United States President, Joe Biden’s fiscal 2022 Budget proposal outlines a far more positive image for the Federal workforce than has been seen in recent years.
The Strengthening the Federal Workforce section of the spending plan backs away from a call for broad public sector reform — a shift in direction from both the Administrations of Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official of the Office of Management and Budget indicated Mr Biden might address Public Service reform later.
“As the President’s management agenda takes shape and Agency goals are established and pursued, strengthening the Federal workforce will continue to be a major focus in order to make a Government that works for all Americans,” the official said.
The Budget backs Mr Biden’s talk of “empowering, rebuilding, and protecting the Federal workforce” by listing actions taken during his first few months in office.
“The President immediately halted the previous Administration’s actions aimed at politicising the Civil Service, destroying Federal employee unions, and decreasing diversity,” the workforce chapter says.
In April, the President charged Vice President, Kamala Harris ( pictured) with leading efforts “to promote my Administration’s policy of support for worker power, worker organising, and collective bargaining” — a dramatic turn from Mr Trump’s union-busting policies.
In keeping with Mr Biden’s focus on racial equity, the Budget document says “this Administration seeks to permanently end the lingering biases against people who suffered discrimination”.
The document states: “Our Civil Service hiring processes have not maximally supported these ideals.”
Chair of the Coalition for Fairness for Hispanics in Government, Gilbert Sandate praised Mr Biden’s efforts, but warned: “Talk is cheap and we’ve heard it before, most recently under the Obama Administration of which President Biden was such a central part.”
“If the Biden Administration is serious about eliminating this disparity in hiring, it must hold Agency heads accountable for their hiring and promotion actions,” Mr Sandate said.
Washington, 6 June 2021
