photo by Victoria Pickering
Thanks to Michael for sending: “I’m wondering if many of the civil servants in DC might be interested in this new website that just launched all about protecting civil servants.”
From a press release:
“A broad coalition of civil society institutions and organizations launched Civil Service Strong, a new effort and public resource center that houses information to support the American people, including the 2.2 million federal government civil servants across the country who work tirelessly to make our country stronger.
Civil Service Strong is an effort by civil society, non-partisan good government and watchdog organizations, lawyers, unions who are joining together to ensure our nation’s civil service is able to continue to serve the American people and our Constitution, deliver for our nation, and support our communities. Our nation’s civil servants, government employees, help keep our food, medicine, transportation, and water safe; secure our public safety and our national security; deliver our mail; support our education and health care systems; ensure our financial system operates and that small businesses and business owners have access to credit; and work in our court houses, our airports, our national parks, and so much more.
According to recent data, 95% of Americans believe government workers and civil servants should be hired and promoted based on their merit rather than their political beliefs. Yet, there are now increasingly alarming threats against the civil service and individual civil servants themselves — ultimately threatening the ability of the government to work for the people and democracy itself. In today’s environment, civil servants are already experiencing harassment, and many are considering whether to leave public service or endure firing, reassignment, and retaliation.
Civil Service Strong is committed to supporting a well-functioning government that works for the American people, which includes supporting career, non-partisan civil service and the people who power it. Civil Service Strong is supported in part by the following organizations:
American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Democracy Forward
Government Accountability Project
National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE)
Project on Government Oversight (POGO)
State Democracy Defenders Fund
The Civil Service Strong website will serve as the most comprehensive one-stop-shop for educating the public regarding threats to the civil service and containing information regarding resources available for civil servants facing harassment by private individuals, or fearing firing, reassignment, or retaliation on the job, including:
Legal Response Network: Following inauguration, Civil Service Strong will house information on how to access legal resources for civil servants who may be harmed or in need of legal representation
Employment Rights: Federal employees’ rights and methods for recourse are housed across a number of federal agencies, websites, and forms. Civil Service Strong centralizes those resources for immediate access
Tracking: Civil Service Strong will monitor and publish ongoing attacks on the civil service as well as other changes, including Reductions in Force (RIFs) to specific agencies or departments, which would hinder the government’s ability to protect and deliver for people
Research: Civil Service Strong will provide publicly accessible research and resources regarding the civil service and the ability of the government to work for people
Union Support: Civil Service Strong will help to connect those civil servants seeking union representation to their appropriate contact”