By The Federal Unionists Network
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In response to Musk’s social media post and follow up email from the Office of Personnel Management demanding workers explain in 5 bullet points what they did last week, federal workers in the Federal Unionists Network (FUN) said Saturday’s stunt is yet another example of Musk’s contempt for not just the federal workforce but for all workers.
FUN representatives say that the 48-hour deadline has created confusion and they are worried about privacy issues for the American public. They are asking their coworkers to not respond unless told to do so by their direct supervisor.
Further, workers point out, even based on guidance sent out by OPM earlier this month, responses to government-wide emails from OPM are voluntary. (Section 4, Page 7)
“We serve the American people, not the whims of an unelected billionaire. The work we do is critically important and the normal safeguards to protect the privacy of that work exist for a reason,” said Paul Osadebe, a federal worker and Steward for AFGE Local 476. “As we continue to work to provide efficient services to the public, workers should not waste time dignifying this scare tactic unless ordered to do so by our direct supervisor.”
Workers say they are more than ready to describe what they do for the American public, but will not jeopardize the privacy of the American people to do so.
“Elon’s chainsaw performance before sending this unhinged email says it all: he intends to hack apart the federal workforce and prevent us from providing vital services to the public, including through directives like this that insult us, waste our time, and try to lure us into violating our normal practices and procedures,” Osadebe said.
This concern for privacy is likely a reason why responses have differed across agencies. For example, FBI workers and State Department workers have been instructed not to reply. This underscores the urgency of all Americans taking a stand against Musk’s wrecking ball operation, which threatens vital public services Americans rely on.
“We all know what it feels like when an abusive, incompetent supervisor with no idea what your job is, comes in and tries to sow division and chaos to exert power over you,” said Alissa Tafti, a federal worker, spokesperson for FUN and President of AFGE Local 2211. “This is happening on a national scale to the federal workforce. This was never about efficiency, it is about terrorizing workers in order to deregulate and profit from the destruction of our public services.”
While federal workers rebuke Musk’s scare tactic, they are also glad that the public is interested in hearing what they do. FUN members, union leaders, and federal workers have been speaking out and sharing their stories about vital public services, and will continue to do so in ways that respect the sensitivity of the work.
Federal workers provide services that keep this country running. Every week and every day, they:
- Deliver Social Security and disability payments at the Social Security Administration
- Inspect food to keep it safe at the Food and Drug Administration
- Protect air and water from corporate pollution at the Environmental Protection Agency
- Ensure veterans receive care at VA hospitals at Veterans Affairs
- Ensure every student has access to public education at the Department of Education
- Stop banks from scamming working families at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Process and deliver mail to every home address at the country at the United States Postal Service
- Enforce worker rights and prevent wage theft at the Department of Labor
- Hold corporations accountable for tax fraud at the Internal Revenue Service
- Protect our public lands, making sure they are safe and accessible to all at the Department of the Interior
All federal employees have their performance formally appraised every six months and report frequently to supervisors in their chain of command about the work they do.
“Despite Musk’s efforts to use threats, chaos, and outright illegal actions to decimate our workforce, this is not just a fight over jobs,” Tafti said. “This is a fight for a functioning government that serves the public.”
The Federal Unionists Network is an informal association of federal unionists and allies organizing to support each other in strengthening our unions, improving our agencies and building solidarity across the federal sector of the labor movement.
