whining about their collective bargaining rights, since the federal OBAMA administration doesn't give collective bargaining rights to its employees.
That would dramatic news to the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). The AFGE has been representing federal employees for 79 years. The AFGE currently represents 600,000 employees in various departments. How the Republicans have missed this is quite amazing considering the fact that Newt Gingrich and the Republicans battled them all throughout the budget shutdown? (Check out this google search and click on an article if you want to pay for it.)
Let's counteract this false narrative. Join me over the flip.
Please read this letter I sent to MSNBC. And join me in exposing this false claim by clicking on the link and writing to MSNBC.
Dear Ladies and Genltemen of MSNBC,
Todd Harris on Hardball less half an hour ago repeated a falsehood that there are no federal employee unions. This false claim has been spread by various Republicans and other advocates of the collective-bargaining stripping bills in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and various other states.
Apparently, these emminent members of the political community have not heard about the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). These poeple seem to have not noticed the AFGE for the past 79 years. This is hard to believe since this organization represents 600,000 federal and D.C. employees, with the largest concentrations in the Department of Defense, Justice, Veteran's Affairs and the Social Security Administration.
Just because they didn't notice doesn't mean you shouldn't. Please correct this false claim when you hear it from a Republican or anti-union person on your programs.
Let's also write to Fox and CNN!
Update: I guess update link doesn't work. RyanBTC points out that Republicans have been making the argument that federal employees do not have the same bargaining rights as state employees. And he is correct, according to the AFGE:
Currently, most federal public employees—with the exception of the postal service and some others—are only permitted to collectively bargain to improve their working conditions (their pay and benefits are set by Congress). However, DeMint is apparently seeking to take away even the meager rights that federal employees currently have.
But that is not the argument that has been made by many. Many have, as Todd Harris, said their are not federal employee unions at all. I will post the video when I can.
Maybe we can show to an even greater extent the deceit involved in these claims.