FederalDaily - October 11, 2007

Bill Would Promote SES Diversity

A Senate bill would establish a new Office of Personnel Management (OPM) component to promote greater diversity within the Senior Executive Service (SES) and recruit larger numbers of women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The bill, S. 2148, the Senior Executive Service Diversity Assurance Act, was introduced Oct. 4 by Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii. A companion House measure by Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, is slated to be introduced next week. The bill would establish a Senior Executive Service Resource Office within OPM that would be responsible for making sure that SES reflects the nation’s diversity, Davis said. Also, the office would have responsibility for prescribing regulations and providing guidance to agencies concerning the structure, management and diverse composition of the SES. Federally Employed Women (FEW) was among the organizations that provided input for the legislation. “Statistics show that representation in the Senior Executive Service is low among both women and minorities,” said Cecelia Davis, FEW vice president for congressional relations. To see more, go to: www.few.org.

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NTEU, Others Urge House to Abolish IRS Private Collectors

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) and a coalition of public interest groups are urging the House to approve legislation that would repeal IRS authority to hire private collectors to pursue outstanding tax debts. In an Oct. 9 letter, the groups voiced their support for the Tax Collection Responsibility Act of 2007, H.R. 3056, sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. According to the coalition, IRS documents show the private collection program has been a financial failure, and did not meet 2007 revenue projections. The debt collectors reported $32.13 million in gross revenue through Sept. 20, as opposed to the $45.7 million to $65 million projected for the year, the coalition noted. NTEU President Colleen Kelley, an outspoken critic of the privatization effort, welcomed the broad-based support. “Opposition to the program only continues to grow as more members of the public learn about its high costs and threat to their private and sensitive information.” To see more, go to: www.nteu.org.

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Young, Potter Ink Five-Year National NALC Agreement 

National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) President William Young and Postmaster General John Potter on Oct. 9 signed a new five-year contract that includes wage hikes of 8.85 percent over the life of the pact for about 222,000 city delivery letter carriers. NALC members overwhelmingly ratified the new contract with the Postal Service last month. The contract includes semi-annual cost-of-living adjustments, new protections against the contracting out of letter carrier work and a 1.4 percent wage increase retroactive to Nov. 25, 2006. The contract runs until Nov. 20, 2011. “This contract rightfully includes not only justified wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments for America’s letter carriers, but also the assurance to the general public that career Postal Service employees, not outside contractors, will continue to efficiently deliver the mail,” Young said. To see more, go to: www.nalc.org.

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